[diesel]

New to the board, looks like a great site.

I just had four deer processed (3 bucks, 1 fawn) and I feel like I just got taken by the butcher. I've never brought more than one in at a time, so I'm not sure how much meat four should yield.

Here's what I got:

34 lbs steaks, chops, and roasts

39 lbs summer sausage

14 lbs breakfast links

5 lbs jerky

11 lbs sticks

103 total lbs, but remember that pork is added to summer sausage and breakfast links.

Any opinions? Thanks

 

[buckfever]

How big were the deer? Did you ruin alot of the meat with your kill shot or gutting process?


I am going to move this post to The Lodge so it gets answered more. Welcome to the site man.

 

[diesel]

2 bucks were about 160lbs dressed

1 buck 180lbs dressed

fawn about 100lbs dressed

only the fawn was slightly shot up, the other three were clean kill shots

thanks

 

[timberghost]

Hey diesel and welcome aboard. OK, do you think that the processing fee was too high or the amount of finished product was a little "short"? Because I think it takes 15 pounds of meat to make 1 pound of jerky because the water weight is, well, dried out. The cost of summer sausage and breakfast links may have been more because of the added pork and spices. Around here the butcher charges $2 per pound for sausage items. I think that sounds about right what you got. Does anybody else ever question the butcher in your area. There are a few around here that I steer clear from.

 

[joel the signman]

i ve been told you can get i banana box(from the fruit stand) worth of meat from an adult deer.when i do my own processing it seems like i get 70-80 pounds of meat no bones and trimmed from a big deer.I stopped going to the butchers they all seem to help themselves and i ve been told you often dont your meat back.they make a batch of chop meat and give everyone what they think is right.Its a lot more work but i prefer to do it myself i know all the care and quality that goes into.one more aspect of the harvest

 

[BruceBruce1959]

Greetings from Vermont Diesel Glad to have you with us.
I personally think you got beat by the butcher BUT I didn't see what you brought him.
Maybe there was aot of damaged meat I don't know but here's a lik that will give you an idea of what you should have gotten back.
ALSO keep in mind it takes 3 pounds of meat to make just 1 pound of jerky (same with sticks)
VENISON YIELD CHART <--Click to link

 

[joel the signman]

:goodposting:nice link there bruce:thumbup:

 

[timberghost]

Man I was way off on my meat to jerky measurement, thanks Bruce. That link was cool, lots of good info.

 

[BruceBruce1959]

I hate having to link folks to other locations for the answers but sometimes it's too technical to try and explain,
sometimes it's better to read it from the experts and I really think Diesel needed to read it from the expert postings.
It's expensive to have Deer professionally processed by a butcher, sure isn't right when they charge you then steal some of your meat too...

 

[joel the signman]

nothing wrong with the link its not an advertisement just educational.

 

[buckfever]

Yes.. I think you got took. Thats why I asked how big the deer were. Good postings by all. I also take my deer to a butcher. I usually get back a little over 1/3 of the total deer weight in edible meat. For example a 90 pound doe equals around 35 to 40lbs of meat.

 

[Rozman62]

Buckfevers numbers align with mine. A good rule of thumb is take the field dressed weight x .30-.33 to yield the amount of boneless meat you should get. I have been cutting my own deer for about 10 years now as I felt I was getting ripped off. I just harvested a 97 lb doe and got about 34 lbs of meat and did alot of picking...took about 4.5 hours total time.

Using the formula above your net difference in expected weight is about 80-100 lbs. The15:1 weight ratio on the jerky addresses about 75 lbs. It sounds like you might be mising about 20 lbs of steaks somewhere.
Find a new butcher or do yourself.