Meat prices are going up..up...and up, time to buy more tags

[Rembrandt]

With meat inflation prices going skyward, rethinking how many deer tags I'll buy this year. Year to date so far beef is up about 14%, pork 17%, and poultry is a whopping 40%.

Have the ability to pick up at least six deer tags (archery, blackpowder, & gun) for this season. While deer has never been the most affordable meat if you factor in tags, gear, travel, etc; with increased meat prices it's beginning to look better as an alternative source. Figure if I grind up six deer into burger, could yield 300+ lbs....@ $5 per pound = $1500.

 

[Buzznrose]

View attachment 1025793

With meat inflation prices going skyward, rethinking how many deer tags I'll buy this year. Year to date so far beef is up about 14%, pork 17%, and poultry is a whopping 40%.

Have the ability to pick up at least six deer tags (archery, blackpowder, & gun) for this season. While deer has never been the most affordable meat if you factor in tags, gear, travel, etc; with increased meat prices it's beginning to look better as an alternative source. Figure if I grind up six deer into burger, could yield 300+ lbs....@ $5 per pound = $1500.

If you are going to put up that much deer meat, you should seriously look into canning a lot of it. No refrigeration needed. Stores on the pantry shelf. Lasts for a year or more. Very versatile and is an excellent base for soups, stews, chili, gravy, etc.

https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/117537/easy-canned-venison/

 

[Chuck R.]

I think I'm going to stick with 2....my boy started college this year so it's just the wife and I. In my unit we're allowed 2 tags this year, one buck and one antlerless.

I spoke with my neighbor last night and he wants me to get rid of 12-14 does off his place this year. Now I'm trying to find some guys at work that are interested in easy doe hunts. It's funny how many guys only want to shoot bucks......

 

[whughett]

Must have a lot to do with ones hunting area and it’s hunter success ratio. I no longer hunt due to age as well as interest but the 25 + years I did and the area I hunted, New England states in the decades of the 70’s 80’ and 90’s., bucks only for many of those years, one was fortunate to take one deer and very few hunters did that. For the average weekend or “vacation” hunter success was an elusive mistress.
So it’s amazing for me to read of such threads as this. The US must abound with deer and wild hogs.

 

[jmorris]

While deer has never been the most affordable meat if you factor in tags, gear, travel, etc;

Reminds me of a video that was sent to me years ago. The guy adds up the cost of all his gear, the truck, trailer, blind, etc. then divides that by the number of pounds of meat he brings home to his wife as an illustration of how fine of meat he brings home for her. Even the finest beef tenderloin was cheap in comparison.

 

[anothernewb]

So it’s amazing for me to read of such threads as this. The US must abound with deer and wild hogs.

where I'm at in MN. the deer the last few years have been like rats. the numbers are absurd. they opened up 2 seasons within city limits because of the herds we have in town. They've all but destroyed my bird feeders. I could probably take one with a well placed rock out of the back yard on the right day. Wild turkeys are also growing to insane numbers. it's nothing to drive out of town these days and see 20-50 of them in the fields in the evenings.

 

[Iggy]

We shipped 6000 head of cattle in the last two months. We got $1.50 a pound. What are you paying for hamburger?

Do you suppose somebody’s gouging just a little somewhere along the line?

 

[whughett]

We shipped 6000 head of cattle in the last two months. We got $1.50 a pound. What are you paying for hamburger?

Do you suppose somebody’s gouging just a little somewhere along the line?

Lots of folks making a living off those beeves up the line to Stop and Shops Meat Counter. The consumer pays all of it. And as a pensioner on a fixed income little of it is paid for by me.

 

[der Teufel]

I'm no livestock expert, but it seems that COVID caused some meat packing plants to shut down or reduce operations. That limits the supply and drives consumer prices up. At the same time, it also reduced the demand for live cattle because they couldn't process as many. I don't know that anyone is getting rich from this situation. Ranchers certainly aren't, consumers aren't either. Producers may be selling for more $$/Lb, but they're selling fewer pounds so making less money overall. Not a good situation for anyone.

