Deer processing question for NE Indiana

The #1 community for Gun Owners in Indiana

Member Benefits:

  • Fewer Ads!
  • Discuss all aspects of firearm ownership
  • Discuss anti-gun legislation
  • Buy, sell, and trade in the classified section
  • Chat with Local gun shops, ranges, trainers & other businesses
  • Discover free outdoor shooting areas
  • View up to date on firearm-related events
  • Share photos & video with other members
  • ...and so much more!
  • 243rem700

    Expert
    Rating - 100%
    11   0   0
    Nov 21, 2008
    885
    18
    Fort Wayne
    Are there any good processors that use the meat from your own deer? Everywhere I have taken my deer to in the past has processed my deer in batches with others. Does anyone know a good place to take my deer meat and be able to get my own meat back?
     

    Sailor

    Master
    Rating - 100%
    19   0   0
    May 5, 2008
    3,716
    48
    Fort Wayne
    Lengacher Meats - Allen County
    Address: 13601 Antwerp - - Grabill, IN46741
    Contacts:
    Phone: 260-438-6706 ( Primary)
    Email/Website:
    Notes: Deer and livestock.

    They guarantee all of your own deer back. I usually do my own but nailed one late on a Sun when I was booked all Mon. Took it to them and was impressed. great snack sticks. They are busy and it takes a while but its your own meat.

    Plus they participate in hunters feeding the hungry. My first deer is always donated. No cost to you.
     

    mike4sigs

    Master
    Rating - 94.4%
    34   2   0
    Jan 24, 2009
    1,505
    99
    Southern Adams County
    Last edited:

    CountryBoy19

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 91.7%
    11   1   0
    Nov 10, 2008
    8,412
    63
    Bedford, IN
    I am not sure if they batch there deer proccessing but i buy most of meats and usually buy a Quater beef off them every year ! they have good summer sausage (Bison,deer, and beef ) My brother uses them for his deer proccessing ! i dont hunt! you night want to check them out

    Manley Meats
    302 south 400 east
    Decatur ,Indiana 46733
    260-592-7313
    Manley Meats Decatur, Indiana - Offering Custom Butchering, Meat Processing Deer, Beef, Pork, Catering & Caterer
    Better get out the vaseline with that.

    I took my first deer there, never took another one. My 145 lb dressed deer, cost $215 to process. All I got was cut meat, plus the remainder made into summer sausage. So to bone/skin, slice/cut the meat, then grind and make summer sausage from the rest cost $215? You've got to be kidding. I could buy meat for what I paid just to have it processed.
     

    mike4sigs

    Master
    Rating - 94.4%
    34   2   0
    Jan 24, 2009
    1,505
    99
    Southern Adams County
    Guess i should have said that i didnt know what they charged also!(that is another reason i dont hunt anymore) but i can tell you that they have good summer sausage and the domestic(beef, pork and american buffalo ) meat i buy there has always been good
     

    redneckmedic

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 100%
    16   0   0
    Jan 20, 2009
    8,429
    48
    Greenfield
    Get with member redneckmedic on here. Highly recommend this guy.

    Thanks for the shout out however I am way to far to do any hands on with a Fort Wayne feller, and sorry, I don't know any of the northern butchers either.

    Better get out the vaseline with that.

    I took my first deer there, never took another one. My 145 lb dressed deer, cost $215 to process. All I got was cut meat, plus the remainder made into summer sausage. So to bone/skin, slice/cut the meat, then grind and make summer sausage from the rest cost $215? You've got to be kidding. I could buy meat for what I paid just to have it processed.

    You got RAPED!!! The avg going is about $75 a harvest then the jerky/sausage tends to differ depending on the amount usually about $20 a roast for jerky and about $12 a 3' length of summer.
     

    sp3worker

    Expert
    Rating - 96.6%
    28   1   0
    Feb 11, 2009
    824
    44
    Decatur
    Better get out the vaseline with that.

    I took my first deer there, never took another one. My 145 lb dressed deer, cost $215 to process. All I got was cut meat, plus the remainder made into summer sausage. So to bone/skin, slice/cut the meat, then grind and make summer sausage from the rest cost $215? You've got to be kidding. I could buy meat for what I paid just to have it processed.

    They get my business every year. You should have skinned and quartered it yourself, that's what cost you the most. You could have saved $100 right there. I took in 85 pounds of meat from my antelopes (11 quarters) and had it made into 15 sticks of summer sausage, 10# of snack sticks, 5 # of jerkey and 25# of hamburger w/beef fat in patties. It cost me around $225. I challenge anyone to come up with better summer sausage than Manleys.
     

    redneckmedic

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 100%
    16   0   0
    Jan 20, 2009
    8,429
    48
    Greenfield
    They get my business every year. You should have skinned and quartered it yourself, that's what cost you the most. You could have saved $100 right there. I took in 85 pounds of meat from my antelopes (11 quarters) and had it made into 15 sticks of summer sausage, 10# of snack sticks, 5 # of jerkey and 25# of hamburger w/beef fat in patties. It cost me around $225. I challenge anyone to come up with better summer sausage than Manleys.

