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Knoxville Deer Processor

This is my first post, but I've been reading the board for many years and really enjoy the information. I wanted to share my experience and get some feedback regarding a Knoxville area processor. I shot a 3 pointer on Monday afternoon after Thanksgiving weekend. I hadn't shot a deer in over 6 years so I was pretty happy with it. I shot it near Maryville. Once I got it back to the truck, I searched online for a processor near Maryville. I could not find anything in the Maryville area. I had taken a couple deer 6 plus years ago to Rick Hill which is near where I live. My concern always with Rick was he really doesn't have a freezer, only a cooler and I always thought what I got back seemed a little light in weight and not frozen. With no other option, I called him but he was full up and not taking any more deer that night. I did some more searching and found Broken Wings. They also were full up and not taking any deer. So I'm starting to panic now but I finally found Adams and took it there which was about almost 40 miles away. Deer dressed out at 87 pounds and he said it would be ready on Saturday. I went back on Sunday and it was ready, nice and frozen. My order seemed correct. I received two large grocery bags completely full. I didn't weigh it, but it seemed fair to me. I got some summer sausage, breakfast sausage, deer sticks and the rest into steaks and chops. However, they don't offer jerky which was disappointing. Total cost was 130 which seemed higher than I remember from Rick Hill but that was 6 plus years ago so I realize prices have gone up. Packaging seemed fine. Overall, I was happy with it. My only complaints were they didn't seem overly friendly to me in there and it wasn't the cleanest processor I've ever seen. I would be interested to hear how this compares with other processors especially on price and value? I've seen processors in South Carolina that are amazing in scope and cleanliness with unlimited options. I am willing to pay to get it done right and fair and agree we need better options in the Knoxville area and some options overall in the Maryville area. Does anyone know of a decent processor in the Maryville area that I somehow missed?
 
tnvol99":vndrp9xp said:
This is my first post, but I've been reading the board for many years and really enjoy the information. I wanted to share my experience and get some feedback regarding a Knoxville area processor. I shot a 3 pointer on Monday afternoon after Thanksgiving weekend. I hadn't shot a deer in over 6 years so I was pretty happy with it. I shot it near Maryville. Once I got it back to the truck, I searched online for a processor near Maryville. I could not find anything in the Maryville area. I had taken a couple deer 6 plus years ago to Rick Hill which is near where I live. My concern always with Rick was he really doesn't have a freezer, only a cooler and I always thought what I got back seemed a little light in weight and not frozen. With no other option, I called him but he was full up and not taking any more deer that night. I did some more searching and found Broken Wings. They also were full up and not taking any deer. So I'm starting to panic now but I finally found Adams and took it there which was about almost 40 miles away. Deer dressed out at 87 pounds and he said it would be ready on Saturday. I went back on Sunday and it was ready, nice and frozen. My order seemed correct. I received two large grocery bags completely full. I didn't weigh it, but it seemed fair to me. I got some summer sausage, breakfast sausage, deer sticks and the rest into steaks and chops. However, they don't offer jerky which was disappointing. Total cost was 130 which seemed higher than I remember from Rick Hill but that was 6 plus years ago so I realize prices have gone up. Packaging seemed fine. Overall, I was happy with it. My only complaints were they didn't seem overly friendly to me in there and it wasn't the cleanest processor I've ever seen. I would be interested to hear how this compares with other processors especially on price and value? I've seen processors in South Carolina that are amazing in scope and cleanliness with unlimited options. I am willing to pay to get it done right and fair and agree we need better options in the Knoxville area and some options overall in the Maryville area. Does anyone know of a decent processor in the Maryville area that I somehow missed?

Adams obviously does as good a job as any other volume processor in the Southeast, as they have been in business for about 35 years now, and to my knowledge are one of, if not THE, largest in several states. They routinely cut over 3k deer a year and this year will be closer to 4k. I can personally vouch for the fact that you DO get your own meat back in anything except, Summer sausage, Salami, or sticks, which is explained, as they bulk mix and smoke this meat in large quantities. As for the amount of meat you get back, they wont give you anything they wouldnt eat, meaning if both shoulders are blood shot and ruined, they throw them away, as I do myself. Deer also only average about a 45% return on dressed weight, and this is if the deer is dressed properly and doesnt still have the arsehole and or even the heart and lungs left in it. Yea you would be surprised as about 50% arent dressed even close to correctly when dropped off there. Adams also does more meat (weight) for HFTH than any other processor in the state, wins the award every year. I promise they have absolutely NO desire to keep any of your meat as they have as much as they can handle most all season long.
 
Winchester":3vhrffdm said:
Deer also only average about a 45% return on dressed weight, and this is if the deer is dressed properly and doesnt still have the arsehole and or even the heart and lungs left in it.
That's "right on".
But you'd be surprised how many people think they should be getting back closer to 90% of the field dressed weight.

You're often going to get a little less than 45% of field dressed weight due to bullet(s) wound(s) damaging some meat, which is discarded.

As to why there are not more processors in the immediate Knoxville area,
it's quite simply the law of supply & demand.


Knox County was the last of TN's 95 counties to have a deer season, and even today, this area has a relatively low annual deer kill compared to farther west counties. Recently, there has been a growing trend of more hunters butchering their own deer, so it wouldn't exactly seem commercial deer processing has much opportunity to be a growth business in this area. This is especially the case considering Adams is well established, and apparently has plenty of satisfied, or satisfied enough customers they keep coming back. This would make it harder for a new start-up to get profitably established in the Knoxville area.

Personally, I use Yoder's in Paris, TN, and have been since about the time they began processing deer a long, long time ago. I've been going there so long they treat me like family, but then, they treat everyone that way.

