Butcher costs

VikingsGuy · Jun 26, 2018

My group and I pulled a nice pile of WY pronghorn tags - first time hunting out west for all of us. What should we expect for butcher costs for gutless field dressed (i.e., just the 4 quarters + back strap + tenderloins) pronghorns?

Washington Hunter · Jun 26, 2018

I think they usually have a $100 minimum per animal. So I'd expect $100 for each antelope.

PrairieHunter · Jun 26, 2018

Prolly won't save you much doing part of the butchering. I prefer to dump the guts and carry them out whole or in 2 pieces depending on the situation. I always make a mess with antelope hair all over the meat trying to do much in the field. Regular processing will be between $75 and $125 in many cases.

If you want to save money save what you want for steaks and debone everything else yourself and just pay to have it ground. That would be around .50 cents per pound from my experience so less than half of regular processing.

VikingsGuy · Jun 26, 2018

Thanks for the info. Not quartering to save $. Rather, have read best to get quartered and hide off and meat on ice as soon as possible to maximize meat taste. But we are in the learning process, so if this understanding is wrong I am open to learn.

Also, how many pounds of meat (steaks, ground, etc) should I expect from 4 quarters + backstrap + tenderloins -- I am guessing 30 lbs from an average animal, am I in the ballpark?

MinnesotaHunter · Jun 26, 2018

VikingsGuy said:
Thanks for the info. Not quartering to save $. Rather, have read best to get quartered and hide off and meat on ice as soon as possible to maximize meat taste. But we are in the learning process, so if this understanding is wrong I am open to learn.

Also, how many pounds of meat (steaks, ground, etc) should I expect from 4 quarters + backstrap + tenderloins -- I am guessing 30 lbs from an average animal, am I in the ballpark?

You are on the right track. Get the hide off ASAP.

Have you thought about trailering out a freezer and generator? Freeze the quarters solid and throw them in coolers. Otherwise, I have been able to get a locker to just freeze my quarters, and hold onto them until I am ready to head home. Those meat cutters are not all created equal, they can be a pretty big ripoff.

Like everything else I usual estimate about 30-35% of live weight in boneless meat.

VikingsGuy · Jun 26, 2018

MinnesotaHunter said:
You are on the right track. Get the hide off ASAP.

Have you thought about trailering out a freezer and generator? Freeze the quarters solid and throw them in coolers. Otherwise, I have been able to get a locker to just freeze my quarters, and hold onto them until I am ready to head home. Those meat cutters are not all created equal, they can be a pretty big ripoff.

Like everything else I usual estimate about 30-35% of live weight in boneless meat.

Trying to keep logistics simple for first WY trip -- hotel, restaurants & a local butcher are the order of the day for us. Future trips will likely include walled tents, trailers, generators, freezers, etc.

ccc23454 · Jun 26, 2018

Debone in feild on tailgate (hide off fast!) Throw meat in cooler with ice, keep meat dry. Couple days later stop by store grab cople blocks dry ice and you good, replenish dr ice every 3 days or so.. with a bunch of tags its way cheaper if $ matters

AvidIndoorsman · Jun 26, 2018

PrairieHunter said:
I always make a mess with antelope hair all over the meat trying to do much in the field.

Me too! I've gotten better at it over the years but compared to an elk or a mule deer I always get tons of hair on the meat, my wife on the other hand manages do it with hardly a hair on the meat... last time I was skinning a pronghorn with her she got so exasperated so took the knife out of my hand and told me to get a beer and watch.

VikingsGuy, taking everything to a butcher is definitely a good option, but if you toss the boned out meat in a cooler and put some dry ice on top it you can actually freeze it until you get home. On the same trip ^ my wife had to go to her med school interview halfway through a hunt and so she killed her buck on Weds, we got it in a yeti with dry ice, she drove to Denver on Thursday with her buck in the car, had the interview Friday and then drove back and hunted with us the rest of the weekend. That meat was rock hard when we got home on Sunday night.

PrairieHunter · Jun 26, 2018

VikingsGuy said:
Thanks for the info. Not quartering to save $. Rather, have read best to get quartered and hide off and meat on ice as soon as possible to maximize meat taste. But we are in the learning process, so if this understanding is wrong I am open to learn.

Also, how many pounds of meat (steaks, ground, etc) should I expect from 4 quarters + backstrap + tenderloins -- I am guessing 30 lbs from an average animal, am I in the ballpark?

I guess what I meant was taking an animal in in quarters could result in the same processing cost as bringing one in whole so for example if you shoot one close to the road or if the weather is cool there may not be a reason to break out the skinning knives unless you just want to.

As far as meat everyone has their ways, and each situation is different as it could be anywhere from 90 to snowing hunting antelope. You might end up shooting some close enough to the road to drag/carry out to the truck easily, others may be a a long walk out so quartering in the field might make sense. Some guys bring a freezer from home and plug in at night or run a generator. Others freeze milk jugs and put them in the body cavity to cool the meat. Some submerge the meat in ice water to cool, some prefer to keep it dry in bags or containers. Some age the meat before cutting, some eat the heart, some add beef fat to burger, others prefer pork fat or just natural, some donate the meat because it ends up being more than they can deal with or want, etc...

