Private Butchering

[Lunatic]

1 hour ago, Black Bear Bowhunter said:

Honestly you can butcher your friends deer in your garage all day long. What is the ordinance against doing it for a friend? I get it if you make it a business but from what I’m reading he’s looking for a few deer during the season and not 5 a day.

Sure you can? But do you think a guy looking to make some money is looking to butcher 3 deer for his friends? When you have several guys showing up at your door every weekend, or more frequently, you will have a problem. 

[vdep217]

56 minutes ago, Lunatic said:

Sure you can? But do you think a guy looking to make some money is looking to butcher 3 deer for his friends? When you have several guys showing up at your door every weekend, or more frequently, you will have a problem. 

Have butchering parties regularly the only issue I ever gad was a neighbor called that I had deer hanging in my yard.  Police told her there was nothing they could do

[Lunatic]

4 minutes ago, vdep217 said:

Have butchering parties regularly the only issue I ever gad was a neighbor called that I had deer hanging in my yard.  Police told her there was nothing they could do

And you think this is the same as having 5 guys dropping deer off, leaving and then and coming back for  pick up, let’s say every week?

I don’t really care., I said what I said because I know butchering from your house to make money will end up being a problem. 
 

 

 

[vdep217]

21 minutes ago, Lunatic said:

And you think this is the same as having 5 guys dropping deer off, leaving and then and coming back for  pick up, let’s say every week?

I don’t really care., I said what I said because I know butchering from your house to make money will end up being a problem. 
 

 

 

Not making money if it's donations for vacuum bags or knives etc.  I did it when I was younger never had issues.  But I get your point

[BowhunterNJ]

I have to wonder if this is what got Hartman's shut down.  Phenomenal butcher, but worked in a detached garage.  Great operation, but they closed out of nowhere.  Have to imagine a competitor went after them, they seemed far enough away from neighbors for it to be a non-issue for them.  And maybe the overhead of whatever is required to run officially wasn't worth it.  Never did hear what happened, but they were an excellent shop, shame to see them go.

[mazzgolf]

19 minutes ago, BowhunterNJ said:

I have to wonder if this is what got Hartman's shut down.

If you mean Hartman's in Berlin, that was the butcher I used! First butcher I use, and the next year he closed... was it something I said??

Actually, I talked to his daughter that year he closed. She told me he got a "real" job (still doing butcher work, I think - don't know what company he went to though), but she said it would be too much to do the new job and his deer butcher work, so he shut down. She said he'd consider re-opening the following year if he could do it, but I guess the new job was good enough because he never re-opened.

[Lunatic]

31 minutes ago, BowhunterNJ said:

I have to wonder if this is what got Hartman's shut down.  Phenomenal butcher, but worked in a detached garage.  Great operation, but they closed out of nowhere.  Have to imagine a competitor went after them, they seemed far enough away from neighbors for it to be a non-issue for them.  And maybe the overhead of whatever is required to run officially wasn't worth it.  Never did hear what happened, but they were an excellent shop, shame to see them go.

One of the best in my area, Big Dog, was forced as well to close his home operation and open legit business. 

[NJDeerNBeer]

2 hours ago, BowhunterNJ said:

I have to wonder if this is what got Hartman's shut down.  Phenomenal butcher, but worked in a detached garage.  Great operation, but they closed out of nowhere.  Have to imagine a competitor went after them, they seemed far enough away from neighbors for it to be a non-issue for them.  And maybe the overhead of whatever is required to run officially wasn't worth it.  Never did hear what happened, but they were an excellent shop, shame to see them go.

If you are talking about the place in Berlin,  I think that was an after hours side business from what I remember.  Also, competing with the "legit" butcher down the road who probably wasn't happy about it even though they would always turn deer away when they got too busy.  The two times I went to Hartmans before they closed I was please with the job they did over the butcher down the road which I stopped using all together.

[NJDeerNBeer]

I'd be interested ill even help and drink some beers if you have the equipment!

[Hunter115522]

2 hours ago, Lunatic said:

One of the best in my area, Big Dog, was forced as well to close his home operation and open legit business. 

Big Dog was excellent. Their home location was very convenient for me. Unfortunately when they moved I had to stop using them as the new spot was way out of my way

[Lunatic]

15 minutes ago, Hunter115522 said:

Big Dog was excellent. Their home location was very convenient for me. Unfortunately when they moved I had to stop using them as the new spot was way out of my way

He is now on Texas road in old bridge 

[mazzgolf]

1 hour ago, NJDeerNBeer said:

over the butcher down the road which I stopped using all together.

And that butcher "down the road" (when they are accepting deer) say that you don't even get your own deer back - at least for sausages, snack sticks, and chip steak (they say that on their website, so they are upfront about it at least - give them props for that). That's my red line though - I don't trust getting other people's deer - for all I know it was gut shot and laid for 24 hours in a swamp before it was field dressed. With my own deer I know how it was shot and how it was handled. Because of that, I never used them so I can't say how good they are, but a buddy of mine did use them a year or two ago and wasn't all that thrilled with the end product. I don't know what the issues were but he was "meh" about what he got back.

[vdep217]

5 minutes ago, mazzgolf said:

And that butcher "down the road" (when they are accepting deer) say that you don't even get your own deer back - at least for sausages, snack sticks, and chip steak (they say that on their website, so they are upfront about it at least - give them props for that). That's my red line though - I don't trust getting other people's deer - for all I know it was gut shot and laid for 24 hours in a swamp before it was field dressed. With my own deer I know how it was shot and how it was handled. Because of that, I never used them so I can't say how good they are, but a buddy of mine did use them a year or two ago and wasn't all that thrilled with the end product. I don't know what the issues were but he was "meh" about what he got back.

Elys is the same way for specialty stuff most butchers are but I know elys won't take a deer if it stinks or not good

[Lunatic]

25 minutes ago, mazzgolf said:

And that butcher "down the road" (when they are accepting deer) say that you don't even get your own deer back - at least for sausages, snack sticks, and chip steak (they say that on their website, so they are upfront about it at least - give them props for that). That's my red line though - I don't trust getting other people's deer - for all I know it was gut shot and laid for 24 hours in a swamp before it was field dressed. With my own deer I know how it was shot and how it was handled. Because of that, I never used them so I can't say how good they are, but a buddy of mine did use them a year or two ago and wasn't all that thrilled with the end product. I don't know what the issues were but he was "meh" about what he got back.

You order 5lb of sausage. How do you think they do it? Where and how do they mix 5 lb of meat? Did you ever see a butcher’s mixer? It turns 100lb or more of meat in one shot. Put 5 lb of it and the blades will not even touch it. Then stuffer, spices and cleaning everything after 5 lb of product. I worked at butcher shop for several years and I think most if not all game butchers mix in bulk and selected few who say you get your own meat are lying. 

[Nanuk]

16 hours ago, Lunatic said:

And you think this is the same as having 5 guys dropping deer off, leaving and then and coming back for  pick up, let’s say every week?

I don’t really care., I said what I said because I know butchering from your house to make money will end up being a problem. 
 

 

 

I appreciate the honesty Luny and the rest of the members as well ,I  see your point 100% . I don’t want issues with the neighbors, I’m pretty rural but there’s always a “Karen” around . What was mentioned about doing a few a week is correct , that’s my objective. I was looking to help guys out that are usually turned away from their normal butchers because they were overrun and put some shekels in my pocket ,  not looking to be doing 15-20  deer a week and standing out there all night …I do like to hunt also u know . 😂   

Edited August 12, 2023 by Nanuk