cinnamon creek processing ....... thanks for nothing

so I drive an hour and a half to deliver the 50 pounds of deboned venison to them to have it made into jap and cheese sausage. Get it unloaded and the guy asks where are my tags? He proceeds to tell me I'm lucky the game warden isn't there as I would be getting a ticket. Told him I processed the spike and doe at home and didn't need a tag for the deboned meat. An hour and a half later I'm back home and call TP&W and get the # for 2 Tarrant Co. game wardens, the lady doesn't answer but Officer Broussard sp? calls back. He said I wasn't breaking any law and that " they just didn't want to mess with it" without a tag.

I was the only vehicle there so maybe they just didn't want to mess with it period. I've taken deboned meat the last 4 years to 2 other places and never been asked for a tag/tags.

Now my buddy did take his to Hirsch's Meats this year, it was deboned and they asked him for a tag. He told them they didn't ask last year when be took it in. They wound up taking it anyway.

Anyone else had any problems with this? Gonna make me buy a dang stuffer and start trying to make my own sausage.

Never experienced it before as I've never taken a deer to a processor, but I've heard about other people having problems with it

Dam site cheaper that way and not really that difficult

Hmmmm Habanero and Tillamook Extra Sharp Cheddar ........ maybe some bacon bits thrown in. Dang .....

Get real fatty bacon, grind it with your venison.

Great idea, looking at mixers and stuffers now, don't want to spend a fortune but want something that lasts more than 1 or 2 seasons too.

I don't disagree that you are right but is it not that big of a deal to just have the tag with you? I know we are all different but if I am taking a deer to a professor I have always had the tag and my license.

I threw it away with the heads, I took 7 one gallon ziplock bags with deboned meat. Never had a problem before at other places. Mostly mad that the dude there tried to tell me I was breaking the law and if the game warden was there I would have gotten a ticket. I'm sure they won't miss my business as it seems they have the reputation of being about the best place around. Was wanting to warn anyone else going there of "their" rules so maybe they won't waste 3 plus hours of driving time like I did. Glad I had it frozen.

Oh and to answer your question no it wouldn't be a big deal to have the tag and of course I would have had I known that they would refuse to take deboned venison without it. Live and learn, next time if I do go to a processer I'll take the tag/tags too.

Would be a little more of a drive for you but if you want to get some very good summer sausage there are 2 places in Hamilton Wenzels Lone Star Meats and Whaley in Hamilton. Wenzel is open year round and prefers the meat to be brought in boned out, tags not required. The Lonestar Brats are fantastic beer already in the brats

I have been told to keep a tag for the processor for years. No big deal. All I use a processor for is making sausage and I take them boned out meat. TP&W game wardens have been known to hang out at Kuby's in Dallas and write tickets for deer meat being dropped off with no tag presented.

Their reputation for good product is well earned. Guessing they are much more accustomed to getting field dressed deer as opposed to "boned meat" or you just got more of a rookie there. Wouldn't sweat it too much myself.

The following is taken directly from the tpwd website:

"You are allowed to quarter a deer or antelope in camp, but tagging and proof-of-sex requirements continue to apply until the wildlife resource reaches a final destination."

"Final Destination" for Pronghorn Antelope, Deer, and Turkey:
The permanent residence of the person who takes the antelope, deer, or turkey; the permanent residence of the person who receives the antelope, deer, or turkey or part of the antelope, deer, or turkey; or a cold storage or processing facility.

This sure seems to indicate that the processor should expect to receive proof of sex, a tag and a quartered deer as that would be the final destination if not processing yourself, but maybe the actual law is written to cover the OP's circumstance. I don't think I could fault Cinnamon Creek based on the above.

I had a situation back when they were Syracuse where I dropped my cape off at the taxidermist prior to taking my meat to be processed. The taxidermist insisted he needed the tag and gave me a wildlife resource doc. When I got to Syracuse, they indicated they needed my tag. I explained the situation, called the taxidermist and had him fax a copy over. Problem solved. Tag should have stayed with the carcass, not with the taxidermist btw.

Who drives 3 hours to have 7 gallons of meat ground up?

Well I believe if you read my original post I did. I have 7 one gallon ziplock bags of venison or around 50 pounds. That would wind up being around 75 pounds of sausage. Now, I for one would have no problem driving 3 hours twice (have to pick it up when it's done) to get 75 pounds of delicious jap and cheese sausage. Unfortunately they rebuked my deer and I had to drive back home with no mouth watering sausage in my future.

Ding ding, we have a winner.

Try Kubys or whatever that place is called in Dallas. Supposed to be good stuff.

