With a temporary hold on deer processing by Trumbull Locker Plant in Ashtabula County’s Hartsgrove Township, hunters in Lake, Geauga and Ashtabula counties are scrambling to find alternatives.
This is particularly acute given the unseasonably warm weather that has occurred over the past four days, and its expected to last for at least five more days. Getting a deer to a processor as rapidly as possible is vital in order to protect the investment of taking an animal in the first place.
Arguably, Trumbull Locker has been the big dog on the block, processing numbers of deer that easily surpasses four digits.
However, since Ohio’s archery season began September 2th, Trumbull Locker has been swamped with deer that hunters have brought in for turning into roasts, steaks, chops, jerky, ground meat and other choice venison selections.
Combined with the added burden of ensuring that both staff and customers are protected against COVID-19, Trumbull Locker has had to devote considerable energies to cleaning equipment and the building and all associated butchering tools.
This work has created a serious logja, and Trumbull Locker says it must put on hold for a “couple of weeks” the acceptance of any additional deer until this backup issue is resolved.
Consequently, hunters need to find an alternative deer processor or else learn to do so themselves, and on the fly. And quickly.
A search for alternative processors that handle deer in Lake, Geauga, and Ashtabula counties came up with only a handful of such businesses.
It is imperative to remember that these businesses themselves have to deal with COVID-19 health-safety guidelines and may also see a crush of additional deer for processing as a result of the temporary stay by Trumbull Locker.
The businesses that I found who said they process deer include:
In Ashtabula County - Smokin’ Ts Meats, 1550 Stanhope-Kelloggsville Road, Pierpont Township. (440-577-1117). Base price is $85.
In Lake County - Evans Quality Meats, 6732 North Ridge Road (Route 20) Madison Township. (440-428-6683). NOTE: This business has no ability to hold deer in a cooler and thus processes them daily as they arrive maximum of 10 deer per day, first-come/first served. Base price is $85.
In Lake County - Joe Donaldson (private farm), 7091 Leroy-Township Road, Leroy Township. (216-276-4953). Base price is $90, but quick turn-around.
In Geauga County – Daniels Deer Processing, 15658 Burton-Windsor Road, Middlefield Township. (440-632-1809). Base cost is $45 for a deer weighing less than 100 pounds, $50 for a deer weighing 100 to 150 pounds, $55 for deer weighing over 150 pounds. An additional $10 charge is assessed for freezer wrapping.
In Geauga County – Custom Deer Processing, Middlefield Township (call for directions). (440-693-4144). Base price is $50 plus 40 cents per pound for vacuum packing.
- By Jeffrey L. Frischkorn
JFrischk@Ameritech.net
JFrischk4@gmail.com
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