processors or vultures

[Lance]

Thanks for the info. My kids have the Junior anterless Kaibab hunt this weekend, and I got that nice brochure, I was thinking of using Rhonda's, if my kids were successful. Hey Lance I'll tell him you sent us, what's his phone number and address?

 

 

 

 

 

 

CASEY"S PROCESSING

 

Owner Casey Hayes (928) 526-8348 Cell- (928) 853-1788

 

10101 Stardust

Flagstaff AZ 86004

 

And yes, The Jalepeno and Cheese Sausage is awesome! Turn your javelina into it and enjoy!

 

Remember Lance sent you!

[AZ402]

I take all my personal stuff to Casey and all our clients animals. In all the years we have used him, there has never been a problem............

[couesdiehard]

I had a bad experience with a meat processor handling my first elk (a spike) where I received 2 milk crates of packaged meat with bones still in roasts and steaks. It didn't even weigh 100 lbs. I thought this was very low yield from a well cared for spike. 2 years later I killed an almost identical spike but I had taken the time to learn how to butcher it myself. I was able to get over 200 lbs of boneless meat out the elk I butchered and did a better job of packaging it so I lost less to freezer burn also. I have never taken another animal to a meat processor since. heck one of the best parts of hunting now is butchering, and packaging the meat with my family helping. It's really not even very difficult.

Lee

[BowNut]

Just found out my sister and I went to high school with Casey. After some friends had used Ronda's this year Casey is were I will send everyone from now on!!

[coueskiller]

I have used Rhonda's many times over the years and even worked there P/T for a couple of years. I have never had any problems and the place is very clean. I have used all the guys in Flagstaff and none of them are bad in my opinion. Sorry to hear about your experience and I have forwarded this topic to Larry & Rhonda.

 

Later,

Geoff

[Rhonda's Butcher Shop]

Hello Bill

 

I had the opportunity to read your comments concerning your mule deer processing. i'm surprised you left out so many details. i'll give you the opportunity to either retract your comments or resubmit a new draft with all the details. tomorrow i will log in to see what you chose to do at which time i will present the truth. really bill if you're going to tell the story don't leave anything out. let me help refresh your memory. where did rhonda tell your wife your backstraps were? How cold was it in unit 7 that your deer froze and the other 64 we logged in from unit 7 didn't? doesn't it stand to reason that if you didn't skin your deer you couldn't possibly see the damage? i'll stop here so you'll have some time to think about it. to those of you who are extending sympathy to poor bill, tune in tomorrow for the truth.

 

larry

[Rhonda's Butcher Shop]

Hi,

 

Got a nice mule deer up in area 7 north of Flagstaff. I took it to Rhonda's butcher shop up there. Usually I do it myself, but for the first time I was swayed by the glossy brochure and the thought of not having to work. It was froze solid hanging ou the first night and no meat was ruined by heat or tainted.

 

Anyways, when I picked it up it was mysteriously missing the ribs, backstraps and a lot of weight. My wife had told Rhonda how she wanted it cut, so she called her to straighten it out. (I was really too p/o'd to call) I've killed enough deer to know this was a rip.

 

After a lot of world class shuckin' and jivin' she was basically told "thats what you get." One of the thing she told my wife was that the ribs were too shot up. That is funny because It was a one shot kill 4" below the backbone right on the shoulder, with no exit wound. It just shredded the lungs and he dropped about 15 feet away. I didn't see any damage except for a 30 caliber hole going in. What a crock.

 

I really have no recourse I guess but to let people know what happened to me. It really stinks to have vultures like Rhonda's take your deer meet. Not to mention the fact that my memories of a really neat deer hunt are screwed up by those thieves. Hope they reap the harvest of what they've sown.

 

Well, thanks for listening.

 

Bill

 

Hello Bill

 

At Rhonda’s Butcher Shop it is our policy to answer any and all complaints concerning wild game processing. First of all it is important to note that our policy is also to provide as much consumable meat from the game you provide.

