Although some of your customers who spend time hunting will simply drop their deer off with a processor, others will want to do the work themselves. Not only is it rewarding to process your own deer, it’s a valuable skill. Of course, getting the job done requires the proper tools, and that’s where you come in. Keep your store stocked with the necessities — and the occasional extra — to encourage hunters to come back when it’s time to process the fruits of their labors. Here’s what we recommend.
Field Dressing Supplies
Havalon Piranta Edge
The first step for hunters frequenting your store is a good field-dressing blade. This is a piece of gear they should get from you when they get their ammunition for their upcoming hunt, because it’s the knife used to gut the deer. Fixed-blade knives have their uses, but when it comes to simplicity, it’s a great idea to stock the Havalon Piranta Edge. This field-dressing knife features a replaceable blade with a slim profile that makes gutting a deer easy and fast.
Customers will appreciate the fact that this knife comes with half a dozen stainless steel 60A 2 ¾-inch replacement blades. The Piranta Edge is designed to make swapping the blade out straightforward, unlike some brands that stick or make getting a fresh edge a struggle. Your customers don’t want to fight with a blade change at the end of a successful hunt. This is also a folding knife, giving it a shorter profile for carrying ease and keeping the sharp edge covered until it’s needed. Open, it has an overall length of 7 ¼-inches. A nylon holster and removable holster clip are included.
MSRP $55.99
Visit havalon.com to learn more.
Buck Knives 631 and 635 PakLite Field Kit
For hardcore hunters who require an equally tough blade, there’s Buck Knives 631 and 635 PakLite Field Kit. This kit includes two knives, both of which feature fixed blades. First up is the 631, the workhorse of the pair. This is the knife customers will want for use as an all-purpose hunting blade. The Buck Knives 631 boasts a skinner-style blade to reduce risk of puncturing internal organs and is designed to hold its edge for the duration of the field-dressing process. It’s lightweight thanks in part to the skeletonized handle and has a full tang. Overall weight of the 631 is 3.10 ounces.
The Buck Knives 635 will appeal to customers concerned with the detail work caping requires. This slim, drop-point blade weighs in at just 1.59 ounces and makes it ideal for not only caping out deer but also processing other, smaller game animals. It makes this kit ideal for customers who do it all.
A fantastic selling point of the Buck Knives 631 and 635 PakLite Field Kit is the sheath it ships with. The sheath is manufactured from black polypropylene for durability and comes with an adapter plate to keep the two knives sheathed and connected. This kit is easy to carry, well-made, and perfect for many of your hunting-focused customers.
MSRP $79.99
Visit buckknives.com to learn more.
Getting to the Meat
Hardcore Carnivore 6-inch Trimming Boning Knife
When the field-dressing part ends, the real work begins. Customers will need a quality boning knife to separate out cuts of meat and debone as desired. The Hardcore Carnivore 6-inch Trimming Boning Knife is an affordably priced blade created with boning out meat in mind. Remind customers that while it might be true they could grab a random knife at a superstore to bone out meat, selecting a task-specific knife such as this is the wise choice. This knife makes parting out meat easier and minimizes concerns like snapped blades — something that does happen with those superstore options.
Point out the high carbon 440c steel blade of this knife to customers. It’s a martensitic stainless steel known for corrosion and wear resistance that’s capable of delivering the fine edge required for meat processing. The blade itself is 6 inches in length and the handle is made to be non-slip, protecting customers’ hands from accidental cuts. It’s the ideal knife to suggest for boning out meat and also works well for removing silverskin.
MSRP $24.99
Visit hardcorecarnivore.com to learn more.
OKC Old Hickory 726 Boning Knife
There’s nothing better than a classic knife to attract a wide variety of customers, and the Old Hickory line of knives is the one to do it. Old Hickory is now owned by Ontario Knife Company (OKC), and you might need to explain that to customers given the name on the packaging. Despite that change, the product itself remains the same. OKC is committed to upholding the standards that have made Old Hickory a highly desirable blade for generations.
The Old Hickory 726 Boning Knife is made with a carbon steel blade for superior edge retention and overall sharpness. Those details are one reason the knives continue to be made using carbon steel, but it’s also important to let customers know their Old Hickory knives can’t be tossed in a bowl of water or put through the dishwasher. These blades require a bit of extra care to protect them from rust and oxidation, and they’re well worth the effort. This knife’s 6-inch blade is tempered, hand ground, and manufactured with incredible care. The handle is flame burnt, buffed hickory. Discerning customers will love the history of the company and the aesthetic of the knives. Stock this knife for boning out meat with a nod to past generations of hunters.