VikingsGuy · Jun 26, 2018

PrairieHunter said:
some donate the meat because it ends up being more than they can deal with or want, etc...

Thanks for all the helpful info -- it should be a good learning process this fall.

As for the too much meat situation, if we fill all of our tags, we will likely be in that boat (with hindsight we would probably just apply for 1 doe each to go with the buck tags). Donation is an option, but wonder if anybody ever swaps species - 4 pounds of antelope for 2 pounds of elk -- would be great if we could turn excess antelope into a few elk steaks.

Brad Daniel · Jun 26, 2018

Seriously... watch some videos. Quarter and debone in the field. Get that meat cooled down. Watch some videos and cut it up yourself. Antelope backstop is the bomb.

wytex · Jun 26, 2018

Dry ice is readily available at our grocery stores. You should be able to get your quarters cooled down pretty quick and be able to get them almost frozen in a decent cooler.
A couple of 160 qt cooler will hold many quartered antelope.
Lots of folks now bring a chest freezer in their truck and you should be able to plug one in at a motel, most have plug ins outside for engine block heaters. One of those small ones would hold all your antelope.
Processing on antelope is almost a waste to pay someone. They do not take long because of their size and you'll be much happier with your meat if you take care of it.

1_pointer · Jun 27, 2018

I skin and debone them in the field. Put the meat into plastic bags on ice in a cooler. Drain the water and ice as needed, which usually is about every 3rd day. I've kept meat for a week like this with no issue. I then process once I get home. I'd be surprised if they make as much meat as you expect...

Something like this helps with the skinning and deboning:

MinnesotaHunter · Jun 27, 2018

VikingsGuy said:
Donation is an option, but wonder if anybody ever swaps species - 4 pounds of antelope for 2 pounds of elk -- would be great if we could turn excess antelope into a few elk steaks.

Make sure you know what you are doing before you give this a shot. I believe it is illegal in at least some states.

MinnesotaHunter · Jun 27, 2018

VikingsGuy said:
Trying to keep logistics simple for first WY trip -- hotel, restaurants & a local butcher are the order of the day for us. Future trips will likely include walled tents, trailers, generators, freezers, etc.

I get that. I have done what you are planning to do several times. If you are willing to process it yourself when you get home, ask it you can just have them bag and freeze the quarters whole. I have found places that will do it for pretty cheap.

Mallardsx2 · Jun 27, 2018

I had a mule deer done 2 years ago out west and the butcher charged me 165 for a basic cut....

I pay 45$ for a basic cut at the house when I'm lazy and drop one off.

I paid what I felt was a kings ransom for the convenience.

AvidIndoorsman · Jun 27, 2018

VikingsGuy said:
Thanks for all the helpful info -- it should be a good learning process this fall.

As for the too much meat situation, if we fill all of our tags, we will likely be in that boat (with hindsight we would probably just apply for 1 doe each to go with the buck tags). Donation is an option, but wonder if anybody ever swaps species - 4 pounds of antelope for 2 pounds of elk -- would be great if we could turn excess antelope into a few elk steaks.

2010 Wyoming Statutes - Title 23 - Game And Fish-Chapter 3 - General Regulatory Provisions
23-3-302. Sale, disposition or acquisition of edible portion of game animals, game birds or game fish.
No person shall sell, barter, or dispose of for pecuniary consideration or advantage, or obtain by sale or barter any edible portion of any game animal, game bird or game fish in this state except as permitted by this act.

2011 Wyoming Statutes-TITLE 35 - PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY-CHAPTER 7 - FOOD AND DRUGS 35-7-1302. Donation of game animals.
(e) No donated game meat shall be bought, sold or offered for sale or barter by any person.

Also, keep in mind 5-6 pronghorn are going to yield the same amount of meat as one bull elk. Elk ~215lbs, Pronghorn ~35lbs

vanish · Jun 27, 2018

You can't have too much pronghorn meat! Thing darn near butchers itself.

Deleted member 20812 · Jun 27, 2018

vanish said:
You can't have too much pronghorn meat! Thing darn near butchers itself.

Agreed. No way in hell I’d pay 100 bucks to have someone butcher it. Do the dry ice if you don’t want to do it in the field. Take a folding table and cut and wrap it, then dry ice it if you don’t want to bone it and freeze it.

JohnCushman · Jun 27, 2018

The butchers know you are willing to pay out the butt for convenience, and will charge you as such. If you go that route, take your backstraps and tenderloins off and keep them and not send them to the butcher. I had a deer processed before and I don't think I got back the proper amount of backstrap and a few of the better cuts. My other concern is not even knowing if you're getting your own animal back. Most of them throw everyone's grind meat into the same hopper and spit out as much as they think you should get. A lot of places don't do a very good job trimming blood shot or silverskin or sinew from the grind meat. It would really suck to drive across country after spending everything you're spending and taking 2 prime does to the butcher that you took good care of, only to get burger back that's mixed in with a rutty old buck that rode around in the back of a pickup truck all day that taints your burger. For the amount of money you're willing to spend to butcher that many animals, you could upgrade a couple of coolers and get a small grinder and buy a whole lot of ice to get them home and do it yourself. PLus, you'll be amazed at how much more meat you get by doing it yourself.

Butcher costs

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