It is reported that a new concern has surfaced among deer hunters, and it’s one that won’t be easy to solve. Since most states have an early and late deer archery season and then a firearm deer season, hunters now have a longer period of time to harvest a deer, and they (hunters), are now taking more deer than usual, but they are running out of places to get their deer processed.

In some cases, hunters did plan ahead to locate a processor before the deer season began, but later only to be turned away with their harvest because the processor just couldn’t handle any more deer. In some places it was a panic rush as successful hunters rushed to processors before the processors filled their coolers and turned hunters away. It was reported that some butchers stopped taking deer midway through the first week of the rifle season. There are just fewer processors left, and the ones still in operation are being overrun with deer.

The decline in deer processors isn’t limited to an individual state, it is reported the problem exists in Pennsylvania, New York, Ohio, Kentucky, Minnesota, Montana and others. They all share the same problem, there are fewer places to get a deer butchered.

The question arises, why is there a shortage of deer processors? There are several reasons and none of them are a quick-fix. Deer seasons are lengthy, deer tags are increased and plentiful and opportunities for hunters are abundant. It all comes down to a huge deer harvest that simply is overwhelming to processors, especially the smaller shops with limited cooler space and help.

Another factor contributing to the decline in processing a deer is the tedious hard work involved. To do one or two deer in your garage at home is one thing, but when deer carcasses are piled high on the floor and hunters continue to bring more in, the task facing butchers are compounded.

Many butchers work seven days a week, late into the night, skinning, cutting, grinding and wrapping deer meat until exhaustion sets in. And if the temperatures are mild during deer season, it’s just another major stress reason for processors to rush to get deer carcasses skinned and in the cooler before they spoil.

The report also said, unless something changes, it’s a trend they don’t think will reverse and it could even get worse. Also if things don’t change more hunters may find themselves with the same problem after they harvest a deer but have nowhere to take it for processing.