Depends on how you interpret it I guess. I aged the two deer for 5 days in an ice chest so I guess you could say I was the cold storage and I gutted, skinned, quartered then brought them to my house where I finished processing them by deboning all the meat so I would consider myself as the final processer of the venison.
Tarrant county game warden told me over the phone I wasn't required to have tags while possessing the two deer that were deboned so I'll accept his interpretation I guess.

Called them prior to going to cinnamon creek. the older lady that answered the phone said there would be a processing fee even though the meat was deboned " so our butchers can determine if the meat was processed to our standards and make sure there isn't anything in it that shouldn't be there". when I asked how much she said it would depend on how much they had to trim if any.

you need the tag, because you are not the final processor. they have to fill out the log for all game.

I have been told by GW and meat processors that boned out meat with no proof of sex and tag are illegal to bring in.
Think about it and it makes sense. If that were not the case somebody could kill as many doe or small under AR bucks as they want and bring them in.

You need a tag no matter what. I took 4 deboned hams to Kubys and gave them MLDP permits last week. I have also taken meat with just a wildlife resource doc since I didn't have the tag or head still. They really need the tags to be legal. Just a tag and no head is really not legal since there is no proof of sex. Most take the meat but if a GW is there you might have an issue. It is on you, not the processor.

Lot of Internet game wardens on this thread, looks like they should seek a career change.

I am not a fan of cinnamon creek and realize I am in the minority.

I ran into a very similar problem once at hunters choice, when I picked up my sausage the game warden was waiting on me. He attempted to give me a tonque lashing and told him to either give me a ticket or leave me alone. I went home with out a citation and I told him from now on I would be keeping my tag.....

Sorry to high jack the thread but scenario here. What if you have a grinder and your wife is kind enough to spend weekends you are hunting for more meat defining and grinding you deer into hamburger. She nor you have the time nor the equipment to make sausage but you really want sausage and you take your pre ground meat to the processor to have sausage made. But you don't have the heads anymore guess that would be the same also because you can't prove sex however you have already processed the meat? What say y'all?

I had the exact same thing happen at Cinnamon Creek three years ago. Meat was deboned, super clean, etc. They rejected me because I tossed the tag with the head. HERE'S THE REAL ISSUE THOUGH. You will not be getting that meat that you took time to clean and process. They batch grind all the meat, you do not get your meat and they admit that. Ask em. You see the guy from Dallas in the parking lot with that stiff deer that's halfass gutted? Enjoy!

I hate that place and will never go back.

Is it legal or not, I dont know. But why not just keep the tag to avoid any confusion.

If you were the final processor of the venison, then there's no need taking a large amount of vension to Cinnamon Creek for further processing.

Either way you want to look at it, I will be the final processor after I eat it

Reading the replies it's pretty easy to see that TP&W with all of it's rules needs to be more specific in some areas.

Shoulda, coulda, lesson learned. Just as all here can't agree on rules/regs all processors obviously can't either so in the future I will take the tag/tags so I don't have to waste gas and my time again. Thanks for all of your input and opinions I do appreciate it.

If you have time to grind meat, you have time to make sausage. Old style water pump type stuffers can be had for $30.
For some reason folks, including myself, are afraid to try and make sausage.

It's so easy that a cave man could do it. Try it once and you'll never pay to have it done again.

I haven't brought any game to a processor in 20 years. Nothin to it. The hardest part is deboning

Yup, there are many rules that are vague with TPWD. And too much left up to a GW's interpretation and mood.
Is seems that regarless the situation that you have to cover your butt. Or you will be having to prove yourself innocent, the American way.

The processors I use will not take meat already ground. What processor would do that?

Tag must accompany meat. It's pretty simple.

Midway in Katy. I already spoke to them about the ground and they said absolutely however I didn't think to ask about tag.

Yeah, Cinnamon Creek product varies and I don't do the batch thing. Not to mention how long it takes to get it back. When I'm eating the meat I like to process it. However, years like this, where medical issues limit my ability to use a hand or shoulder, I like to use Old Plantation meats near Springtown. You get your animal back and they have good products and clean processing.

This!
Start experiencing the great amount of satisifaciton that comes from making your own.

For many years I used a number of different processors in my area for sausage before I started making my own. Sometimes I would bring venison in bone-in, sometimes de-boned and bagged depending on how much time I had. Was never once asked about a tag, none of my hunting buddies were ever asked either. Final destination was my house, where the quarters were either wrapped whole/marked and put in freezer or de-boned/bagged/marked and put in freezer. At that point, proof of sex and tag went to the trash. Next day off or when ready would haul meat to processor, no issues. I've never taken a whole animal in to the processor though, no idea if they would have asked then.