MSRP $34.88
Visit ontarioknife.com to learn more.
Grinding, Seasoning, and Packaging
LEM #8 BigBite DualGrind Bundle
Customers who deer hunt will want all the options for the resulting meat, including summer sausage, snack sticks, and burger. Doing that at home requires a good meat grinder, and the LEM #8 BigBite DualGrind Bundle is the way to go. Keeping a few of these grinders in stock is a great way to draw in customers who’d like to walk out the door with supplies in hand rather than waiting for an order to arrive. And because this particular model delivers both a single-pass dual grind and a reasonable price point, it’s bound to be a favorite.
The LEM #8 BigBite DualGrind Bundle comes with an adapter that delivers a fine grind with just one pass rather than two. Customers unfamiliar with venison processing might not understand why that matters, but you can explain it to them. Getting a good grind impacts flavor, mouth feel, and versatility, and that usually means hunters must grind twice, once with a larger plate and again with a smaller plate. Installing the adapter in this model removes the need for grinding twice, which is a huge time saver. This is a quality meat grinder with a 0.5 HP, high torque motor, integral safety circuit breaker, and 6-foot cord. It features a carry handle to make moving its 28.66-pound body easier and is made from premium materials. In addition to the grinder itself, customers get a trio of stainless steel grind plates, a meat stomper, three stuffing attachments, and a bushing removal tool. This grinder can process up to seven pounds of venison in one minute.
MSRP $539.99
Visit LEMproducts.com to learn more.
Hi Mountain Seasonings Hunter’s Blend Breakfast Sausage Seasoning
A great meat processing option to suggest to customers is the Hi Mountain Seasonings Hunter’s Blend Breakfast Sausage Seasoning. Let them know that while it might appear to be a significant undertaking at first glance, sausage making is relatively straightforward and extremely rewarding. This product is an ideal add-on to a standalone grinder or grinder attachment.
Hi Mountain Seasonings Hunter’s Blend Breakfast Sausage Seasoning includes enough seasoning to flavor about 20 pounds of ground venison. Cure must be purchased separately, and it’s a necessary ingredient for hunters looking to freeze their sausage rather than eating it all immediately. As for casings, it’s possible to make sausage without casings, but it’s easier to make links with them. Hi Mountain Seasonings also offers casing options, with their 21mm Breakfast Sausage Casings being the ideal size for this recipe. This sausage mix includes flavors like cayenne, chipotle, jalapeno, and natural smoke. It’s a good product to stock right next to the knives and grinders.
MSRP $10.99
Visit himtnjerky.com to learn more.
Walton’s Willies Snack Stick Seasoning
Snack sticks are a fan favorite among hunters, so if you’re selecting one processing item to keep in stock, make it Walton’s Willies Snack Stick Seasoning. This seasoning packet delivers a classic, bold flavor that’s ideal for venison. If customers prefer a little tangy bite to their snacks, suggest they add some citric acid, which can be found at grocery stores if you’re not stocking it yourself. One pack seasons up to 25 pounds of venison, and it does come with Walton’s Butcher Cure.
Don’t forget the casings, because snack sticks require them. Walton’s stocks a huge selection of casing sizes, so you can decide what to stock for the best possible sales. The company’s 19mm Smoke Collagen Casings are a great size for snack sticks. That said, you can choose to stock only 21mm casings rather than multiple sizes. The 21mm size works well for breakfast sausage links and also makes slightly oversized snack sticks (and who doesn’t love more meat?). Seasonings and casings are fantastic products to stock for customers who hunt because they offer a low price point and high reward.
MSRP $12.99
Visit waltons.com to learn more.
MEAT! Pro External Vacuum Sealer
Customers who deer hunt will want a reliable vacuum sealer for the meat, because tossing hard-won venison in a Ziploc bag and into the freezer is a terrible idea. The MEAT! Pro External Vacuum Sealer comes with a reasonable price point and a number of highly useful features for hunters. Unlike some products that only offer two choices — vacuum and seal — this model offers multiple settings for the best possible meat preservation. Buttons allow users to select dry or moist food, vacuum and seal, or pulse/blow.
The MEAT! Pro External Vacuum Sealer features bag roll storage and a removable drip tray, the latter of which makes cleaning up much simpler. An internal cooling fans keeps things going during long processing sessions. The sealing bar is 14 inches in length, so the usual bags that vary from 8 to 13 inches fit. A starter roll of bags comes with the sealer, so you don’t have to stock bags separately for customers to walk out ready to go.
MSRP $224.95
Visit meatyourmaker.com to learn more.
