As busy as they want to be

Hunting season in the Platte Valley is a busy time of year for many people, but nobody more than the local meat processors. With over 80 years combined experience, Encampment River Processing and Merrill Meat Company are given plenty of business. Lloyd Buford, owner of Encampment River Processing, bought his business in 1983 and experienced his first full season in 1984.

“I think the first year we had this, our first full game season, we did six deer for the whole season,” said Buford. “We did quite a few antelope, but back then there were a lot of antelope. We did a few elk.”

This...