wild game butchers east of Edmonton?

F

fat but funky

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Hi Folks,

Can anyone recommend a butcher for wild game east of Edmonton?

After 15 years, my butcher has decided he doesn't have the staff to cope with wild game anymore - so I am looking for a new butcher.

I'm less concerned with cost and turnaround time than with a clean and well run establishment.

Thanks

Fat

PS - I did check the search function but almost all of the posts were more than a decade old
 
Titan 08 said:
Grassy Lane Meats by New Sarepta, it’s hard to get a carcass in there but deboned meat isn’t normally a problem. Great sausage products. Pricey but quality
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I use these guys for beef and they're great but some years they've been too busy for wild game. Even with beef it was best to book a year in advance. Not sure what things are like at the moment.
 
paz said:
I use these guys for beef and they're great but some years they've been too busy for wild game. Even with beef it was best to book a year in advance. Not sure what things are like at the moment.
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I’ve never had a problem with bringing in deboned game. They simply don’t have sufficient room to hang carcasses . Considering the quality of their finished products, I don’t mind the inconvenience, it’s well worth it.
 
It’s not what you asked, so discard my unsolicited opinion as you see fit, but:

I really feel like folks who don’t butcher their own game are missing out on such a gratifying part of the hunting process. Now that there’s hundreds of step-by-step YouTube tutorials out there, there’s precious little reason to involve a butcher.

Knowing that the meal I prepare for my family went from the woods to the plate by my hands alone is such a satisfying feeling.

I don’t look down on anybody that uses a butcher of course, I just think they’re missing out on something special.
 
kodiakjack said:
It’s not what you asked, so discard my unsolicited opinion as you see fit, but:

I really feel like folks who don’t butcher their own game are missing out on such a gratifying part of the hunting process. Now that there’s hundreds of step-by-step YouTube tutorials out there, there’s precious little reason to involve a butcher.

Knowing that the meal I prepare for my family went from the woods to the plate by my hands alone is such a satisfying feeling.

I don’t look down on anybody that uses a butcher of course, I just think they’re missing out on something special.
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You are correct, the problem is:

Some people do not have the time, or an area to complete this task, an interest to do it, or have a wife that will allow it.

I had a girlfriend once who stated, I don't want to see any dead animals unless they come in a small brown wrapped package.

Well, I ditched her and married an awesome lady instead, who hunts as good as the rest of us do.....:) LOL
 
kodiakjack said:
It’s not what you asked, so discard my unsolicited opinion as you see fit, but:

I really feel like folks who don’t butcher their own game are missing out on such a gratifying part of the hunting process. Now that there’s hundreds of step-by-step YouTube tutorials out there, there’s precious little reason to involve a butcher.

Knowing that the meal I prepare for my family went from the woods to the plate by my hands alone is such a satisfying feeling.

I don’t look down on anybody that uses a butcher of course, I just think they’re missing out on something special.
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I use a butcher because I love their sausage and pepperoni. If I harvest something early in the season I also like the time it frees up to hunt more.
 
Thunderhog said:
You are correct, the problem is:

Some people do not the time, area to complete this task, or have a wife that will allow it.

I had a girlfriend once who stated, I don't want to see any dead animals unless they come in a small brown wrapped package.

Well, I ditched her and married an awesome lady instead, who hunts as good as the rest of us do.....:) LOL
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You’re right.

Although I feel like some folks pigeonhole themselves into not doing it because they feel they don’t have the equipment or space, but it’s amazing what you can accomplish with a fillet knife, hacksaw, and a dollar-store shower curtain draped over a small kitchen table. Quartering in the field is a big space saver if need be.
 
TriggerHappyHippy said:
I use a butcher because I love their sausage and pepperoni. If I harvest something early in the season I also like the time it frees up to hunt more.
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Yep, can’t blame you for that. Although we also make our own sausage and pepperoni (sausage party, anyone?), which I like even better as you can control the flavors and spiciness to exactly how we like, and experiment with fun flavors combos. Apple cinnamon breakfast sausage is one of my family’s favorites.

It does mean investing in a grinder, but it’s little more than you’d pay to butcher one deer, especially if you split it with your hunting buddies and just use it communally.
 
kodiakjack said:
You’re right.

Although I feel like some folks pigeonhole themselves into not doing it because they feel they don’t have the equipment or space, but it’s amazing what you can accomplish with a fillet knife, hacksaw, and a dollar-store shower curtain draped over a small kitchen table. Quartering in the field is a big space saver if need be.
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It gets a lot more difficult when trying to do multiple things. This year we went simple and just did burger and whole cuts but when trying to do jerky, summer sausage, pepperoni, burgers etc etc the cost adds up. To do it the same level of butchers I'm looking at grinder, stuffer, mixer, smoker to name a few things. That's just the cost let alone the time space and knowledge required as well
 
Yotarunner said:
It gets a lot more difficult when trying to do multiple things. This year we went simple and just did burger and whole cuts but when trying to do jerky, summer sausage, pepperoni, burgers etc etc the cost adds up. To do it the same level of butchers I'm looking at grinder, stuffer, mixer, smoker to name a few things. That's just the cost let alone the time space and knowledge required as well
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I get it, and totally respect it.

But this is partly the pigeon holing I was referring too. You don’t need a mixer, mixing by hand with a potato masher works fine. I just stuff with the LEM caulking gun. And I smoke with a $200 electric smoker from Home Depot that travels from house to house as each buddy needs it.

I have a decent grinder now, but before that, I used a $10 yard sale hand grinder and just chucked up the handle in my cordless drill. (It was awful but it worked)

And as for knowledge: YouTube and chatGPT are free

Again though, not my business. Do what’s best for you. I’m only blabbering on, because I enjoy the process so much, and I feel like others are missing out on the fun, lol. I’ll shut up now! :LOL:
 
It’s fine if you actually like doing that sort of thing but many people don’t care for the job. We used to do our own but I don’t particularly care for the job and do not miss it. The problem now is that it is hard to find butcher shops that still accept a carcass. Sure they will make sausage if you debone all the meat but they don’t want to do the work. The way I see it is are you or are you not a butcher shop? When they get pork or beef in there is it deboned? I think not. Like a contractor who builds homes saying well we build homes but don’t do roofs or siding! It’s part of the job.
 
I’m one of those who now do their own butchering. Sure, the pros do a much prettier job but I now get way more meat … plus the tallow … plus the marrow bones . Heck, even what I consider waste gets ground up for cat food.

Did I tell you about the hunter who found bits of lead in his professionally butchered deer? He was a bow hunter.
 
Al Bear said:
I’m one of those who now do their own butchering. Sure, the pros do a much prettier job but I now get way more meat … plus the tallow … plus the marrow bones . Heck, even what I consider waste gets ground up for cat food.

Did I tell you about the hunter who found bits of lead in his professionally butchered deer? He was a bow hunter.
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Lead in animals, a crazy concept.

I killed a bulk elk with barnes bullets and found lead in the neck. I killed the legendary bulletproof elk. Someone's bad shot left lead in my elk. It happens.
 
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