WATERTOWN — The task is never pretty, but it’s a requirement. It’s happening in backyards, garages and barns throughout Wisconsin.
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An assembly line at Northern Trails Meat & Country Market allows deer to be processed quickly. At this time of the year, the company doubles its staff to 20 so that nearly 70,000 pounds of venison can be cut into steaks or turned into sausage and hamburger.
Dillon Koester, left, and Evan Kramer move a deer from a customer’s truck into a makeshift shed at Northern Trails Meats & Country Market in Watertown. The deer was shot in the Southern Kettle Moraine Forest by Dan Davis of Eagle, who chose to pay to have his deer processed instead of doing it himself.
Brett Cichanofsky, co-owner of Northern Trails Meat & Country Market, pulls a deer carcass toward him to be processed last week. The family-owned business will process more than 1,000 deer from around the state this season.
Bridget Cichanofsky packages freshly cut venison chops. After being wrapped, the meat is numbered and placed in baskets in metal racks so each hunter gets the meat from their own deer.
The processed and packaged venison of the 2024 gun season is stored in a large walk-in freezer at Northern Trails Meat & Country Market in Watertown.
Jose Moreno tosses scraps in to a bin as he makes cuts of venison last week at Northern Trails Meat & Country Market in Watertown.
Brett Cichanofsky, co-owner of Northern Trails Meats & Country Market, cuts the loin off of a deer last week in the company's refrigerated processing room. The business expects to process more than 1,000 deer this season.
Photos: Processing deer at Northern Trails Meats & Country Market
Brett Cichanofsky, co-owner of Northern Trails Meat & Country Market, pulls a deer carcass toward him to be processed last week. The family-owned business will process more than 1,000 deer from around the state this season.
Evan Kramer cuts the top of the deer’s head off to give the antlers back to the customer on Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024 at Northern Trails Meat and Country Market in Watertown, Wis. OWEN ZILIAK/STATE JOURNAL
Dillion Koester, left, and Evan Kramer drag a deer in to a line to be skinned on Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024 at Northern Trails Meat and Country Market in Watertown, Wis. OWEN ZILIAK/STATE JOURNAL
Bridget Cichanofsky packages freshly cut venison chops. After being wrapped, the meat is numbered and placed in baskets in metal racks so each hunter gets the meat from their own deer.
Jose Moreno tosses scraps in to a bin as he makes cuts of venison last week at Northern Trails Meat & Country Market in Watertown.
Brett Cichanofsky, co-owner of Northern Trails Meats & Country Market, cuts the loin off of a deer last week in the company's refrigerated processing room. The business expects to process more than 1,000 deer this season.
The processed and packaged venison of the 2024 gun season is stored in a large walk-in freezer at Northern Trails Meat & Country Market in Watertown.
Skinned deer hang inside of the processing room of Northern Trails Meat & Country Market. The harvest during this year's nine-day, gun-deer season is down slightly but processors around the state remain busy.
Evan Kramer pauses to adjust his hat while sawing the antlers off of a deer on Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024 at Northern Trails Meat and Country Market in Watertown, Wis. OWEN ZILIAK/STATE JOURNAL
Dillon Koester, left, and Evan Kramer move a deer from a customer’s truck into a makeshift shed at Northern Trails Meats & Country Market in Watertown. The deer was shot in the Southern Kettle Moraine Forest by Dan Davis of Eagle, who chose to pay to have his deer processed instead of doing it himself.
An assembly line at Northern Trails Meat & Country Market allows deer to be processed quickly. At this time of the year, the company doubles its staff to 20 so that nearly 70,000 pounds of venison can be cut into steaks or turned into sausage and hamburger.
The cutting room floor is a busy place at this time of the year for the employees at Northern Trails Meat & Country Market. The company is so busy during the deer season that it pauses its mobile slaughtering operation that travels to farms to processes cows and hogs.
Evan Kramer, left, and Dillion Koester dump deer carcass scraps in to a dumpster on Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024 at Northern Trails Meat and Country Market in Watertown, Wis. OWEN ZILIAK/STATE JOURNAL
Barry Adams covers regional news for the Wisconsin State Journal. Send him ideas for On Wisconsin at 608-252-6148 or by email at badams@madison.com.