 

In response to Mr. Bill Merriman’s complaint I should first of all like to question his credibility in providing factual information. Mr. Merriman claims his deer was frozen solid as it hung out all night. Mr. Merriman brought his deer to our facility on October 29, assuming Mr. Merriman shot his deer the day before or any other day prior to that, he would have had to hang it in a freezer for it to freeze. The recorded overnight air temperatures beginning October 26th, opening day, through October 28th the day before we received his deer were 28 degrees, hardly cold enough to freeze meat, especially an entire carcass. In my experience working with wild game since 1976, I have never been able to freeze anything solid at that temperature. Mr. Merriman also failed to mention that he did not skin his deer, we skinned it for him. Mr. Merriman is not aware that an animal’s hair or fur is designed to keep body heat in and the cold out. It’s obvious that Mr. Merriman is being less than honest. Mr. Merriman claims that the ribs and backstraps were mysteriously missing even after receiving an explanation from Rhonda concerning those cuts. Rhonda’s conversation with Mrs. Merriman, (Mr. Merriman was too p/o’d to call) addressed his claim. Mr. Merriman received several packages of t-bone steaks and it was explained to Mrs. Merriman that t-bone steaks are the backstraps. She also stated that they received only one package of tenderloins. Rhonda explained to her that all animals have two tenderloins inside the cavity towards the tail end of the spine. This was a surprise to them as they thought the tenderloins were along the top of the spine. Mr. Merriman claims he’s killed enough deer to know this is a rip. Apparently he hasn’t killed enough deer to know where the various cuts come from nor how they are labeled. Mr. Merriman claims to have hit his deer with a 30 caliber bullet in the shoulder; the bullet then shredded the lungs and mysteriously disappeared with no exit wound. He also claims that he saw no other damage. This is true. Since he did not skin his deer he wouldn’t have seen the damage on the ribs opposite the entry wound. By the way, the lungs are not between the shoulder blades 4” below the spine as Mr. Merriman believes. I have to wonder at this point, based on the information I have, if Mr. Merriman knows what the lungs look like. Mr. Merriman was correct in stating he saw no exit wound, the bullet penetrated the shoulder and continued its path through the opposite shoulder where it deflected and traveled toward the back of the animal. The elasticity of the skin prevented the bullet from exiting. It continued its path toward the back of the body under the skin along the rib cage until it lodged in the hip above the sirloin tip. The wound channel along the rib cage left extensive damage to the ribs. That is why Mr. Merriman did not get as many ribs as he could have. How do I know this? After 31 years in the business I learned to pay attention and keep notes. At Rhonda’s Butcher Shop we will not package any meat we believe to be of questionable quality. Mr. Merriman refers to us as vultures who take your deer meat. Mr. Merriman, if I wanted to steal someone’s deer meat yours would be the last. Your shot placement skills and your field dressing skills leave much to be desired.

 

 

 

 

 

In closing, many of you referred to Casey. Casey has been processing game for a long time and does a good job. It is important to note that Casey will not take in an animal that is not clean. I personally spoke with Casey near the end of the firearms antlerless hunt a few weeks ago. I called to see if Casey had space for an elk, as we had filled our cold storage to capacity, he said yes, then asked me if the elk was clean. The elk had not been skinned and to this day I don’t know whether or not Casey accepted the elk. Mr. Merriman’s deer would have been turned away. It was filthy. The bottom line is this, if you bring in an animal that was properly killed with little damage and you cared for it properly in the field, you’re going to get clean, beautiful cuts. Over the years I have heard bad thing about every processor in the business, not only the Flagstaff processors including Casey and ourselves, but processors all over the state. The two biggest complaints are, they stole my meat and my meat came back dirty and had hair in it. Please remember, we have no control over how an animal is killed, or how it is cared for after it has been killed. You, the hunters, provide the materials we work with. If you don’t get as much meat as you think you should ask your processor why. Don’t go online and attempt to put them out of business, it doesn’t work. Fortunately for all of us Mr. Merriman is the exception and not the rule. We serve in excess of 1500 hunters annually, and am proud to say that out of that many we receive on the average 3 to 4 complaints per year, and those come from hunters who really don’t have a clue what they are talking about. Our glossy brochure, The Arizona Hunters Connection is the result of building a successful business. The businesses that advertise with us would not do so if they thought their reputation and image would be compromised by ours.

 

This response to Mr. Merriman’s comments may seem harsh but I am compelled to defend myself in light of being called a vulture and accused of stealing his meat. Also this site allows for name calling and general defamation of character which is typically not my style but in this case, Mr. Merriman wrote the rules of engagement and chose the arena for battle.