    Learn to make your own and save about $200! :dunno:
     

    sp3worker

    Expert
    Rating - 96.6%
    28   1   0
    Feb 11, 2009
    824
    44
    Decatur
    Learn to make your own and save about $200! :dunno:

    I do cut my own steaks/roasts and make my own breakfast sausage occasionally. It's just not worth the trouble making my own hamburger. By the time I get the fat and how much time it takes me to grind, pattie and package, I'd rather just pay a little more to have it done. Their summer sausage can't be beat, like I said I challenge anyone to come forward with better.
     

    243rem700

    Expert
    Rating - 100%
    11   0   0
    Nov 21, 2008
    885
    18
    Fort Wayne
    Thanks for all of the suggestions! I skinned and quartered my deer myself and will be making the jerky on my own. I need hamburger, sausage and snack sticks made. Is Lengacher Meats reasonably priced? About what is their turn around time?
     

    sp3worker

    Expert
    Rating - 96.6%
    28   1   0
    Feb 11, 2009
    824
    44
    Decatur
    Thanks for all of the suggestions! I skinned and quartered my deer myself and will be making the jerky on my own. I need hamburger, sausage and snack sticks made. Is Lengacher Meats reasonably priced? About what is their turn around time?

    Despite what others may have said, I still recomend Manleys. If you are still on the fence about them, you are welcome to come down and try some of the summer sausage/snack sticks I have. Their summer sausage is $3.50/chub or $6/stick 10# min., snack sticks are $3.50/lb 10# min., hamburger is $1/lb with beef or pork fat and pattied.
     

    mike4sigs

    Master
    Rating - 94.4%
    34   2   0
    Jan 24, 2009
    1,505
    99
    Southern Adams County
    Despite what others may have said, I still recomend Manleys. If you are still on the fence about them, you are welcome to come down and try some of the summer sausage/snack sticks I have. Their summer sausage is $3.50/chub or $6/stick 10# min., snack sticks are $3.50/lb 10# min., hamburger is $1/lb with beef or pork fat and pattied.

    + 1

    take it manley meats their summer sausage is top notch ! if you are in doubt go in and ask for a sample of their beef summer sausage and i beleive you will be hooked also!
     

    CountryBoy19

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 91.7%
    11   1   0
    Nov 10, 2008
    8,412
    63
    Bedford, IN
    They get my business every year. You should have skinned and quartered it yourself, that's what cost you the most. You could have saved $100 right there. I took in 85 pounds of meat from my antelopes (11 quarters) and had it made into 15 sticks of summer sausage, 10# of snack sticks, 5 # of jerkey and 25# of hamburger w/beef fat in patties. It cost me around $225. I challenge anyone to come up with better summer sausage than Manleys.
    I was 13 years old, it was my first deer ever, and I had never even seen an animal butchered, let alone helped or done it myself, so I had no idea where to even start and I had no idea that it would be that outrageous. I do agree, however, that their summer sausage is the best I've ever had, I still get summer sausage made there, but I wouldn't call that "deer processing". I do all the cutting myself, and just take the scraps in for them to grind and make summer sausage.

    BTW, I'm not bashing Manley's processing, they're really the best, and the best don't come cheap. I'm sure they see a minimum of 1-2,000 deer a year (wild guess) for processing, so they have to charge higher to keep their workload manageable. But I just wanted to send out a warning to not take it there expecting it to be decent processing for cheap; what you'll get is great processing for half of your inheritance.
     

    sp3worker

    Expert
    Rating - 96.6%
    28   1   0
    Feb 11, 2009
    824
    44
    Decatur
    I was 13 years old, it was my first deer ever, and I had never even seen an animal butchered, let alone helped or done it myself, so I had no idea where to even start and I had no idea that it would be that outrageous. I do agree, however, that their summer sausage is the best I've ever had, I still get summer sausage made there, but I wouldn't call that "deer processing". I do all the cutting myself, and just take the scraps in for them to grind and make summer sausage.

    BTW, I'm not bashing Manley's processing, they're really the best, and the best don't come cheap. I'm sure they see a minimum of 1-2,000 deer a year (wild guess) for processing, so they have to charge higher to keep their workload manageable. But I just wanted to send out a warning to not take it there expecting it to be decent processing for cheap; what you'll get is great processing for half of your inheritance.

