A family tradition has sprouted into a family business for the Johnsons. Tyler Johnson and his dad, Terry, created a deer processing and taxidermy business partnership in Corryton, and it is a busy season for the fellows as deer hunting season is in full steam.
Inspiration for the industry arose from childhood stories told by Tyler’s papaw, Raymond Johnson. After a weekend hunt in Chuck Swan, Raymond and his brothers would cut the deer up in the kitchen floor.
Tyler says, “I guess you could say it’s in my blood.”
He grew up hunting with his dad, sister and uncles; sometimes getting to miss a day or two of school to travel out of town for hunts. Upon return, the deer would get hung in the barn and be waiting there after school. That is where he learned to skin and cut them up.
He says, “Before I was big enough to do them myself, I remember taking them to Crawford’s, never knowing I’d be doing this myself.”
Fall of 2017 was the first season that Johnson’s Deer Processing opened the doors. Small conversations turned into purchasing supplies and the beginning of a building. Members of the family and several friends took part in construction. Many hands have been in it to turn the dream into reality.
At that time, Tyler, as well as his family members, held full-time jobs. The days were long coming home from work to uphold a second career. Two years in, pounding both jobs, he made the choice to make the family business top priority and took it on full time. He does stay quite busy between processing and taxidermy.
He says, “We prepare all year for a couple months of deer processing.”
There are typical maintenance duties like keeping up the building, pristine cleanliness and preparation for inspections. In the off-season, they focus on taxidermy spectrum; mostly shoulder mounts, but with a few odd jobs such as squirrels, bobcats and coyotes added in.
Tyler learned taxidermy from a good friend of the family named Russell.
He shares, “I’ve taken what he has taught me and progressed it to where I am now.”
Terry and Tyler’s hobby is deer hunting, however, with the workload of the business, it has become difficult to find time to get into the woods during the season.
Family is a priority for the Johnsons. They focus on family time in and away from the trade. Recently, Tyler became a father and is focusing even more on this adventure. With the family name on the business, it speaks for itself that family is what runs the place, with exception to a few more people here and there. Tyler’s wife and sister pitch in with decorating, office work and even cut meat when necessary. They have a great friend and neighbor that regularly lends a helping hand.
“There have been a few times that we’ve had such abundance of work that customers have come by to help us out,” he states.
During the establishment of the processing center, Terry’s wife lost a battle with cancer in January 2019. In her last two years, she was in and out of the hospital, making it difficult to keep the business open. They managed to pull together and make it happen. Since she was such an encourager of the endeavor, they know she would be so proud of where they are headed now.
During the busy season, when deer are coming in frequently, the goal is to keep moving along and try to keep orders simple so that customers get their meat back in a timely manner. When a deer comes in, three identification cards are completed; the first stays with the deer throughout the entire process, the second is filed, and the third goes to the cutter so the order is filled accurately. The deer stay in the cooler a couple days then make their way to the cutting room to be skinned.
Next, they are quartered and sent to be cut into specific cuts such as steaks, roasts and burger. All meat at Johnson’s is vacuum sealed, then boxed. After it is frozen, customers are contacted for pickup. The process can take a couple of days to a week. Eventually, they hope to have a larger cooler and more freezer space and maybe even build on and make the taxidermy space completely separate.
Johnson’s Deer Processing and Taxidermy is located in Corryton at 520 West Mountain View Road. Contact them by phone at 865-992-0085. Services include basic deer processing with some add-ons such as summer sausage, breakfast sausage and ready-to-eat jerky.
Taxidermy is a growing sector. They have begun creating European mounts (bare skull and antlers) using beetles (a modern method of cleaning the skulls) and have even been asked to do a few bear mounts.
Tyler says, “I’ve always focused more on deer and smaller animals but it’s fun and exciting to learn that I can do more.”
Johnson’s is more than just a business; it is a place that people gather and share a deep passion for the sport of hunting — a place where memories are shared of once-in-a-lifetime adventures. They are gratified to hear stories such as when a seven-year-old went on her first juvenile hunt with her dad and bagged a big buck — memories that cannot be bought or forgotten.
These fine folks live and work with Genesis 27:3 close to heart: “Now therefore take, I pray thee, thy weapons, thy quiver and thy bow, and go out to the field, and take me some venison.”
The business is the home of East Tennessee Whitetail Enthusiasts and the Johnsons encourage the sport often.
Tyler says, “Our community definitely has a need for what we do.” No one in Union or North Knox County offers the same services as them. TWRA has gone to the facility and checked samples for Chronic Waste Disease, and they are required to pass yearly inspections and keep a clean facility. It is a lot of work, but a lot of love goes in.
The Johnsons say they are blessed to be in the business and look forward to the growth ahead and many years to come. The customers and fellow hunting enthusiasts have shown a tremendous amount of support and the future seasons are bright.