Because I dont trust them now

What did that cost you more or less? I quarter and do all my own steaks, roasts and ground meat, but haven't gotten to making sausage yet. Still take that to someone else.

I want to know this too

I stick with one processor now after a few disappointments. I used one place a couple of times and had pretty good luck until I took in a whole pig and another that was quartered minus the ribs. Both pigs were pushing 175 lbs. live weight. When they called a week later, I went and picked up one sack (unfinished corn sack) of meat about 3/4 full. I thought it was light, but was in a hurry. They called a few days later to tell me the 8 pt. I shot was ready and I got the same sized bag overflowing with venison (one 150 lb.deer=more meat than two 175 lb. pigs?). Of course nobody knew anything. Then a couple of months later, I got a call while walking around in the Rockwall Bass Pro saying that I hadn't picked up my summer sausage, seasoned roasts, and tamales and that someone else was wanting to buy it all unless I came in and paid the $140 bill. I've never ordered seasoned roasts or tamales from a processor in my life! Anyway, I'll stick with James Processing from now on.

I've got a great processor (Cospers) thats been doing my deer for the past 20 years or so. I always get my deer back, not someone elses mess.

I have all the equipment to do my own, but dang its alot of work. I did some ground last year, may do that again, but for sausage, I'll take it to Greens

I dropped a deer off in Brownwood and told them I wanted 1/2 steak and 1/2 hamburger....I got all hamburger. I think I'll start doing my own again.

I say process your own its not that hard; however you should understand the complexity of processing 1,000 different deer for different people....especially when they are all so "pasionate" about their meat.

I have two that I trust. One in Halletsville and on in New Braunsfels. Both have been good to me and my customers. I have a fallow buck at the one in New Braunsfels right now, that my son shot for his first deer. We ordered the backstraps butterflied and the rest made into 50/50 pork and deer sausauge links.

WHEN WILL YOU ALL LEARN....AVOID PROCESSORS.......

This is exactly why I process my own.

Janaks?

I do my own but had the bright idea I would just do em all at the end of the year since no matter if you grind one pound or a thousand all the equipment still needs the same cleaning. I won't do that again, I did nine deer by myself and made brats, summer sausage, burger, steaked out the back straps, and cut up some for jerky. Man was I beat, I stuffed, and ground and seasoned and cut and vacuum sealed till I was delirious but all that meat lasted over a year. Now I do a couple at a time and only do one type at a time, all brats one time all sausage one time. It's enjoyable but get good equipment and get some help.

I normally use Landers in Garland but when I shot my buck opening day it was going to get too hot too quick to I took it to J&J in Graford and they did a great job! Cheaper than Landers and I got a lot more meat. I'll be using them for a while. Eventually I'd like to do my own, dont have the time and money for it now.

depends on what you can get your pork for, i got it on sale this year and made jalapeno and cheese sausage, it cost me 1.65 a pound, 100 lbs 40% deer 60% pork. but the jalapeno and cheese alone added about .50 a lb to that 1.65. but its worth it.

anyone use wild hog for the pork or is that too lean?

Thats a good question, I have a bunch and thats what I planned on doing

I only had an issue with a processor once. I took a deer and a hog to a place in Kimble Cnty. I asked for a variety of things, steaks, links, hamburger, pan sausage, etc. When i went to pick it up i got 3 paper grocery sack of links, it cost me $75. I had two more deer at my usual place (Rhodes Bros, grade A+) so I wasn't POed. Also, I felt like i got a darn good deal, 100+ lbs of links for $75. Won't be using them again though.

I believe it's way too lean.

Think about all those gut shot & deer with spoiled meat and then remember, even if you do get your deer back it ran through the same grinder and was cut up on the same tables. Don't forget, same knives too.

i have tried, it wasnt very good, two wild game together makes for dry wild game sausage, im going to try wild pork and store pork some time.

I would say that the sausage oost me roughly 1.60lb. The seasoning was about $3.00. I try and keep some pork trimmings in the freezer, so it may actually be a little less. The last time I bought trimmings I got 5 3lb packages, that way i can just get what I want to make it as lean or fatty as I want. I mixed 18.5 lbs of wild hog, with 6 pounds of trimmings last night and it is pretty lean.

Not saying every processor does this, but we've had trouble getting the same meat back we brought in to 3 different processors. And for that reason, me and my dad do all our own processing. Bought a grinder, stuffer, tenderizer, vacuum sealer, bandsaw, and built a smokehouse. Its a lot of work, but we know we're getting our deer meat back.

I have a meat market close to the house that I have made good friends with. If I go by and let him know, he'll save me fat from his trimmings that I used to mix in.

I have always processed my own game except for the link sausage making, & I stopped using a processor for that too a couple of years ago after having a bad experience. Since then, I have all equipment needed & enjoy making my own. I am very picky with my meat so it works out better for me this way. Just make sure you have some help if you're going to make a bunch of sausage. Last time I was in a hurry & de-boned/ground/mixed/stuffed/vacu-bagged 100lbs of processed sausage by myself (4 different kinds). Then had to clean up & rush to work with no sleep. Load up on some cold beer & call a couple of buddies! Trust me

Yes, I do but prefer the big fat sows we kill out in the corn farm country. Just the right amount of fat on them & man they taste good.

Had a hunting partner let a deer hang in 45degree weather over night. Then off to the processor about 45 min down the road but they were full and no longer accepting deer. Another 45 min ride back to lease but it is now 60 degrees and in the sun in the back of my truck. He decided to force it into the back of his Corolla for the 3 hour drive back to Kubys in Irving. The only saving grace is that with ground meat and sausage he was almost guaranteed not to get his rotten deer back. Sad part is that someone else was going to get it.

I now do all my own processing. It is easy and time consuming by at least I know who's deer I am eating.