Do you tip your game processor?

intunegp

WKR
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Sep 28, 2021
Messages
636
I'm paying 400 flat for a full cow.
How much I yeild will ultimately determine how much I tip. I've shopped around and for my area, where there is only a few processor options, it seems average.

How are you determining what you should yield?
 

Weldor

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Apr 20, 2022
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z
Don't use a processor, but when I had a fly in friend with a non-resident cow tag we did. His outbound was a week out (killed opening morning) 90 degrees so no hanging. Went to town to the only one processor left, they were full from the juniors hunt the previous week. They were gracious enough to take it in so he could get his meat on the plane. done in two days vac sealed and froze. He did tip them for that fast work. $400 for processing in WY. Crazy money. About a buck 25 to 50 here. Best to learn to do it yourself, processor'a are a dying breed.
 

Dakota Dude

Lil-Rokslider
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Sep 24, 2019
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CO
No I don't, but I bring them multiple animals each season and refer all of the people I help harvest animals to them. We are on a texting basis now and always lets me and my colleagues drop animals off even when they are "full". Typing that out it made me think, "Maybe I should tip."
 
Joined
Oct 19, 2017
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No I don't, but I bring them multiple animals each season and refer all of the people I help harvest animals to them. We are on a texting basis now and always lets me and my colleagues drop animals off even when they are "full". Typing that out it made me think, "Maybe I should tip."

You want to give a real tip? Send quality people his way. That will be appreciated far more than a few extra bucks
 

S-3 ranch

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Jan 18, 2022
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1,150
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Texas / Hillcounrty
Only one time !
On a September rifle elk bugle season hunt
And the guy finished cutting and vacuumed packing my elk for the ride home to Texas while I was fishing and bear hunting
 
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May 22, 2023
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I butcher my own game but if I did take it to a processor I wouldn’t tip. Thats what the fee I paid is for.
 

Rich M

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Jun 14, 2017
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5,582
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Orlando
I typically do my own.

Did tip last year when had processor do a WY antelope I asked for rush delivery on - to make flight. The ladies there did a great job.

Not a big fan of the modern tip culture. Charge me enough that you make what you need to off your service and take that tip jar outta my face.
 

JeffP_Or

WKR
Joined
Jul 1, 2020
Messages
357
Location
PDX
No.
I try and keep what I take in to a minimum; they do good work, have good product, a great reputation and are consistently busy but they are also one of the larger an most expensive in the area and are ever expanding because people pay big $$'s for 'dry-aged' beef and deli sandwiches around here apparently.

ETA: after reading @S-3 ranch 's comment, that might be the time I would tip as well; if they go beyond and move someone up the queue in a pinch. I had one do that years ago on a Texas hunt - ice storm on top of it as well as my plane flight; they came in and got it done. Unfortunately, it was a horrible job.
 
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nodakian

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Rokslide Sponsor
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Aug 24, 2017
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635
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Dickinson, ND
Nope. I already feed them, house them, buy gas, ammo, clothing, etc.... Come to think of it, maybe my processors should tip me.
 
Joined
Feb 12, 2022
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I typically process my own.

But I tip my butcher, so if I kill 4 this year and have a whole one turned into sausage, I guess I'll tip.
 
Joined
Oct 23, 2017
Messages
457
Location
Idaho
I’ve brought one animal (moose) in to a shop and tipped them by talking good places in the area I work when it was a slow day for them and saw them working on prepping wolf tracks. They know me by my first name now everytime I see them in the woods.

Others who make pepperoni or sausage for me always get paid in beer. Same with buddies who come over and help with an elk get to help me drink a 30 rack that day/night.

For the people who say they need to take an animal somewhere since they live in an apt, that’s a terrible excuse. I’ve processed 2 elk and 6 deer during college in my apartment. Girlfriend at the time thought it was kinda crazy and the liberal neighbors about lost their shit when buddies and I always had dead animals scattered throughout our different apartments in the same complex 🤣
 

taskswap

WKR
Joined
Oct 6, 2021
Messages
537
I agree tipping has gotten out of control in some scenarios like fast food, random retail transactions etc.
But, as I originally stated gratuity can go a long way. I've tipped my mechanic in pizzas after they comped an easy service and I will be forever in his good graces. I've tipped my plow driver and noticed a difference in quality of snow removal. I tip my barber, babysitters, and services where a personal relationship is formed not just a transaction. Many jobs are thankless and small things can go a long way.
The most effective tips are to those who never get them. I called for a propane delivery a week ago, but told them no rush - we just got 2' of snow and the roads are a slick, muddy mess here to the homestead. The guy braved the roads today and made it through two mud bogs to top us off before winter sets in hard. I don't know what I'm going to give him next time I see him, but it's going to have elk in it, it's going to be tasty, and it's going to last awhile...
 
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