Meat storage between T&C/Socorro, NM and Show Low, AZ

[CMF]

Any recommendations for meat storage in the area?

In a couple weeks, we'll be oryx hunting between Las Cruces and Socorro, then heading to AZ for youth deer, then Show Low, AZ for an elk hunt, eventually passing back through NM on the way back to MS.

Assuming we get an Oryx, we'll need somewhere to store the meat for a week or two. Somewhere between Socorro and Show Low would be best to keep travel to min., but something as far south as Las Cruces would work.

Taxidermist recommendations welcome too, although I'm not sure what we'll do exactly.

Thanks!

 

[TX_Diver]

Major wildlife studio in Lad Cruces is supposed to be top notch but I’ve never used them. They are $$$$ though.

Brosigs in midland/Lubbock is great too and their pricing is little more reasonable. I have used them.

I have room in the freezer if you don’t find anywhere else but I’m a bit out of the way.

 

[butcherboy]

Just type in meat processing in NM in a search and you will find a lot. Same with taxidermy. Just know that most processor’s don’t like just hanging carcasses for storage. If it is processed by them then there is usually no problem holding onto for a few weeks. If they agree to just hang and store the carcass then be prepared to pay some money.

 

[Rusty Shackelford]

Major wildlife studio in Lad Cruces is supposed to be top notch but I’ve never used them. They are $$$$ though.

Brosigs in midland/Lubbock is great too and their pricing is little more reasonable. I have used them.

I have room in the freezer if you don’t find anywhere else but I’m a bit out of the way.

The Majors are no longer in Cruces. They now operate outside of El Paso.

 

[Weldor]

Don't know if you're bringing a trailer, but a Gen and freezer is best way to go. Don't know about NM but Show low and outside areas get full fast. It could become a crap shoot if you kill in both hunts.

 

[roadrunner]

Are you off range oryx hunting or on range?

 

[BRTreedogs]

Most places are busy enough they won’t hang only any more.

Heck a lot of them say they don’t even have room if you want it processed any more.

Last week to get my 2nd choice processor to take my elk he said I also have to get a min of 20 of smoked meats or he’s not interested.

 

[TX_Diver]

The Majors are no longer in Cruces. They now operate outside of El Paso.

Is that recent? I talked to them before a February hunt this year and it sounded like they were still in Las Cruces?

Unfortunately I never had a need for their services on that hunt

 

[chizelhead]

If you can swing through to the east side of White Sands, A & M Meat Processing in Alamogordo, NM does good work quickly. I don't know if they just store meat. They did a great job processing my elk in less than 24 hours. Garcia Taxidermy in Alamogordo does good work as well. I had them prep an elk head (removed tissue and packed in salt) for a euro for transport to my taxi but their work looked really good.

 

[Rusty Shackelford]

Is that recent? I talked to them before a February hunt this year and it sounded like they were still in Las Cruces?

Unfortunately I never had a need for their services on that hunt

Looks like they still have the studio in cruces but I know the owner moved out by Fabens TX a couple years back.

 

[CMF]

Just type in meat processing in NM in a search and you will find a lot. Same with taxidermy. Just know that most processor’s don’t like just hanging carcasses for storage. If it is processed by them then there is usually no problem holding onto for a few weeks. If they agree to just hang and store the carcass then be prepared to pay some money.

I saw a couple pop up in search, but the google often returns alot of irrelevent results for a such a search. Figured I'd get some first hand experience.

I plan to have it deboned before, might even have the grind done. Just need the fridge/freezer space.

Don't know if you're bringing a trailer, but a Gen and freezer is best way to go. Don't know about NM but Show low and outside areas get full fast. It could become a crap shoot if you kill in both hunts.

We're in a camper, I have a residential fridge/freeze, but I'm in KS working now and my son is hunting, so I'm hoping we'll have a buck in there. I may have to get creative and pick up a freezer, but I really don't want to add weight to the camper.
I'll just need to store the Oryx. If we get a deer on youth hunt, I can manage it until we get an elk and once we get an elk we'll be Eastbound and have freezers back in MS.

Are you off range oryx hunting or on range?

Off-range

I have room in the freezer if you don’t find anywhere else but I’m a bit out of the way.

That's a stretch from where we'll be, but I'll hopefully be passing through that way on the way home to pick up my son's Feb. oryx from the taxi, but he's been a ghost, so who knows, lol.