RE: self butchering
I've been doing it for years and have it down to a science by now. Usually it's a great time spent in the barn with my Dad and whoever else is there for the hunt and we enjoy a few choice beverages and tell stories about the ones that got away. I really enjoy the time we spend butchering.........
I hang head down, skin, pull out inside backstraps, trim out the outside backstraps, then move on to quarters. I remove the front quarters from the carcass and trim everything I can thats not bloodshot and toss in a bucket which we later use for burger. The rear quarters I can actually debone on the carcass without removing. I will get the entire rear quarter off in one piece, then using my hands seperate the major muscle groups into 3 sections per rear quarter and then cut into steaks and/or roasts. If it's a really old deer then the whole rear end goes into burger or trimmings to be sent to a butcher that does sausage, salami, or hot dogs for me. I'm usually able to get a complete deer done and through the whole process (except grinding burger) in maybe an hour and a halfdepending on the amount of story telling that is going on.
Onereally important tip that works well for me is DO NOT scrimp on your bags. Good quality freezer grade ziplock bags will keep your stuff good for MUCH longer in the freezer. I also wrap everything in saran wrap first, squeeze out the air, then put into the freezer ziplock bags......this keeps them from freezer burning. I have had deer steak that was2 years old with no freezer burn with this packaging method.