Butcher Prices

[hunterbob1]

41 minutes ago, BHC said:

I did a few on my own over the years, alot work.

Used many butchers over same amount of years. Two of them I would give 5 out 5 starts.

One would be Jenekis is Passaic but sadly the Oldman sold so no more

Second one is Jimmy Hunterdon Deer Butchers, his place is immaculate,  and his cuts and especially his specialty items are fantastic....

It was Janick's, I was one of their last customers in there last year, about 8 years ago, 15 minutes from where I used to live. They had great stuff and did quality butchering. Sad the neighborhood did not support them.

[Bucksnbows]

5 hours ago, BEAR said:

Anyone hear the prices this year?   Last year it was up an average $10 .

I think that was based on how slammed they got in the 20/21 season when everyone was home from Covid and many of us went hunting. Last fall and winter we saw a drop in deer harvests due to some getting back to work, EHD locally and fewer deer from the year before’s high harvests.  
 

Butcher prices seem to not go crazy over the years. I’m thinking we paid $65 for a “regular cut” back in the late 70s and now we’re what, $100?  I only shot one deer last year, a buck in NY and butchered it there myself because of the newer CWD laws keeping spines and brains from being brought over state lines. So I’m not sure if my NJ butcher raised his prices or not last year. 

[mazzgolf]

3 minutes ago, Bucksnbows said:

because of the newer CWD laws keeping spines and brains from being brought over state lines

That's one thing everyone needs to consider now. If you live in NJ and hunt in PA or NY, you can't (legally) bring the whole deer home - whether you want to bring it to a NJ butcher or butcher it yourself, doesn't matter.

I know a butcher down here in south Jersey got a visit from DFW last year and illegal PA deer were found. From what I heard, the COs didn't ticket or fine the hunters (don't know if the butcher was fined or not), but COs were calling the hunters giving out warnings to let people know the new rules. Out of state deer? Get it butchered out of state. Or, at minimum, quarter the deer and do not bring in the spine or non-taxi'd head.

[Bucksnbows]

12 minutes ago, mazzgolf said:

That's one thing everyone needs to consider now. If you live in NJ and hunt in PA or NY, you can't (legally) bring the whole deer home - whether you want to bring it to a NJ butcher or butcher it yourself, doesn't matter.

I know a butcher down here in south Jersey got a visit from DFW last year and illegal PA deer were found. From what I heard, the COs didn't ticket or fine the hunters (don't know if the butcher was fined or not), but COs were calling the hunters giving out warnings to let people know the new rules. Out of state deer? Get it butchered out of state. Or, at minimum, quarter the deer and do not bring in the spine or non-taxi'd head.

That's what I did, quarter it  up and left skull and spine in NY for the coyotes.  This year my plan is to drop it off near the NY/NJ border at a NY deer butcher and pick it up a few days later.  My camp is too far away from me to use a local butcher up there.  I have butchered my own and used outside butchers.  I prefer to leave it to a professional.  I never know if I can carve out the time to deal with it, and the weather can influence that decision as to when and where to butcher.    

[hammer4reel]

1 hour ago, FeniQuest217 said:

Feeding off of this - if you have a house you really should look into doing it yourself. I don't have a garage - and most will tell me who gives a shit but the last thing i want to do is hang a deer in the backyard in the open for anti-hunter to start shit with.

That said - check your ordinances but i believe there's nothing AND I MEAN NOTHING that prohibits you from processing game harvest on your own property. nothing!

I need a vaccuum ssealer thats for sure. They're clutch

I’m sure you have seen me write here before about how much I use my chamber sealers.

which are 20 times better than a vacuum sealer .

 

‘That being said if you wrap deer meat cuts in plastic wrap (to push air out ) and then wrap that in freezer  paper .

it will spray perfect long after you would want to eat it (over 2 years ) 

and it will look like the day you put it away .’.

 

 

I also  don’t let a deer hang at all .

I break them down the night they are taken , and put it in my fridge in non scented kitchen bags for 3-5 days before cutting it .

hinds each in a bag .

both front shoulders together in a bag .

loins and tender loins in another .

‘Then you only pull out what you have time to cut cold .

