Place to get a deer processed

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  • Jbelt11

    Member
    Sep 14, 2017
    34
    Harford county
    Hello
    I am a new hunter In Harford county and I am looking for a good place to get a deer processed. I live in havre de grace and hunt in white ford so preferably between those areas any good places ?

    thanks in advance
     

    CaptPrice

    Member
    Jul 14, 2019
    58
    Annapolis
    Teach yourself on youtube. It’s much better to buy a couple high-quality knives than to pay money for deer processing.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     

    Devonian

    Ultimate Member
    Apr 15, 2008
    1,199
    I had my first deer processed at bowmans. The ground they gave me was not edible... tasted like they ground up the tarsal into the meat.
     

    Jbelt11

    Member
    Sep 14, 2017
    34
    Harford county
    Teach yourself on youtube. It’s much better to buy a couple high-quality knives than to pay money for deer processing.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

    I plan on doing so but I’m gonna do that more late season that way it’s colder and I have more time I just don’t wanna take too much time and mess up esp with it still being 70 degrees
     

    CaptPrice

    Member
    Jul 14, 2019
    58
    Annapolis
    I plan on doing so but I’m gonna do that more late season that way it’s colder and I have more time I just don’t wanna take too much time and mess up esp with it still being 70 degrees


    Not a bad plan. Gotta start somewhere though! Good luck man


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     

    Pale Ryder

    Ultimate Member
    Jan 12, 2009
    6,234
    Millersville
    If you can it would be better to do it yourself. It’s more satisfying, and you know it’s yours. Plus it’s a skill set that’s nice to have. The processing places, I don’t trust you are necessarily getting all of your deer and not some of somebody else’s. Having done both though, I know sometimes you have to use a processor. If you have the hunting guide there should be a list or ads for them.
     

    madmantrapper

    Ultimate Member
    Feb 6, 2009
    1,528
    Carroll County
    I watched a guy at a processor grind about 40 pounds of deer parts from several different deer at the same time. Into sleeves and distributed to different customers.
     

    Antarctica

    YEEEEEHAWWW!!!!
    MDS Supporter
    Sep 29, 2012
    1,728
    Southern Anne Arundel
    Processing on your own is the only way to go. Deer ain't beef. Not processing it well (and that's guaranteed from a processer - there is no way they can afford to spend the time required to strip silver skin, not saw through bone, etc) is a wasted effort.
     

    Jbelt11

    Member
    Sep 14, 2017
    34
    Harford county
    I watched a guy at a processor grind about 40 pounds of deer parts from several different deer at the same time. Into sleeves and distributed to different customers.

    Ya believe me I’m gonna learn but this is my first time really doing any hunting so. For this first time I just don’t wanna mess it up. With it being around 60-70 degrees how much time do I have to have it all cut up and frozen ?
     

    lazarus

    Ultimate Member
    Jun 23, 2015
    13,678
    Ya believe me I’m gonna learn but this is my first time really doing any hunting so. For this first time I just don’t wanna mess it up. With it being around 60-70 degrees how much time do I have to have it all cut up and frozen ?

    From the time it hits the ground? If not full of gut juice or feces, call it 3, 4hrs or so. It’s not some panicked rush.

    Faster you get it field dressed, more tie you have as it cools the meat a lot faster than the deer laying there whole. Want to buy more time, throw a 10# bag of ice in the chest cavity and cover it.

    That’s a rough guideline. I am sure plenty have taken longer and it’s been fine. Heck, 5 or so hours is probably fine even. It is when it is hot, gut shot and you can’t find the deer is when time is of the essence.
     

    Jbelt11

    Member
    Sep 14, 2017
    34
    Harford county
    From the time it hits the ground? If not full of gut juice or feces, call it 3, 4hrs or so. It’s not some panicked rush.

    Faster you get it field dressed, more tie you have as it cools the meat a lot faster than the deer laying there whole. Want to buy more time, throw a 10# bag of ice in the chest cavity and cover it.

    That’s a rough guideline. I am sure plenty have taken longer and it’s been fine. Heck, 5 or so hours is probably fine even. It is when it is hot, gut shot and you can’t find the deer is when time is of the essence.

    Ok cool that makes me feel more comfortable . Another probably dumb question what would I like really need to do the whole process myself ?
     

    05dodgedaytona

    Ultimate Member
    Jan 18, 2009
    3,686
    Cecil County
    I wouldn't recommend Bowmans. Not in Harford County but if you don't mind driving to Cecil County you could take it to Bucklands or to the Harmony Ridge drop off in Elkton. Harmony Ridge to pick it up you have to go to PA to get it.
     

    hobiecat590

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Feb 2, 2016
    2,434
    Ok cool that makes me feel more comfortable . Another probably dumb question what would I like really need to do the whole process myself ?

