Even if you only do it once, it's a valuable part of the process to learn and a big part of the whole hunting experience. You can easily knock apart and package a deer with a buddy in an evening and once you've done a few it goes even quicker. A few years back I decided to save the butchering costs when I drew my moose tag and put it towards a good 1 hp grinder from cabelas. It helped me justify the expense but a moose is MUCH more work then a deer. Hanging conditions weren't ideal so I worked morning till night for a few days until I had it all in the freezer (I could probably do it quicker now). All you really need to start is a good filleting knife and some freezer bags and a place to cut it. A grinder and vacuum sealer are investments that are worth while down the road. I use the gamesaver silver model from foodsaver and it has worked better then the two others I've had prior. I will likely get a more industrial one if this one ever craps out on me. Anyways, I would encourage anyone to try this out. It can be quite therapeutic and even more enjoyable if done with friends!
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