Do you butcher your own deer?

[migrant hunter]

I cut and wrapped my mule deer a couple of weeks ago, now my whitetail is hanging in the shed.
I have only paid to have 3 or 4 deer butchered over the years and was never happy with the results. I told my wife that I wouldn't butcher any more this year, but now I don't want to take it to anyone.
I've done my own for years, but now I'm very busy with work and we have two small kids.
What say you? Take it somewhere and avoid the stress, or clear off the kitchen table and have at it?

 

[norlandgeese]

Just do it, get an extra pair of hands maybe. Share a few packs of grounds and a drink, have a great time what's not to like.

We are just about to process two more deer soon. Already did one for friend, and two pigs and a cow.
While having 4 kids running around.

 

[Moose Masher]

Do it yourself. You will quickly forget the burden of the extra work.
You will not quickly forget the disappointment if you are not happy with the results of having it done by someone else.

 

[Candocad]

I'd like to do my own, but it is the hanging time / temperature i get concerned about. The rest I am okay with.

Any suggestions?

Candocad.

 

[freddyfour]

Have at it, butchering it is half the fun

 

[migrant hunter]

Venison doesn't need to hang. I've done them from the next day to a couple of weeks later.
Temperature usually only is an issue for me in bow season.

 

[freddyfour]

I'd like to do my own, but it is the hanging time / temperature i get concerned about. The rest I am okay with.

Any suggestions?

Candocad.

If it is to warm just cut it up that day. I honestly have never noticed a difference between the deer hung for a week or the ones cut up that day.

 

[norlandgeese]

You're right if your location is really Vancouver it's kind of warm.
Usually if it's below 10 during the day, close to zero or below at night I would be comfortable leaving it hanging.
Above that temperature range, unless you have cool location storage it gets a bit warm.

Last year I bagged a buck first day hunting, it was going to be above 10 (teens) the rest of the week, so we decided to cut and wrap it the same first day.

 

[NHunter]

Butchering your own venison is a privilege in my books. Take your time. Learn. Enjoy.

From my trigger to my fork.

Can it get any better?

 

[Rayleigh_Scattering]

I helped hack up a couple of corpses last weekend, and when I sat down to eat ribs that night I looked at them differently. Not squeamish, just differently.

I was surprised to see how quickly a man with a sharp hatchet can divide a medium sized mammal into ragged chunks. Also, the blood splatter coverage on the truck was impressive.

We carved them in the field so that we could put them into coolers with ice for the long drive back. Last year, a couple of our victims started to rot before the butcher got to them.

Q: does hanging make any difference if you're cranking most of it into sausage?

 

[Mount Sweetness]

I usually butcher my own as well.
I shot a deer last week, just didn't have the time or energy, brought it in to a butcher to have cut, I pick it up tomorrow. I wanted to keep the skull and he tossed it out, oh well it's gone. I sure hope I'm not pissed off about the meat...

 

['Boo]

I use a great amount of care in shooting, cleaning, and handling my game animals. Butchering what we kill enables me to make sure that that initial care follows through to the plate.

 

[Gatehouse]

Just made smoked farmer sausage, bratwurst, Italian sausage with red wine and Polish sausage.

A deer doesn't take long to butcher. Bring it in quarter by quarter and cut it up.

 

[Peace River]

Yah it kinda sucks seeing that deer hanging in the garage just waiting for the work to begin. I know the feeling... but the best part for me is with the sore back, dull knives and mess to clean up.... when you start putting it in the freezer.
The wife and kids might not care, but for me putting vacuum sealed back strap in the freezer before a whiskey and bed is always a great feeling. What I find sucks is having more than one hanging!

 

[migrant hunter]

I find it takes more than a day, by the time I trim silverskin and fat off, cut, grind, bag and wrap. That doesn't include jerky from trim and belly that you just wouldn't get from a butcher.
With all the cleanup, it costs me more in time than a butcher would cost.
At least if I do it, it's done how I want. The last deer I paid to have done was a disgrace.
If I cut this whitetail, I figure I've saved enough to buy me one of them semi auto 12 gauge sporters that Corwin arms are selling!

 

[John Y Cannuck]

I have two this year, the smaller I will do myself, the big bastard will go to the butcher. Just too much effort. I agree that doing it yourself has a lot of benefits. I also recognize that professionals who do this all the time can do it a hell of a lot faster than I ever could.
It's interesting to hang a big boy in the locker and see the size difference. This one is going to be awful close to the floor.

 

[Bigbubba]

We did 3 in about 4 hours.
3 guys, a grinder and a roll of butcher paper

Saved ourselves a ton of money over the years

 

[Suka]

It's not just the cost savings (which are quite substantial, especially on a moose or elk), but as the op says, it's hit and miss with butchers; maybe great results, maybe pretty much an insult to the trade and you not happy with what you get back.

Took a couple animals to butchers then went back to doing it ourselves for the above reasons. Won't be taking another one to a butcher. The results you Know you'll get doing it yourself are well worth the effort.

 

[Mount Sweetness]

It take me two days or more to do it the way I like it.
Trim all silver skin and vacuum seal.

 

[savagelh]

I typically do it myself but I don't have a lot of time this year so it'll go to the butcher. No big deal though cause he only charges $35/deer cut and wrapped. When I do it I just package back straps and tenderloins and one or two roasts and debone the rest for sausage making later on.