cut your own or pay to process?

[kisfish]

Just a couple questions for all the hunters on here.
1. Do you pay to have your big game processed? If you do why? Is it because you don't have the time after the hunt with getting back to work, life, etc. You may not have the equipment. Knives, cutting boards, wrapper, Freezer paper, grinder, etc. You do not know how to cut up the animal?

2. Those that do it yourself where did you learn to do it?

For myself I cut my own. At 19 I started working in a meat dept and was a butcher for 10 years. Being young in need of money I worked two jobs. I slaughtered and custom cut cattle, pigs, buffalo after cutting at the grocery store. I cut wild game for a shop in Colorado every year for extra spending cash. The last year I cut for the shop we processed 778 animals.

Seeing as we are into hunting season I was just wondering what method you use and why. Take care and good luck hunting.

[Crunchy]

I cut my own.  I do have the butcher make pepperoni and jerky but the rest I do. 

[jrebel]

Cut my own and learned by doing.....it really isn't that hard.  It does take a little time though. 

[boneaddict]

Cut my own.  Learned from watching and helping my Dad, then had to cut my first deer up on my own.  Have done it ever since.   

[HUNTINCOUPLE]

DIY here!!!!! Super easy and fun family project!

[Crunchy]

It is a lot of work that much is for sure. I have butchered my own elk solo and that is a full days job with grinding and vacuum sealing bags.  Much better with two people for sure.

[Smokepole]

We butcher our own.  I like to trim the meat good & get rid of the fat.  Not sure what the butcher around here does.  I like knowing everything is clean and tastes good as possible.  It is a chore.  Glad my wife doesn't mind helping out!

[jasnt]

I do my own as well. I rather enjoy it.  Grew up on a farm and always did our own. One year we did 9 hogs in a day. Me my dad and brother. I was 9 my brother was 8.  Its just part of life on a farm

[hrd2fnd]

Taught myself to clean and butcher my own. If the wife ever found out I butchered it on the dinner table she would not be happy.

[Halo]

Gonna be cutting up a blacktail tomorrow. On the old kitchen table that was my parents since before I was born. That old table has seen a lot of game. I have put blacktail & mule deer, elk, antelope & mountain goat on it. Lord knows how many critters were cut up on it before my time.

[denali]

DIY here!!!!! Super easy and fun family project!

I agree,, you may have to wait 15-20 years for a "thank you" from the kids.. but it will come 

[jrebel]

Didn't want to thread jack so I made a new thread....If you cut and package your own meat, how do you package it? 

Answer on the attached thread. 

http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,162460.0.html

[ghosthunter]

For elk we take them to the butcher. Because we are in camp and it is above 40 degrees. And still hunting.

For deer I do my own.

[huntnnw]

Do all of mine...learned from helping my dad when I was a kid.

The guys that drop off their game..your fooling yourself if u think you are actually getting yout meat back

[kisfish]

Do all of mine...learned from helping my dad when I was a kid.

The guys that drop off their game..your fooling yourself if u think you are actually getting yout meat back

Please explain why you think this?