Processing cost?

[Wrench]

PNW guys, whats it cost you to have an elk cut and wrapped for simple steaks, roasts and burgers?

My buddy asked me because it was $700 for his. We always cut and wrap our own so I have no idea where the market is.

 

[sndmn11]

How many pounds did he drop off, and was that whole, quartered, boned, dirty, etc?

 

[Randle]

Mine last year was $1 a lb. shoulders , hinds and trim that I took in hanging was 177 lbs so $177

 

[Kbhillhunter]

PNW guys, whats it cost you to have an elk cut and wrapped for simple steaks, roasts and burgers?

My buddy asked me because it was $700 for his. We always cut and wrap our own so I have no idea where the market is.

I paid $300 for a cow elk in Meeker, CO

 

[Rob5589]

700.00?! I do my own but, just bought a beef quarter and the butcher fee was 1.29/lb. Same place does game processing for about the same price if I recall correctly.

 

[cardiac5]

I paid 50 cents lb in Kentucky for an elk. Halsey meat processing had a 3 day turn around special for out of state hunters. I think they ended up charging close to 60 cents/lb but I didn’t care. Best money I’ve ever spent. Easily saved me a day or more doing it myself.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Indian Summer]

$200-$300 depending on weight. Hide on weighs a lot more. If you take a whole elk I could see it being that much. There can also be clean up fees if it’s a mess as well as rush charge for quick turnaround.

 

[Laelkhunter]

Cleaned and quartered bull cost me $300.00 in Antonito Colorado Oct 29th. It costs more if it is not skinned, split, or quartered. They did an excellent job, wrapping and freezing to be picked up and thrown in my ice chests with dry ice.
One place I called wanted $1.39 a pound to process. I had no idea what the quartered carcass weighed, so I chose not to go that route.

 

[williaada]

Paid less than $300 for an elk processed in WY. The cost varied based on how the elk was cared for in the field.

 

[Scooter37]

That seems pretty high if the carcass was already skinned and just to make standard cuts, but if it was a big elk it might be up there ? Salami, jerky, smoked hams ect. all are an upcherge usually. The shop I usually use for my beef is 1.80$ A pound Carcass weight to process wild game with a 180$ minimum charge

If I take deboned scraps he will grind into burger for 1.80 per pound and not charge me the minimum fee. I just picked up 56 pounds of elk and deer last night and it was only 93$ or so. I do this more for the convenience of not having to vacuum seal 56 packages more than anything.

Another thing I found this summer is Here on west coast butcher shops are slammed busy. I just got a steer butchered and processed 1.10$ lb hanging carcass wait but the problem is availablity. I had to schedule it almost 3 months in advance because they are so busy processing all the county fair animals that were sold private party due to COVID. I called every butcher shop within literally almost 100 miles to find one that would accept my steer sometime this year

the tricky thing is some meat processors still operate in an older business model where things are more verbal, handshake, assumed so you might not know what you are signing up for unless you ask the right questions at the beginning. I have dropped off game at shops before and my wife says how much is it going to be and I have no idea because I never thought to ask what costs what, is this or that cheaper , ect so now I always try to talk to butchers and say if I do this or that next time is that better for you , cheaper, better quality, ect

 

[TNKnoxville]

My bull elk was quartered and it cost $325 in Craig, CO. Steaks and ground. Vacuum wrapped and flash frozen.

 

[Wrench]

That helps. Thanks.

 

[5MilesBack]

The last beef I put in the freezer it was $0.45/lb for cut and wrap. I'm thinking some are taking advantage of people during this Covid lunacy.

 

[Randle]

Domestic meat is always cheaper around here . .65 lb average

 

[bracer40]

$700. I’ve processed most of mine but this year, after success in Idaho, we didn’t want to sacrifice time to hunt in WA for the elusive spike (nor make a 10 hour round trip from the Blues & back from Seattle). So we dropped it off in Walla Walla. I think we paid $.95/.lb. They did a fine job and it was ready for pickup a week later.

 

[mlgc20]

In Northern Colorado, I was quoted $300 for basic prep like you described. I had them do quite a bit of specialty stuff that ran my bill up to about $450.

 

[OSUsmokey]

What are you guys paying at pick up If your taking grind meat in to made into summer sausage, pepperoni, etc?
Cheapest I can find around my area is $5.00/lb @ pick up after it has been made into the goods.

 

[MThuntr]

I think locally it is $50 to skin and $1/lb for an elk.

It's easy to get really expensive with sausage and jerky. I think someone told me jerky was $8/lb

 

[DAOutfitters208]

What are you guys paying at pick up If your taking grind meat in to made into summer sausage, pepperoni, etc?
Cheapest I can find around my area is $5.00/lb @ pick up after it has been made into the goods.

I believe it is 4.50 or $5.00 a lb at the processor I use here in Idaho. They like a 20lb minimum per item.

 

[DAOutfitters208]

This is from a local shop here in town.

All Wild Game has a minimum $125 fee.

Any animals weighing over 100lbs will be charged per pound, based on hanging weight.

Cut & Wrap-------------------------------------------------------------------------------$1.25/lb

Grind & Wrap----------------------------------------------------------------------------$1.50/lb