Me, I have roughly 100# of feral pork in the freezer so I know what's on the menu for tonight.

 

[Seedy Character]

$1500 for ~300#

Go to a local rancher and buy a steer.
I am raising 3 right now, already SOLD


Bought 250# calf.
Pasture till it reaches 1100#
Deliver to process
$1500

Processing
$75 skin and dress
Hang for 14 days
Yield ~ 750#

Butcher $0.55#=~$400
Yield ~500# steak, roast, brisket, ribs PLUS
100+# hamburger

Cost $1975
600+# = ~ $3.15#
Feed 4 for a year

100% grass fed, drug free. Lean, tender and healthy.



Wish I was closer, Chuck. Would love to take a couple of does.

 

[mcb]

I am fairly certain that if I take into account all the expense I have for managing and working our hunting property the venison I get off the property is far far more expensive than the beef I buy at the grocery store.

 

[Seedy Character]

County i hunted for years, does were legal the first 2 weekends only

For 5 years, I shot a doe each weekend. Everybody else never shot a doe.
That 5th year, son and I are both cleaning a doe. This older gentleman walks up, "shot another doe, huh? Why don't you shoot bucks?"

"Doe is legal to shoot for 2 weekends, bucks are legal for 3 months. If I see a good buck, I will shoot it, but I have 3 months to do it. Right now, I have venison in the freezer."

The next year, 8 does and 2 bucks were taken the first weekend.


Can't eat antlers and proper ratios mean healthier herd.

 

[JCooperfan1911]

Everything’s going up, this is a shame.

 

[wombat13]

It's hard to believe beef prices aren't up more than that. We are definitely changing our meat consumption habits. Buying cheaper cuts than we used to. We have a lot of tags this year between my daughter and I. I need to come up with more recipes that the whole family likes.

 

[earlthegoat2]

I am fairly certain that if I take into account all the expense I have for managing and working our hunting property the venison I get off the property is far far more expensive than the beef I buy at the grocery store.

It’s about control of the process and knowing where your food comes from. Plus it’s just fun recreation. And owning land is great.

Not really related but this reminds me of a time in my past.

My wife wasnt a vegetarian but she didn’t know where different cuts of meat came from until I started cooking for her. Her mom used to murder (cook well done) steaks whenever she ate them growing up. It put her and her sister off of red meat for a long time.

Once she wanted steak and pointed at a flank steak for us to buy. She said it said steak on it so that was steak. I picked up a package that said “ribeye” and told her that is what we were getting unless she wanted another one there called “strip” (it happened to just say strip. Typically they say strip steak) She said she didn’t want ribs or strips she wanted steak. I told her to just trust me and she did and I made the ribeye medium rare and she said it was the best meat she had ever had.

 

[gunmechanic]

I am going back to raising some beef for my self, may raise a few for some family/customers 6/8 head total.The deer population here in my part of new york state is insane they are everywhere ,i think if you harvest your own and butcher it your self it is a relatively cheep meat source .We get the deer we harvest processed by a butcher costs a bit but they make sausage,nice cuts plus it helps local business.

 

[Chuck R.]

Must have a lot to do with ones hunting area and it’s hunter success ratio. I no longer hunt due to age as well as interest but the 25 + years I did and the area I hunted, New England states in the decades of the 70’s 80’ and 90’s., bucks only for many of those years, one was fortunate to take one deer and very few hunters did that. For the average weekend or “vacation” hunter success was an elusive mistress.
So it’s amazing for me to read of such threads as this. The US must abound with deer and wild hogs.

Parts do for sure. I grew up in RI in the 70s and seeing a deer was earth shattering, never mind killing one. Here in eastern KS...they're everywhere.

