Originally Posted by FungusFinder
...processing seems to bring the whole hunt full circle.
Well said.
There's so much to hunting beyond...well, hunting. In the process of becoming hunters, many of us also become farmers, animal behaviorists, etc. --as well as butchers. These ancillary jobs can become nearly as rewarding as the actual hunt. I definitely feel that way about skinning/butchering.
Once you do a couple and get the hang of it, you'll never go back to the neighborhood processor. I guarantee that by your third deer or so you'll be genuinely impressed with what a nice job you do with it.