Cass Lake, Minnesota · Cass County
Deer processing for Cass Lake hunters.
Individual processing since 1940 — your animal stays your animal, start to finish. Real sausage, real wood smoke, made in our Turtle River smokehouse about 35 minutes northwest of Cass Lake.
Drop-off: 7972 Farley Dr NE, Turtle River, MN
Call first: (218) 586-2149
From Cass Lake: about 35 minutes northwest, Highway 2 to Highway 71
Your deer, your meat, your name on the package.
Cass Lake hunters work country that runs from the Leech Lake reservation land out through the Chippewa National Forest — big woods that produce big deer and a lot of trim worth turning into sausage. We handle both ends of that: careful cutting and a real smokehouse.
Most processors batch during deer season: several hunters’ animals get run together and everybody takes home “a fair share.” It’s faster for the shop. It also means the meat on your table in March isn’t the deer you shot in November.
We don’t work that way. Every deer is processed individually. Your trim is your trim, your sausage is made from your animal, and your name goes on every package. It takes us longer. It’s the right way to do it, and it’s why hunters from Cass Lake and across Cass County have hauled deer to Stittsworth for four generations.
What it costs.
No mystery invoice at pickup. These are the same rates every hunter pays, posted publicly.
| Processing | Price |
|---|---|
| Full processing — any deer | $150 |
| Skinning only | $50 |
| Cape skinning (for the mount) | $75 |
Wild game is processed boneless only.
| Sausage & Smoked | Price |
|---|---|
| Summer sausage | $5.00/lb |
| Brats — pre-cooked, smoked or fresh | $5.00/lb |
| Ring bologna | $5.00/lb |
| Polish sausage | $5.00/lb |
| Jerky | $5.50/lb |
| Snack sticks — pepper or teriyaki | $6.00/lb |
18 lb minimum per flavor. Priced on top of processing.
Full rate card, worked cost examples, and what actually drives your total: see deer processing prices →
Drop-off from Cass Lake.
- Call first. (218) 586-2149 — especially opening weekend. We’ll confirm the drop-off window before you make the drive.
- Whole hide-on deer go to Turtle River. 7972 Farley Dr NE. Quarters and boneless trim can come to either location.
- Field-dressed and cooled is enough. You don’t need to skin or quarter it first.
- Know your sausage plan. 18 lbs of trim minimum per flavor — worth deciding on the drive in.
- Tag stays with the deer. MN DNR requires the tag attached through processing.
- Pickup window. Typical turnaround is 3–4 weeks during deer season. We call when it’s ready.
- Pick up within 30 days to avoid the $6/month freezer charge.
We also take deer from Bena, Ball Club, Pennington and Federal Dam — and anywhere else in Cass County you’re willing to drive from.
How much does deer processing cost near Cass Lake, MN?
Full processing for any deer is $150 at Stittsworth Meats. Skinning alone is $50, and cape skinning for a mount is $75. Sausage and smoked products are priced per pound on top of processing — summer sausage, brats, ring bologna and Polish sausage at $5.00/lb, jerky at $5.50/lb, and snack sticks at $6.00/lb, with an 18 lb minimum per flavor.
Where do Cass Lake hunters drop off a deer?
Whole hide-on deer go to the Stittsworth processing facility at 7972 Farley Dr NE in Turtle River, about 35 minutes northwest of Cass Lake via Highway 2 to Highway 71. Quarters and boneless trim can be dropped at either Stittsworth location. Call (218) 586-2149 first to confirm drop-off hours during deer season.
Do you mix my deer with other hunters' deer?
Never. Every deer is processed individually from intake to pickup. Your trim is your trim, your sausage is made from your animal, and your name goes on every package.
Do you process deer bone-in?
Wild game is processed boneless only. Bone-in processing is available for domestic animals — beef quarters, half hogs and whole lambs.
Hunter resources: Wild Game Guide, Field Dressing a Deer, Aging Venison, Venison Sausage Recipes, Cooking Venison.
Nearby: Bemidji deer processing · All custom processing
Call before you drive.
(218) 586-2149 — Stittsworth Turtle River Processing