Commercial Game Cutting

[eaglesnester]

Live in Prince George, Vanderhoof area. I normally de bone and butcher my own kills. I have heard on many occasions from quite a few hunters that many of the commercial game cutters have sanitation issues, you do not get your own meat back, and a few hunters have had to throw out the entire cut up animal as it was spoiled. Is there any concern here? I sure as hell would be pissed off big time if I did not get MY animal back. I know how that carcass has been handled, I do not know how someone elses meat has been handled.

Cheers&Tighter Groups: Eaglesnester

[Steeleco]

There has been "speculation" about meat cutters doing this for years, now with the advancement of the net, the stories are even more prevalent. Like all things in life it only takes one bad "anything" to make a bad name for all the good ones.

Down here in the LML meat cutters have been dropping like flies in the past ten years. Government rules, retirements and accusation like these are likely the primary reason in my mind.

When I used a cutter, it would be common to see deer almost intact and waiting for the cutters service. One time we saw an early season buck, warm to hot weather, with it's skin still on. The gent at the cutters service said to us "watch, this will be the last time he comes here, this meat will taste like S$%T and he'll blame me!!"

My advice to anyone looking for a cutter, go there and BS with them a little BEFORE you down an animal. If I get in over my head (I wish) I have a list, a small list, but good cutters.

[Ron.C]

First of all, I've uses the same buthcher in cranbrook for the past 7 years and have only had one incident with meat tasting bad. The first year we were out in Cranbrook hunting, my buddy's whitetail came back to us from the cutter and you could smell it while it was frozen. It tasted like shit, like it had spoiled. Lets just say we threw alot of it out. We were imaculate with the cleaning of this animal and it was skinned/gutted within the hour and in the cooler within two. The only thing I can think of was maybe his animal was somehow mixed up with someone elses and we got somone elses deer? Who knows.

Every year when we bring deer/elk into the butcher in Cranbrook, there is game hanging in his cooler that is pretty gross looking. One year, there was a Moose in there that had been quartered with a chainsaw" Bar Oil and all" and there was dirt/hair and everything else stuck all over this thing. I am just a little surprised that they accept game in such poor shape. His cooler is always full of game, so one would think they would turn away completely filthy, poorly handled game that no one in their right mind would want to eat.

[mntman]

having worked with many different cutters, there are a few things to consider

the taste of your game will start the moment you pull the trigger and how it is handled from there, from how you quarter it to how you hang and skin it on the pole, the temps and times which it is on the pole before it arrives to the cutters

for cutters you get what you pay for, on more than on occasion a hunter would come in with a animal in the back of a truck with a quad parked onto and jerry cans around it, or the haggling of price would start, or demands on how long the animal is to hung for, cleaning of the animal is not the job of the cutter unless you wish to hire them to do this

all good cutters will not take game or switch it, most check in animals by hunter numbers and mark packs with these numbers as they work

also remember that the on the hoof weight and boned packed weight will be greatly different, also pending what you wish to have done with the trims will change the weights, on many occasions hunters don't want the trims till they pick up the game and notice the weight difference

check the cutter, get both good and bad refs from them and make sure detailed notes are taking on the cuts you want and where all cuts are coming, build a good relationship with your cutter prebook your animal in to the cutter before leaving camp

[Shermdog]

I got my first and only deer this october, got it done by interior cut right meats in kamloops, they did a great job, cost me $80, they hung it for a week, and it tastes great, way better than my buddy who butchered his up his self, then again hes not a butcher so i geuss its like comparing apples to oranges

[moosinaround]

I have tried quite a few of the meatcutters in the Prince George area. I have used A&B Meats in Chilako for the last 10 years. I always get clean meat back. The garlic sausage and pepperoni Fred makes is very good. I have used Chilako Meats, when they were under the old ownership, the cutting and sauasage was good, service then was not so good. Had one done at Hunnifords, and it was good cutting, and excellent sausage, but way out of my way. Had one done in Reid lake, and it was absolutley aweful!! Sausage had dirt in it, and the steaks ranged from 1/2"-1-1/2 in thickness. Prices to me donot matter much, all cutters are quite close in price. I like to feel I am being treated fairly, and flexible times to bring in the animals for hanging is nice. A clean facility is absolutely a must, and a cutter who will refuse dirty meat, is a cutter that cares about quality. Moosin

[dime]

I will never take my meat to a commercial game cutter again.
First off, you are paying $0.65 per pound (or more) for someone to do a job that anyone can do. Spend an hour or two researching cuts of meat and technique on Youtube and other sources like huntingbc.com and you can be reasonably proficient at butchering your game.

Secondly, when a butcher has 40-50 deer hanging, do you really think they care who gets what animal? We spend hours making sure our meat is as clean as humanly possible, and refuse to let some filthy meat covered in hair and dirt be substituted for ours.

We used to have to go to a commercial butcher occasionally when it is really hot in the early season, but good old Craigslist has changed that forever. You can get a free deepfreeze any day of the week in Vancouver. You can get a generator from Costco and have it pay for itself in a season or two just by not having to take your meat to a cooler on these north country trips.

It is a fair bit of work to butcher your own game, but if you have a couple of moose that weigh 500 lbs each on the hook, the cost of the commercial option adds up in a hurry.

Just my 2 cents.

[gary338]

I just have a few things to say about this issue. I have been cutting meat for 24 years and been around this my whole life as my father is a cutter as well. I have seen the good the bad and the ugly! I can not say how many time we try to help by giving a few tips on how to take good care of your animal. We want to have a good product and happy customers.
Most hunters will listen to what we say and some don't.
We cut each customers animal and tag it so it goes out with the right person.
I can count how many hunters say "Oh it was a perfect shot and there was no meat wasted"..Wrong!!

I have asked people who are teaching the CORE course why are they not teaching proper game care. They teach gun saftey but no one teaches how to care for the game.
For the people who think that any one can do the job I say come spend a day and see for yourself.
Any question?

[Steeleco]

Great first post Gary. I now do all my own and yup it's a lot of work.
Where you located?, I'm always willing to learn!!!

[hunter1947]

If I was you I would do lots of asking about where there is a good private game cutter in you area like you are now posting this thread on this forum.

There out there you just got to do some research and asking around ,good luck http://www.huntingbc.ca/forum/images/icons/icon12.gif.

[sawmill]

I like Cliffs Meats out in Meadowbrook,although I usually do my own I have taken the odd one out there,nice guy and nice work.There is one (who shall remain nameless) in Kimberley who tossed my cousins deer on the floor of the cooler because he didn`t have a free hook.That guy can kiss my ass for evermore!
A good butcher will not take dirty carcasses in his freezer,if you see a hair covered dirt encrusted animal in there,walk away,that is an indication of his standards.
You will most often get your own steaks and roasts back but when it comes to any ground up meat several differant critters trimmings can end up in the tub so your sausage could be from 2 or 3 differant deer.

[gary338]

There are a few good shops in the Kamloops area. As well as some great sausauge makers.
Yes I do work for one of the shops.