I could be wrong, but I believe Yoder's is a significantly larger "operation" than Adams, and sounds like their prices are a little less, their offerings a little more, and I'm not meaning to say anything negative about Adams. Just saying it's the law of supply & demand more than anything else. Yoder's is in the middle of one of TN's consistently Top 5 deer harvest counties; Adam's is in the middle of relatively low deer harvest counties.

I know it's not the answer many around Knoxville are wanting to hear, but if you're hunting very locally, I'd suggest you seriously consider just butchering your own deer. If you're deer hunting anywhere around the Nashville area, I've heard good reports regarding Flowers' Processing. Ideally, you want a processor near where you're killing your deer, not necessarily near your home. It can be nice just to drop off your deer as killed throughout the season, then pick them all up (hard frozen) at once.
 
TheLBLman":1kvn5yki said:
Winchester":1kvn5yki said:
Deer also only average about a 45% return on dressed weight, and this is if the deer is dressed properly and doesnt still have the arsehole and or even the heart and lungs left in it.
That's "right on".
But you'd be surprised how many people think they should be getting back closer to 90% of the field dressed weight.

You're often going to get a little less than 45% of field dressed weight due to bullet(s) wound(s) damaging some meat, which is discarded.

As to why there are not more processors in the immediate Knoxville area,
it's quite simply the law of supply & demand.


Knox County was the last of TN's 95 counties to have a deer season, and even today, this area has a relatively low annual deer kill compared to farther west counties. Recently, there has been a growing trend of more hunters butchering their own deer, so it wouldn't exactly seem commercial deer processing has much opportunity to be a growth business in this area. This is especially the case considering Adams is well established, and apparently has plenty of satisfied, or satisfied enough customers they keep coming back. This would make it harder for a new start-up to get profitably established in the Knoxville area.

Personally, I use Yoder's in Paris, TN, and have been since about the time they began processing deer a long, long time ago. I've been going there so long they treat me like family, but then, they treat everyone that way.

I could be wrong, but I believe Yoder's is a significantly larger "operation" than Adams, and sounds like their prices are a little less, their offerings a little more, and I'm not meaning to say anything negative about Adams. Just saying it's the law of supply & demand more than anything else. Yoder's is in the middle of one of TN's consistently Top 5 deer harvest counties; Adam's is in the middle of relatively low deer harvest counties.

I know it's not the answer many around Knoxville are wanting to hear, but if you're hunting very locally, I'd suggest you seriously consider just butchering your own deer. If you're deer hunting anywhere around the Nashville area, I've heard good reports regarding Flowers' Processing. Ideally, you want a processor near where you're killing your deer, not necessarily near your home. It can be nice just to drop off your deer as killed throughout the season, then pick them all up (hard frozen) at once.
Exactly Wes, many think the 125 lb deer they bring in with 2 busted shoulders and half the tenderloins cut out from field dressing, should yield 80 lbs of meat, simply not gona happen.
I too have used Yoders quite a bit, especially when I hunt property I'm Middle/West TN and even Western KY. I had about the same results from them as Adams, both being fine for me, with prices very close.
 
I actually weighed both deer I took to Adam's this fall. The first was a yearling. My return was 41%. The second was a spike that 44%. I don't buy summer sausage or anything. I'm probably easy to deal with. Normally my only request is more ground w/ no fat. The yearling was $45, the spike $62. It's about $2.75/lb and I can live with that.
 
JeepKuntry":16vz04zt said:
I actually weighed both deer I took to Adam's this fall. The first was a yearling. My return was 41%. The second was a spike that 44%. I don't buy summer sausage or anything. I'm probably easy to deal with. Normally my only request is more ground w/ no fat. The yearling was $45, the spike $62. It's about $2.75/lb and I can live with that.
There you have it, my experiences as well.
 
Adam's has been know to short you meat and it seems to be commonly know you're not getting the deer your own deer back
that is what I always heard. He processes so many they can't keep it straight. I much rather eat a deer that's been fed a diet of corn and soybeans. Huge difference.
 
when I lived in Knoxville I used several. the last was "Broken Wing" over on Riverside Drive. He did a good job then. Can't speak for his work now.
 
that is what I always heard. He processes so many they can't keep it straight. I much rather eat a deer that's been fed a diet of corn and soybeans. Huge difference.
I met the Adam's guys wife the other day and she was saying her husband was a taxidermist. She told me they processed over 3000 deer last year. I don't see how that is humanly possible. Makes my back hurt thinking about processing 3 at the house over the entire season.
 
I met the Adam's guys wife the other day and she was saying her husband was a taxidermist. She told me they processed over 3000 deer last year. I don't see how that is humanly possible. Makes my back hurt thinking about processing 3 at the house over the entire season.
He did an 11pt for me years ago and did a good job. I was down there during their "busy period" and it was unbelievable. It was like a Chinese fire drill. Workers everywhere processing deer. A guy let me peek in the coolers. Loaded. I truly intend no disrespect.
 
He did an 11pt for me years ago and did a good job. I was down there during their "busy period" and it was unbelievable. It was like a Chinese fire drill. Workers everywhere processing deer. A guy let me peek in the coolers. Loaded. I truly intend no disrespect.

So is Adam's good then? Forums seem very mixed on them.
 
He did an 11pt for me years ago and did a good job. I was down there during their "busy period" and it was unbelievable. It was like a Chinese fire drill. Workers everywhere processing deer. A guy let me peek in the coolers. Loaded. I truly intend no disrespect.
No disrespect taken. I'm not Chinese. 😀
 

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