 

…

 

 

 

Edited August 15, 2022 by hammer4reel

[vdep217]

5 minutes ago, hammer4reel said:

I’m sure you have seen me write here before about how much I use my chamber sealers.

which are 20 times better than a vacuum sealer .

 

‘That being said if you wrap deer meat cuts in plastic wrap (to push air out ) and then wrap that in freezer  paper .

it will spray perfect long after you would want to eat it (over 2 years ) 

and it will look like the day you put it away .’.

 

 

I also  don’t let a deer hang at all .

I break them down the night they are taken , and put it in my fridge in non scented kitchen bags for 3-5 days before cutting it .

hinds each in a bag .

both front shoulders together in a bag .

loins and tender loins in another .

‘Then you only pull out what you have time to cut cold .

 

…

 

 

 

I do the same when my vacuum sealer craps out I will be getting a chamber sealer 

[archer36]

I like to butcher a few deer myself in the colder months. I like the meat to stay cold when I'm handling it.

Paying $100 to butcher a deer is well worth if it's a big deer. A 80 to 100 pound doe is nice to butcher yourself. 

I look at it as work per hour. If it takes me 4 hours to completely process a deer, that would mean $25 an hour. 

I haven't worked for so little in 30 years. You can look at it as a hobby though.

My work comes in later. Making jerky, hams, bacon, lunch meat, etc. That's where a Butcher really gets expensive. 

Edited August 15, 2022 by archer36

[Rusty]

6 hours ago, electricstart said:

If you have a place to do your own ,it is the way to go

And as others have said, it really doesn't take much room.  If you have enough space to lay a deer down or hang it, so that you can quarter it, you can butcher it at home.  Once it's quartered, everything else can be done in the kitchen.  

[mazzgolf]

36 minutes ago, Rusty said:

Once it's quartered, everything else can be done in the kitchen.*

* This statement assumes one of two things: (1) you are not married or (2) your wife does not care.

(2) causes me to do most of my butchering in the garage  

[archer36]

5 minutes ago, mazzgolf said:

* This statement assumes one of two things: (1) you are not married or (2) your wife does not care.

(2) causes me to do most of my butchering in the garage  

My butchering is also done in garage only in cold months. I only bring meat into kitchen that is ready to be vacuum sealed. 

In early season I get the carcass to a butcher's cooler ASAP. 

Edited August 15, 2022 by archer36

[Kype]

i agree hammer. plastic wrap first,then butcher paper. meats stays good for a very long time. 

i have a food saver vacuum sealer and im not impressed with it at all. i always resort to the plastic wrap and paper. never used or seen a chamber sealer in action. 

[Kype]

13 minutes ago, mazzgolf said:

* This statement assumes one of two things: (1) you are not married or (2) your wife does not care.

(2) causes me to do most of my butchering in the garage  

(3). my wife helps me butcher. everything is done in the kitchen minus the quarting. 

[archer36]

6 minutes ago, Kype said:

i agree hammer. plastic wrap first,then butcher paper. meats stays good for a very long time. 

i have a food saver vacuum sealer and im not impressed with it at all. i always resort to the plastic wrap and paper. never used or seen a chamber sealer in action. 

I have a Foodsaver now for about 10 years. I'm not sealing a thousand pounds of meat and fish a year but it still works great. I bought a second one as a B/U and never used it. 

For my needs it's perfect. If you are looking to process high amounts of food, you would probably benefit from a chamber sealer. Until you see the price. 

[hammer4reel]

7 minutes ago, Kype said:

(3). my wife helps me butcher. everything is done in the kitchen minus the quarting. 

That’s the way it should be .

‘They get just as much pleasure prepping it for ease of use later .

‘Tracey enjoys cutting and packaging the deer more than I do lol

 

the guys who can’t put a hind on a cutting board  to break it down really need to grow a set .

whole deer can be done on a 2’ cutting board 

 

[vdep217]

24 minutes ago, mazzgolf said:

* This statement assumes one of two things: (1) you are not married or (2) your wife does not care.

(2) causes me to do most of my butchering in the garage  

I'm married and I can hand my wife a knife while I'm breaking quarters down and she will make steaks chops or feed the grinder.  She can also track deer with the best of them