Game Processing Manufacturers

Processing and cooking wild game at home takes a few specialized tools. These are well-known makers of the gear hunters use from the field to the grill.

Graphic of game meat gear brands for grinders, knives, cooking and cold storage
Makers of game processing and cooking gear.

Grinders, slicers and sealers

  • LEM Products, West Chester, Ohio: grinders, sausage stuffers and processing supplies
  • Weston Brands, Ohio: grinders and vacuum sealers

Knives

  • Outdoor Edge, Denver, Colorado: hunting and processing knife kits
  • Havalon, Cincinnati, Ohio: replaceable-blade skinning knives
  • Victorinox, Switzerland: boning and butcher knives
Checklist graphic of home game processing tools: knives, cutting boards, bone saw, grinder, vacuum sealer, game bags, coolers and labels
What it takes to process game at home.

Smokers and grills

Coolers and game bags

  • YETI, Austin, Texas: hard coolers for keeping meat cold
  • Caribou Gear: breathable game bags

Seasonings

Hunter in camouflage kneeling with a harvested deer and his rifle in tall dry grass
Field care decides how the meat will taste.

Choosing processing gear

Start with a few good knives and a reliable way to keep meat cold. A grinder and vacuum sealer pay for themselves quickly for hunters who process more than one deer a year. Smokers and seasoning kits come later, once the basics are mastered. Check each company’s own site for current models and prices.

Listing a company here is not an endorsement. For how to use the gear, see Butchering and Processing Wild Game.

Choosing processing gear

Start with a few sharp knives, breathable game bags and a reliable cooler. Those three items protect the meat in the field, where most quality is won or lost.

A grinder and vacuum sealer are the next upgrades. Hunters who process even one deer a year at home usually find they pay for themselves quickly, and they make it easy to turn trim into burger, sausage and chili meat.

Smokers, pellet grills and seasoning kits come last. They open up jerky, summer sausage and smoked roasts once the basics of cutting and packaging are second nature.

Prices, models and availability change often, so check each company’s own site for current details and read reviews from hunters who process their own game.

Keeping gear clean

Processing gear must be cleaned and dried after every use. Grinder parts, knives and cutting boards should be washed in hot, soapy water and sanitized, and stored dry to prevent rust and bacteria.

Many of these companies also publish recipes, processing guides and videos that help hunters get more from every animal.