I've done it both ways. If you can get a couple of guys to help it's alright. Otherwise I take mine to Kenny Fred's in Bluff Dale.

I’m pretty meticulous when it comes to separating tendon/silver skin from the meat that ends up in my grinder, so it is tedious and time consuming. If I didn’t have a job conducive to processing while “working”, I’d probably give it up in an effort to save time. The quality of my own can’t be matched by the typical processor, but I’m willing to sacrifice that some as long as I’m getting my animal back. Gutting, skinning, and quartering is not really work to me.

I prefer to process all our game. From the time they hit the ground to the time they hit the table, ours are the only hands, knives, grinders, stuffers, etc. involved. It's probably more work than fun, but there's a not inconsiderable amount of satisfaction associated with doing it all ourselves. But that's just us...

Mark

I do all of my own and enjoy it.
I've seen too many times, guys pulling a trailer full of 4-wheelers and ice chests with their deer laying on the back of the trailer. Not quartered, not on ice collecting dirt, dust and road grime. Just saw a couple of guys on the shoulder Saturday after Thanksgiving (78 degrees) because one of their deers legs was hanging off the trailer dragging on the road. I know that proccessors say you get your meat back but I don't want to chance getting that crap mixed in with mine. It's been quiet a few years, but my dad and I dropped off a deer a piece. All of the ground meat and sausage we got back smelled rancid and had hair in it. That's when I started doing them myself.
It can be time consuming but I enjoy doing it and have gotten pretty quick at it.

Me and you, Dink!

I typically only kill a couple or three deer for myself. I don't mind it. In years past, while hunting MLD, several us threw in together and bought everything necessary to grind and stuff our own sausage. We did a lot of sausage making. It was a good time, good company, good music playing and good cold beer.

Only once have I ever paid someone to do my animal. It was an elk and it was hot and I was very busy at work so decided to drop him off to get it done. It was a nice young 3x3 bull, what I got back was some tough old stinky meat that was not mine...never again.

Ditto to those who want to know exactly who and how the finished product is handled. I do all mine. Course the deer are easy. Backstraps are prepped for boudin stuffed, everything else goes to either sliced jerky or ground up to be made into jerky.

New to the game and only processed 3 deer so far in my short life. Backstraps for steaks, hams for roasts/stew meat, shoulders and assorted for jerky. I thought about taking one in for sausagification or burger, but for the price per pound I can just buy some Pollock's sausage or regular hamburger meat.

OMG......Never start figuring out how much venison is costing you per pound, you will stop hunting if you do. Just get it done the way you like and enjoy it

Couple weeks ago I picked up my buddies buck and spike when I picked my buck up. He had almost all sausage made. 200 lbs worth! He already paid a $100 deposit and I had to put $700 just for his meat alone on my card! Earned some miles there.

I had my first 2 deer I ever shot (in high school) done at a processor. Once I was an adult and learned how to do it myself, I just can't justify not doing it myself. I do enjoy it. The satisfaction of carving every cut out, weighing it, wrapping it in freezer paper and putting it in the freezer myself is just part of the hunt for me. It cliche, but I really do feel that it "connects me" to the hunt in a way that is important to me. I have nothing against processors and those who choose to go that way. It's just for me, I really enjoy the satisfaction of it and the hunt wouldn't be "complete" if I didn't do it.

I love to grill, alot. If I had it my way it would be chops and steaks all the way. There is one thing my "new processor" does make and it is the best, imo. They make a jalapeno/cheese German sausage that is out of this world.

If I were to take another deer or hog to them I would tell them to make the entire animal minus the straps and loins into jap/cheese sausage.

ive been processing my deer collectvly now for two years with a grinder and a good set of knives..i hava neat setup at my house in my garage..i let the meat age for at least a week..and have everything set up in my garge..its sometimes a pain doing everything by yourself..but last year i didnt get to process my buck..as coytes and vermin did that for me..its like anything else if you have the money get it processed wherever you want..i just got tired of not getting my deer back and being screwed by the processing plants..i really enjoy it..about to do my doe i got a couple of weeks ago..dont k ow how its going to turn out..as i had to freeze the quarters due to an emergency..ive had it iced down in two coolers since last saturday

If you muscle out the hind legs there are some muscles cuts in there that are every bit as good as backstrap. They are bigger around also allowing for a bigger steak/roast etc.

Freezing the quarters wont hurt a thing.

after 2 bad experiences at processors several years back, I started doing my own. I don't exactly enjoy the field dressing and skinning but when it is butcher time, my 12 year old daughter always wants to help and we have a good time. I don't mind making jerkey, breakfast sausage, italian sausage but if I want any other types of sausage or specialty items I just take some meat to one of my local places and have them do it. I will usually take a front shoulder or 2 and have some sausages and tamales made.