 

To you Mr. Merriman, I ask you for a retraction of your comments and an apology to me and my crew who work long hard hours for you and all hunters. I hope you can find the courage to apologize, if not we will all pray that you be given the strength and guidance you need to keep you from attacking innocent people for your shortcomings.

 

I must also comment on the variety of responses presented by other hunters to Mr. Merriman. Many of you offered your sympathy for his misfortune, and accepted his testimony conclusively. I can only say I’m glad that I am not on trial for a crime as you would condemn me without hearing my side of the story. The information I have presented here was obtained from records we kept on the processing of Mr. Merriman’s deer from the time we received it until the time it was picked up. Thanks to Mr. Merriman, I have added a new policy to our operations. We will photograph every animal that is accepted for processing so that we will have documented imagery of the condition of the animal for reference. Mr. Merriman is not the first nor will he be the last to attack us and or other processors. Fortunately, as I stated before, he is the exception and not the rule.

 

Thank you,

Larry Almaraz Processing Operations Manager

Guardian Angel Products Inc., DBA Rhonda’s Butcher Shop

[longshooter]

Larry do you guys have a web site or contact info for your butcher shop ? I have a unit 10 tag in a few weeks and would like a few shops to take my elk.

[Rembrant]

Good job, Larry.

The only problem I have ever had with any meat processor in Flagstaff, is hoping that my nice clean, well cared-for carcass doesn't touch any one of those nasty horrors hanging in the cooler!

Mike

[ajohunter]

Thanks for the info Larry. Glad you took the time to come here and clear things up. I would also like the contact info for you guys as we will be in unit 8 hunting bull elk and need another processor to use. Thanks!

[Rhonda's Butcher Shop]

Larry do you guys have a web site or contact info for your butcher shop ? I have a unit 10 tag in a few weeks and would like a few shops to take my elk.

 

thank you for your inquiry. at the present time our website is under reconstruction. if you have a bull tag or an antlerless tag coming up you will be receiving a copy of the Arizona Hunters Connection where you will find general information concerning processing. if after reading that information you find you want more detailed information please call me and i will be glad to answer any questions you have. i can be reached at 928-774-1922

 

larry

[Rhonda's Butcher Shop]

Good job, Larry.

The only problem I have ever had with any meat processor in Flagstaff, is hoping that my nice clean, well cared-for carcass doesn't touch any one of those nasty horrors hanging in the cooler!

Mike

 

thank you for sharing your concern. we had the same concern several years ago at which time we implemented a very effective solution. one of our coolers has three rails dedicated to hanging those carcasses that come in clean. your meat should not under any circumstances come in contact with meat that was not properly cared for.

[Rhonda's Butcher Shop]

Thanks for the info Larry. Glad you took the time to come here and clear things up. I would also like the contact info for you guys as we will be in unit 8 hunting bull elk and need another processor to use. Thanks!

 

thank you for the inquiry. you should be receiving a copy of the Arizona Hunters Connection very soon. in it you will find lots of info. if you'd prefer to contact us we can be reached at 928-774-1922. good luck on your hunt

 

larry

[GameHauler]

Larry and Bill,

I will not even begin to takes sides on this

I am not saying anything bad about processors but

The only way to feel you got every piece of meat you can is to do it yourself.

I know that it is ALOT of work and if you do not know how to cut meat

you can end up with some of the toughest steaks you have ever eaten.

Anyone who has guestioned what they got back, I ask that you try doing it yourself once.

It is like trying to do ANY job that you do not have the tools for or the knowhow to complete.

When I moved out of the Valley I lost all the eguipment and walkin that made butchering easy.

I have since gotten a good grinder and am looking to upgrade my saw.

I also have in the works a small walkin to handle about 2 Elk.

 

Any one got a good saw for sale?

 

I hope this all works out on both sides.

Mike

[tucsonbill]

I stand by what I said.

 

Since you seem to want to discredit me, and for general information, the temperature at night where we were camped (elevation 8000+ feet by the road sign going in off state route 180) was in the low 20's. Check the weather channel temps on the net if you like. Two one gallon jugs of water left out froze solid the first night. The deer hanging up in the tree was either froze or had rigor mortis awful bad.

 

Cash only, no checks or debit, and no receipt. I got what I paid for.

 

I am not going to further debate this with you. I wanted to share what happened and I did that. You can say what you like