    This time of year, field dress it, bag the liver, heart in the field, get it home, hang from a tree, hose it out, then cape and quarter it after removing the back strap and t-loins. You can age the quarters in the fridge but I would wrap them in plastic food wrap. You can also age (3 days) the quarters in a big cooler w/o wrapping. I recommend a rack or anything to keep the dear deer from soaking in bloody cooler water that will turn the meat grey.

    Everyone that has posted is correct in that you should do it yourself to ensure quality. Just remember you can make hamburger out of stew meat at any time but can't make stew meat out of hamburger :-).

    Tools:

    Wyoming knife (nice for field dress and caping) or one of those scaple type knifes w/ the removable blades. This tool is the absolute best for just about everything.
    Fillet knife (optional)
    Any decent Buck, or fixed blade hunting knife
    6" and 12" butcher knife
    Heavy meat cleaver or battery or 110v Sawsall w/ a medium blade (great for sawing off the fore limbs, head or anything a manual bone saw would do.(Dwalt makes an excellent saws all)
    Big ass cutting board
    2 Large trays (I prefer the aluminum bakers trays 24x36" are nice
    Some sort of Vac Pack device (optional) or a ton of Zip locks for freezing meat.
    Make or buy a deer hanger/spreader so you can hoist the animal head down for butchering
    Line or some sort of tackle to raise the deer attached to the spreader to a convenient height.

    Ytube is your friend on this one.

    Good luck.
     

    gwchem

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Dec 18, 2014
    3,434
    SoMD
    Ok cool that makes me feel more comfortable . Another probably dumb question what would I like really need to do the whole process myself ?

    You need a cooler, a table and good knife, packaging materials, and a grinder.

    Shoot the deer, gut it, bring it home. Hang from a tree or in the garage or shed. Skin it. If it's warm, quarter it and put the quarters on top of ice blocks in the cooler. Cut out the rest of the meat, bag and let it all sit in the cooler a few days. If it's cold enough, hang the whole thing a few days first.

    Cut the quarters into steaks and roasts. Grind the scraps, mixing in a little fat if you like. Package and freeze.

    That's really it. Tons of youtube videos to detail each step.
     

    Sampson

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Jan 24, 2013
    1,638
    White Marsh
    I wouldn't recommend Bowmans. Not in Harford County but if you don't mind driving to Cecil County you could take it to Bucklands or to the Harmony Ridge drop off in Elkton. Harmony Ridge to pick it up you have to go to PA to get it.

    X2. Used Bowman's last year and they cut the deer like beef. Left all of the hard fat and silver skin on it, that are normally removed. Deer fat is not like beef fat, very bitter.
     

    remrug

    Ultimate Member
    Mar 13, 2009
    1,762
    manchester md
    X2. Used Bowman's last year and they cut the deer like beef. Left all of the hard fat and silver skin on it, that are normally removed. Deer fat is not like beef fat, very bitter.

    Yuk....I can only imagine how bad the ground meat would be.At least with the steaks/roasts,you could trim it before cooking.
     

    teratos

    My hair is amazing
    MDS Supporter
    Patriot Picket
    Jan 22, 2009
    59,775
    Bel Air
    I watched a guy at a processor grind about 40 pounds of deer parts from several different deer at the same time. Into sleeves and distributed to different customers.

    Since I only plan on shooting yearlings and younger, I'll be doing my own. I don't want veal mixed in with someone's old and tough 12 point. Yuck.
     

    hobiecat590

    Ultimate Member
    MDS Supporter
    Feb 2, 2016
    2,434
    X2. Used Bowman's last year and they cut the deer like beef. Left all of the hard fat and silver skin on it, that are normally removed. Deer fat is not like beef fat, very bitter.

    My previous recomendations were for hanging deer in temps over 50F. 35- 45F is Ok for hanging deer for 3 days to tenderize. I keep the cape on while hanging. YMMV

    Ick. Deer fat is like peanut butter or thicker and is why I do not mess w/ the ribs and meticulously trim ALL fat.

    Allegedly, you can cook deer ribs and get rid of the nasty fat if you use a large pot and slow boil them but I have never done so. On a large deer, this might be worth while.

    If anybody has experience w/ bear ribs, I'd like to know about it since bear fat is OK and I'd hate to waste anything as large as a bear rib cage.
     

    Slackdaddy

    My pronouns: Iva/Bigun
    Jan 1, 2019
    5,845
    You dont have to cut it all up, wrap and freeze right away.
    We skin and qtr the deer asap after shooting, putting the 1/4s, backstrap and loins in an UNSENTED trash bag, I put that bag of meat in the basement fridge, Then over the next 2-4 nights cut and wrap.

    The skinning and qtring takes about 15 min a deer max.

    Ya believe me I’m gonna learn but this is my first time really doing any hunting so. For this first time I just don’t wanna mess it up. With it being around 60-70 degrees how much time do I have to have it all cut up and frozen ?
     

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