I believe the law to be pretty clear. I also believe that processors sometimes don't follow the letter of the law. I wouldn't be upset with someone who did. Your frustration should be the one who didn't.

If you feel the law is vague or unfair, then simply obtain yourself a ticket and get a lawyer. Then you can argue your point of view and have this succintly addressed for everyone in the future.

Processors are supposed to keep a log book of all deer received. In that log book go the hunters name, hunting license number and address. Most processors were pretty lax on this in years past, but the GWs have really begun enforcing the letter of the law as far as tags go. Tags are supposed to accompany the meat to its final destination. In this case, the final destination being the processor. I don't doubt that some smaller operations will accept de-boned venision without a tag, but Midway and Los Cazadores both require a tag for each deer (or four quarters, straps and tenders).

That's the truth. You can drop off your 7 bags of carefully cleaned and deboned meat and they could, if they wanted to, go to the back and bring out your correct amount of sausage that's already made. There's nothing "individual" about specialty products at Cinnamon Creek or other large processors for that matter.

there is a post every year about this processor. They have a hell of a range and proshop though.

Never had a bad experience with them. I've used processors from all over the state and they do the best job by far then any I have ever used. Everyone that I have fed their products rave about them. I had a guy that lives 3 hours away ask me just this week if I would do him a favor and take one of his deer to them because their sausage was the best he had ever had.

Best tasting stuff I've ever had venison wise. The filets wrapped in bacon are unbelievable. They are not cheap.

Man don't take this the wrong way but you just took a beyond quartered (non processed)"Texas" whitetail, with no tag or proof of sex across two county lines.

There is a reason why Syrcuse staples tags to your paper work. They process 10k plus game and non game animals a year. They have thier reasons for needing a tag. Never gotten mad at company for limiting their liability. I took 300lbs of bone out meat to them in Sept. Never been to a processor that didn't ask for tag and or log tag info(old days) .

In the end life to short to get too mad, bright side you have deer meat... Not everyone does

and I thought this was a dead thread. Glad so many of you have done things the "right" way. I did too. Never been there before so I didn't know they would only do things their way. What I did was not illegal. I didn't think to ask them because the previous processers I used in Joshua, Mason and Dallas took the meat, weighed it and never mentioned a tag. Lesson learned, I WILL save and take the tag/tags from now on.

Lol, technically don't forget proof of sex(head or landowner letter) also when traveling... I'm messing with you also

you aren't the only one my dad did same thing. He called me all mad. Then he laughed and said oops.

No worries no harm no foul

You know the saying, you can't teach an old dog new tricks. Well guess I'm going to have to learn a few or I'll be a no sausage having diesel wasting fool.

We usually skin, quarter, debone & package at home. Use to grind trimmings too, but processor charges minimal for grinding small quantities and its worth my time to NOT have to do it. The package I took in last week was only 10.5 lbs. He said, in my case, my house was final destination and he didn't need the tag to grind a small amount of meat but I always take it anyway.

I also take my own bacon & have him add at a 1 to 5 ratio (bacon to venison). Makes good hamburger paties!

I don't use a Processor but I have ate some of there Goodies and they do a great job...

Final destination with tag and proof of sex would be to your residence. I have taken many deer to the processor that has been deboned. Never been ask for a tag in that respect. Processor is making up his rules.

agree, no tag required

Speaking of processing, I better get going. I've got 3 does on ice coming and I'm heading out the door to go pop a few more. I won't have any help processing these either. Making smoked sausage, pan sausage, chorizo, bacon burger, summer sausage, & jerky. I hope I get a few right on the fence line, I think fence line deer taste much better!

Someone of less character than myself or the OP, could have 'magically' made all that deboned whitetail turn in to a deboned axis real quick. No tag needed.

I was going to say -- how would they know if you said it was beef?

Funny, I have spoken with more than one game warden about this very thing. In fact, one of them was at he processor when I was dropping off my meat. All of them told me if I deboned it at home, I didnt need a tag when bringing it to the processor. I have used several processors in our area over the years and none have asked for a tag on deboned meat. They have asked for my hunting licence number to record on their log however.

Meats still in my freezer while I decide what the heck I'm going to do with it. Really didn't want 50 pounds of burger. Thanks for the replies guys, I appreciate them.

I was thinking the book said "place of final processing"


Is it really 3 hours from Duncanville to far N Ft Worth?

3 hours was round trip which included the start of afternoon rush hour traffic coming home.

I will never go back to cinnamon creek. I brought my bow to the proshop and the staff seemed very stuck up. Completely turned me off from ever going back. They took one look at my bow, smirked, and proceeded to tell me it was a piece of junk in not so many words before trying to sell me a new bow.