    I hope you didn't think I was trying to attack you for anything, if I came off that way sorry. They do have rather high prices to skin and bone out a deer, that I will agree on. I can kinda see why they charge so much to do it, they had to build a seperate facility to do the deer in, hire and train people just to do deer, dispose of all the carcasses and get a massive workload for 3-4 months. I'll bet they see every bit of 2000 deer a year, people come from all over to get their deer done at Manleys.
     

    CountryBoy19

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 91.7%
    11   1   0
    Nov 10, 2008
    8,412
    63
    Bedford, IN
    I hope you didn't think I was trying to attack you for anything, if I came off that way sorry. They do have rather high prices to skin and bone out a deer, that I will agree on. I can kinda see why they charge so much to do it, they had to build a seperate facility to do the deer in, hire and train people just to do deer, dispose of all the carcasses and get a massive workload for 3-4 months. I'll bet they see every bit of 2000 deer a year, people come from all over to get their deer done at Manleys.
    No, not at all. I just wanted to explain why I had done it the way I did. I was young and dumb; didn't know how to skin and bone myself. To be honest, I'm pretty sure I still remember the one thing that upset me the most. They charged $2.50/lb to slice "jerky meat". Not make jerky, just slice the meat for me to make my own jerky. I can go buy pork for less than half that much and slice it myself by hand and still be ahead. All it takes to slice meat is to drop it on a meat slicer and slice away. I know that there are other expenses involved etc., but it certainly doesn't cost them $2.50/lb to run meat through a slicer. But maybe I'm wrong. My 2000 estimate was being conservative, at first I put 2-4,000 but then thought I'd rather be safe and say at least 1-2,000 ("at least" means you can always go higher but can't go lower ;)).

    Anyways, I just do all the slicing myself now, including slicing jerky meat. I got a big chunk of nylon cutting board material from Harris Material in Berne, and I used my uncles wood-shop to make a slicing jig for jerky. You just lay the chunk of meat on the board, get a good, sharp knife and run it right along the guide rail, and you get a perfect, uniform slice of meat. I live for jerky, and I have to be honest, this thing works nearly as good as a meat slicer once you figure out how to use it.

    Now I just have to get a deer so I can use it again. I went out again this morning. I figured they'd be moving after the rain quit overnight, but didn't see a thing. On my way out, I "stalked" up to a clump of trees that I thought may be harboring some deer, but there were none. There were fresh tracks all over the place, looks like deer were chasing one another all over in that area, but I guess they moved out of the area before I arrived because I never heard anything and never saw them when the sun came up.

    :rockwoot:
     

    tcshooter

    Plinker
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Apr 27, 2008
    78
    6
    WOW!!! We have a place here D&R Market who also charges extra to skin and bone out the animals. I can take it to a couple other places for $65 and have it cut, packed, wrapped and ready within a few days. D&R charges about $125 for the same thing and you get MUCH LESS meat from your deer.

    A few years ago I got 2 deer during archery season when it was quite warm and I had no way of getting the deer cut up before it would spoil so I took it to them. It was a buck that dressed out at about 150 pounds and a doe that dressed out at about 100 pounds. When I got my meat back they handed me a single banana box with about 30 to 40 pounds of meat in it.....that was all...and when I protested they said that was all there was and handed me a bill for $220 for the processing of the 2 deer.

    Being me... I refused to pay for it and tore open each package and dumped the meat on the floor one package at a time....if I wasn't getting it they weren't either. It was actually quite easy since they had packaged it on those cute little styrofoam trays like in their display case and NOT frozen it. Like that wouldn't get freezer burn!!! What a bunch of idiots.

    That was when I decided to learn to do it for myself. I bought a gently used modular 10x12x8ft. walk-in cooler with the whole evaporator and condensor for $800 from a guy near Louisville and bought a decent power meat grinder for $200 and have been saving money ever since. The wife, kids and I can process a good size deer in a couple hours for a few bucks in plastic wrap and freezer paper. And we get the kind of meat we want, cut the way we want it. An $800 expense is just 7 deer processing fees and it has paid for itself in savings...more if you have sausage or other stuff made. We make our own summer sausage, bratwurst, pepperoni sticks....just try different recipes and get one you like!!!
     
    Last edited:

    ggglobert9

    Sharpshooter
    Rating - 100%
    9   0   0
    Feb 6, 2009
    562
    16
    Ft Wayne
    Definitely to Lengachers...I have taken mine in there for years and have always had top notch service and pretty good turn around. Dave will generally tell you pretty close to what day it will be done. Also very reasonably priced. Always uses your own meat unless you want it mixed with pork for filler. I don't know about Manleys but Lengacher would be hard to beat.
     
    Top Bottom