05/17/2024
It was in the early 90’s when we opened. Started building in 1991. We built a 20x40 building with the help of family. My brothers, and brother in laws laid the bricks and put on the roof , including a neighbor who Wayne traded a truck to help him.
Waynes Deer processing was being born, one cement block, blood and sweat , at a time. We began the hunt for equipment, one piece at a time. The 20 x 40 building was cooler, skinning area, and the cutting area was dual purpose, cutting and processing . Cutting room was filled with a small table top grinder, 3 compartment sink, an old beat up saw, one deep freezer which we used the top to wrap on and a small table to set the cuber on.
Glad we were married because we had some close working space 😊
He would go to work on his “real job” and we hoped someone would find us . Of course he constructed and I hand painted our first sign and put it out on 601 with the hopes someone would see it and pull up with a deer, eventually.
Well word got out and before long when he came home in the evening he would open the cooler door and there sat a couple of deer in the cooler. We grew from there.
He eventually quit that job, and I quit mine to help him. Our daughter spent many days under the counter on a pallet . She was happy as long as she had Cheetos and a vcr with lots of cartoon movies.
My mom or mother in law would baby sit the rest of the time. And so the humble beginnings of “Wayne’s “ was born. I don’t think I have a family member that hasn’t at one time or the other worked and helped us out, even my mom.
A number of years later we added on , giving us more work area and more room to hang a few more deer.
Eventually we doubled the size of the building , added 3 more walk in coolers, 2 walk in freezers, and 10 upright freezers.
We had hard times, busy times, going crazy times, and also a lot of fun times. Oh the stories I could tell.
When you build a business from absolutely nothing, living on some hope and a little faith , well you appreciate it a little more than people know or understand.
Wayne has never been one to cut corners. He has touched most every animal that has come through that building over the years. With his hands on , he knew it was being done right, what he like to call the Wayne Way.He always told everybody “ if I wouldn’t eat it I ain’t putting it in there for you to eat”. And I promise you he didn’t.
We worked from could to can’t, 7 days a week 6 am until midnight most days. He worked with recipes and has taken a lot of pride in his work. If it’s not done Wayne’s way, well it’s wrong and he’s quick to tell you, we don’t do it like that.
Word of mouth is the best advertising, never let anyone tell you different. Let your work speak for itself. We eventually added another building to process hogs . That building is the same size as the one he started doing deer in.
2024 would be our 33rd dear season.
We have met people from coast to coast. Made the newspaper a couple times, been in a wildlife magazine, met many wildlife movie folks, made many friends along the way.
We met some of you when you were little boys and girls, some when you were teenagers, some excited and ready for the deer blood initiation, some he had to hold down and laugh at later. And some of yall were still young back then , like him. 😁
We met some of you guys when you were young and couldn’t wait for your first job , I actually bought one his first truck,and one barely tall enough to reach the counter but was anxious to help Ms Connie stamp the meat package.
The little ones ran to tell Wayne their first hunting story, shake his hand, or a few thought rubbing his elbow was gonna bring them good luck on their hunt.
Some of these are married now with children of their own.
We met some who hunted with their whole families and listened to their hunting adventures, (even if we had never heard them a thousand times) , tried to encourage them, and of course Wayne gave them hunting advice.
I listened many times as he told his stories as if he was telling them for the first time. Everyone was his friend and he tried to treat everyone like family. Some of the first ones to ever bring a deer are still our customers.
Many have hunted their last hunt , and we saw their face for the last time as they drove away after hunting season , them waiting for that monster buck they would pursue again, walking away saying “ I’ll get him next season ” “ he’s a big one. “ See ya next year Wayne”.
Hunting was their dream and processing was Wayne’s. So it goes.
32 years later we have come to the point where it’s time . It has been time. He’s been too stubborn and a little too proud to admit it’s time to turn a new chapter in this wild man’s deer processing book. The time has come to turn the knife and the business over to someone with a similar dream.
I wish I had words to tell you all how much your confidence , your friendship, your patriotism, your loyalty , and your trust have meant to us over the years. Yes trust because ,when you drop that deer off you are trusting that we will do a good job and handle your animal in a way that you could proudly sit down , share and enjoy with your family.
All I can say is thank you. Enjoy the sport . Share the sport with your little ones, as they are our future hunters . And just maybe they will find a love for the sport as you have, and Wayne has. Some of our daughters first words were “ my daddy kills BIG buck” 😂
I’ll be adding updates soon with our new plans.
PLANT WILL STILL BE OPEN.
Stay tuned for exciting news.
There are plans in the making !
Oh and don’t count him out just yet. He seems to always bounce back. He’s one tough old cookie!
