Maine had a “great deer season,” said Greg Provost of Sabattus. 

“The deer were healthy and the moose were the fattest I have ever seen,” said Provost, owner of Sabattus Deer Processing. 

Provost attributes the healthy herd to an early spring. “The deer went right from foraging to grass.”

Thirty-three hunters brought their deer to Provost on opening day of deer season. 

“This started as a part-time hobby,” said Provost. It all began in 2001 when he cut one or two friends’ game animals, but is now to the point where he is straight out for nearly four months of the year. “We are stupid busy sometimes,” said the employee of the Maine Turnpike Authority.

“We will do 400 to 500 animals this year,” he said, including nine bear and 39 moose. The rest are deer. “Moose are a challenge,” said Provost. “They are a big animal.”

“The business has grown and grown and grown, and I’ve grown with it,” said the father of three boys.

Zach, Cody and Caleb Provost all help out at the family business, but none of them handle the money.

“Always have women collect your money,” advised Provost. “No one ever says no to a woman.” 

Salmon, trout, buck, moose and bear hang from the shop walls, either caught or shot by members of the Provost family.

“I hunt, trap, fish, do everything,” said Zach Provost. 

The elder Provost said that deer season happens at a good time of the year. The additional hands and meat cutters he hires earn extra money just in time for Christmas.

The cutters are all professional meat cutters. “They have a knife in their hand all the time,” said Zach. 

Boxed deer meat is returned to the hunter in four to five days, said Zach. “It really depends on how busy we are.”

Hunters tend to hang their deer for a few days, depending on weather, before being processed. If it’s cold, the animal can hang longer than if it’s warm.

“If it gets hot, we get swamped,” said Zach.