I came onto this post wondering what sort of masochist would butcher himself.

But seriously, butchering your own game can be a rewarding experience. For me it really seals in that feeling of self-sufficiency that hunting does for a person.

Like Skeeter, I would pass on the vacuum sealer. I also wrap in Saran wrap first, then butcher paper. Meat I process is flat out delicious for at least 3 years after it's packaged. (That's another benny of doing it yourself, you can spend more quality time removing every last bit of fat and such that a butcher just doesn't have time to do. So you're finished product will stay yummy longer that a butcher's.)

Sharp knives and common sense are your best tools. (I'm a little short on both but I get by on pure effort!) I just follow the major muscle separations to make my cuts. Front quarters go 100% into ground meat, along with clean trimmings from elsewhere. This technique will give you roughly a 1:1 ratio of ground meat:steaks/roasts.