I was hunting a place 20 miles north of my land and every year we'd put on a late season doe hunt. It was part of the deal with the farmer to control the numbers. I'd end up shooting 3-5 in a day, the group would average around 15-20 a day the opening weekend.

Then the work would start...field dressing while wearing a head lamp, gathering them together on a flatbed trailer and hanging in a barn. I normally wouldn't get home till 0100 or so. Then we'd spend the next weekend butchering deer....Everyone and family members would leave with a cooler or two full of meat.

 

[Seedy Character]

It's hard to believe beef prices aren't up more than that. We are definitely changing our meat consumption habits. Buying cheaper cuts than we used to. We have a lot of tags this year between my daughter and I. I need to come up with more recipes that the whole family likes.

Get a grinder. Clean the deer yourself. Turn the entire deer into hamburger.

Use it just as you would any hamburger.

 

[Captcurt]

We shipped 6000 head of cattle in the last two months. We got $1.50 a pound. What are you paying for hamburger?

Do you suppose somebody’s gouging just a little somewhere along the line?

The best thing that I did year was go halves on a calf. My buddy manages a feed store and fattened 3 steers. After feed and processing we paid $2.75 a lb. I landed up with 80 lbs of burger, plus Rib Steaks, Flank Steak, T-bones, several roast and a tongue. Best beef EVER!

 

[Captcurt]

Get a grinder. Clean the deer yourself. Turn the entire deer into hamburger.

Use it just as you would any hamburger.

I can't do it. We like back strap and tenderloin too much. We also take a shoulder or neck roast and stick in the crock pot with dried onion soup mix. I can eat my weight in venison. Love it!

 

[Chuck R.]

Get a grinder. Clean the deer yourself. Turn the entire deer into hamburger.

Use it just as you would any hamburger.

^^
+1

Grinders aren't that expensive, then you've got:

Chili, venison burgers, lasagna. Then there's jerky, teriyaki venison kabobs, and goulash suppe (the Deutch/Austrian version), all of it pretty much exhausts my supply.

About the only cuts that remain as "deer meat" are the loins and backstrap.

 

[Seedy Character]

I can't do it. We like back strap and tenderloin too much. We also take a shoulder or neck roast and stick in the crock pot with dried onion soup mix. I can eat my weight in venison. Love it!

Keep your loins and a roast

I consider removing backstrap and tenderloins as part of camp/field dressing.

Many don't save or cook ribs.
It is the next best part to us.

 

[Seedy Character]

^^
+1

Grinders aren't that expensive, then you've got:

Chili, venison burgers, lasagna. Then there's jerky, teriyaki venison kabobs, and goulash suppe (the Deutch/Austrian version), all of it pretty much exhausts my supply.

About the only cuts that remain as "deer meat" are the loins and backstrap.

TACOS, enchilada, spaghetti, skumgulleon, season it up and make sausage gravy and biscuits.

 

[jmorris]

We shipped 6000 head of cattle in the last two months. We got $1.50 a pound. What are you paying for hamburger?

Do you suppose somebody’s gouging just a little somewhere along the line?

I get the argument but you also got $1.50 per pound for many pounds of stuff your not going to eat. Kind of like saying I sold some trees too cheap because the guy that made the dining table out of them “jacked” the price of them up after a little labor on his part.

It’s been many years since we have processed any of our cattle. Not a lot of cow tongue soup, cervelle de veau, mountain oyster or tripas fans in our home anymore and with the proceeds we just buy more of the cuts we want to eat.

 

[Seedy Character]

I get the argument but you also got $1.50 per pound for many pounds of stuff your not going to eat. Kind of like saying I sold some trees too cheap because the guy that made the dining table out of them “jacked” the price of them up after a little labor on his part.

It’s been many years since we have processed any of our cattle. Not a lot of cow tongue soup, cervelle de veau, mountain oyster or tripas fans in our home anymore and with the proceeds we just buy more of the cuts we want to eat.

Gut piles are great plots for coyotes and hogs