Deer hunting is a serious business. For dedicated hunters, it’s also a passion, a tradition, an opportunity for bonding with family and friends. But nobody wants to drop off their deer with a processor that will deliver a batch of substandard venison cuts or bland snack sticks. Nobody wants to send their 10-point buck for mounting and get back something that looks like a candidate for a bad taxidermy meme.
A good deer processor is a must-have, and so is a good taxidermist. Hunters in South Carolina, then, are lucky to have access to both – in the same shop. Cordray’s, based in Ravenel, S.C., has been the go-to deer processing stop for local hunters for years. Over the last couple of years, the company has continued to diversify, adding beef processing, a growing line of smoked products like hams and summer sausage, and the taxidermy business that works on everything from deer to alligator. Expansions and growth have become a routine experience for owner-operators Michael Cordray and his wife, Claudia. A recent grant from the government to complete some long-awaited projects should bring the business to a new level.