Private Butchering

[archer36]

13 hours 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

Big Dog could never handle the volume he is getting now from his Home setup. It was nothing but a small shed with an air conditioner. He occasionally shuts down now because his walk-in cooler is full. I estimate the cooler could hang at least 30 deer. Even his second location in South Amboy was only a shed with an air conditioner. Taking over the previous T+P Butcher location was a good move. 

Edited August 12, 2023 by archer36

[Hunter115522]

3 minutes ago, archer36 said:

Big Dog could never handle the volume he is getting now from his Home setup. It was nothing but a small shed with an air conditioner. He occasionally shuts down now because his walk-in cooler is full. I estimate the cooler could hang at least 30 deer. Even his second location in South Amboy was only a shed with an air conditioner. Taking over the previous T+P Butcher location was a good move. 

I'm not saying it wasn't a good move at all.. just saying the new location is too far out of my way 

[archer36]

4 minutes ago, Hunter115522 said:

I'm not saying it wasn't a good move at all.. just saying the new location is too far out of my way 

I hear you but there aren't many choices. 

[BowhunterNJ]

35 minutes ago, archer36 said:

Big Dog could never handle the volume he is getting now from his Home setup. It was nothing but a small shed with an air conditioner. He occasionally shuts down now because his walk-in cooler is full. I estimate the cooler could hang at least 30 deer. Even his second location in South Amboy was only a shed with an air conditioner. Taking over the previous T+P Butcher location was a good move. 

Doesn't seem like he can handle the volume he gets now.  I often see notices of him shutting down on various days, which makes bringing deer to him unpredictable for hunters.  He definitely needs a bigger cooler if he has the room.  He's losing opportunity and customers doing that shutdown process.  Nothing worse for a hunter requiring a butcher, having a deer you need to get in a cooler and your butcher suddenly closing their doors because they are full.   Now the hunter is in a race to find another butcher or hopefully they planned a backup already.  One thing is for sure, hunters that use him will have a backup plan and that backup plan may become their primary (losing business for Big Dog).

[archer36]

1 minute ago, BowhunterNJ said:

Doesn't seem like he can handle the volume he gets now.  I often see notices of him shutting down on various days, which makes bringing deer to him unpredictable for hunters.  He definitely needs a bigger cooler if he has the room.  He's losing opportunity and customers doing that shutdown process.  Nothing worse for a hunter requiring a butcher, having a deer you need to get in a cooler and your butcher suddenly closing their doors because they are full.   Now the hunter is in a race to find another butcher or hopefully they planned a backup already.  One thing is for sure, hunters that use him will have a backup plan and that backup plan may become their primary (losing business for Big Dog).

I follow him on Facebook. He posts there when he shuts down. You will need to make other plans. At least you won't waste a trip. 

[BowhunterNJ]

46 minutes ago, archer36 said:

I follow him on Facebook. He posts there when he shuts down. You will need to make other plans. At least you won't waste a trip. 

Yeah, outside of him being super conveniently located for me or doing some stellar speciality products, I wouldn't juggle that availability, I would just wind up going directly to who I know I could without needing to check or having that unknown or having to call him to verify.  Convenience is a big thing though, so if he's 5-10 minutes from you versus the second guy being 30-45 minutes, then it's worth checking.  I don't use him because he's too far away and last thing I'd want to do is drive an hour to find he closed right before I got there.  On the same token, I don't hesitate to drive out to Ely's (hour+) precisely for their 24/7 dropoff with a giant walk-in that will never be full and outstanding specialty products.  Same with Hartmans, he was 45 minutes or so from where I live and worth the drive.

[archer36]

46 minutes ago, BowhunterNJ said:

Yeah, outside of him being super conveniently located for me or doing some stellar speciality products, I wouldn't juggle that availability, I would just wind up going directly to who I know I could without needing to check or having that unknown or having to call him to verify.  Convenience is a big thing though, so if he's 5-10 minutes from you versus the second guy being 30-45 minutes, then it's worth checking.  I don't use him because he's too far away and last thing I'd want to do is drive an hour to find he closed right before I got there.  On the same token, I don't hesitate to drive out to Ely's (hour+) precisely for their 24/7 dropoff with a giant walk-in that will never be full and outstanding specialty products.  Same with Hartmans, he was 45 minutes or so from where I live and worth the drive.

Convenient for me too. I live in Old Bridge.