Do you process your deer yourself, or take it to a processing place?

[steve182]

I butcher it, then take a good portion of the meat to a Sausage-maker. I usually eat the tenderloins fresh, nothing better. Anything i freeze i vaccuum pack. I cut the Backstraps in half, giving me 4 portions, each suitable for a nice sized meal for my small family. Good stuff, my wife and 3 y.old love it as much as i do.

[hunt_fish_sleep]

I do everything myself. I feel like the processors is the lazy man's way out.

[streack]

Butchering yourself is almost as much fun as hunting the deer.

[huskerguy]

It depends on how I'm feeling. I have processed most of my deer cuz I'm to cheap to go have it done.

[cxm412]

I do most of the butchering myself. Cut all the roast and steaks and then take the rest in to have some sausage and pepperoni done up.

[Charley]

Do it myself- I've had someone else's mangled, bullet- ridden meat come back to me too many times. Plus it is a great survival skill to know- you're lost in the woods, shoot a deer for meat and you don't have any idea what to do with it.

[Beekeeper]

I do it myself. If you never considered learning here is a reason you might want to. In the meat cutting world hamburger is hamburger. They are not going to set up the grinder just for your deer (a very few might). Meat is weighted and the prime cuts (steaks, roasts, etc) are made and set aside in your pile, most of the time. All your trimmings and carcass cuts that you want made into burger or sausage are weighed and go into the pile with everyone elses. When ground, you get your weight back from the mishmash. The deer you took such good care of got ground up with the one that was thrice gut shot, laid in the woods over night then finally made it to the processor the next afternoon! Yum!

[lovetohunt]

I do it myself also. I want to avoid what Beekeeper said happens.

[buckeye]

I would like to do it myself, and used to, but I now live in an apparment. I think I would have some issues if I tried to butcher a deer on my balcony.

[buckhunter]

I do it myself. I carefully take care of my meat and age it perfectly and make the best cuts for steak and others for burger and trim the fat. Most butchers in my area will give you someone elses deer.

[hjohn429]

We took one of our deer to a processor once and they did a horrible job. Now we just do it ourselves.

[texasfirst]

I do it myself. I do my own beef, too, and I'm an English teacher, not a butcher. You would be amazed how common sense a lot of it is, and if you get a good little electric meat grinder for about $100 and a handheld meat saw, you're on your way. I feel MUCH better about eating meat I put into the grind MYSELF, knowing I washed my hands properly. Age it correctly, do it yourself and you're a better sportsman for it.

[Christian Emter]

My self. It is a learning experience and it doesn't cost extra $.

[buck hunter 17]

stake my self and everything else i bring to a store.

[KMB33]

We get the meat off the dear our selves, then send it to the plant to get amde into jerky, etc.