I was never terribly happy with the cuts, portions, packaging, and taste of my deer when it was returned from a processor. Particularly dissatisfied with the burger and sausage.
One day I was in there waiting on them to package me a butt and watched one of the butchers pull skinned, grey, dripping, deer quarters out of some dudes cooler and proceed to pile it on a table for processing. I could smell the meat from where I was standing 10-15 feet away. They sawed through bone on the rear ham making steaks. They trim no fat, no silverskin. Goodness knows what they grind into the burger and sausage. I imagined the disappointment that was to come for the family cooking that. (Yes, I realize there are some really good game processors out there)
That kind of sealed the deal for me.
Two shoulders, two hams, two backstraps and two tenderloins. Then all the trimmings. I get to decide what goes into burger. I can cut steaks. I can seperate the rear muscle groups into steaks, roasts, or burger as I wish. I can trim the silverskin and fat. I grind and season my own sausage and burger mixing whatever fat ratio I want. I can take care of it properly along the way.
It isn't that difficult. The most difficult thing is getting it out of the woods and skinning it!
Keep everything cold. Keep a spray bottle with bleach/water mix and keep your work surfaces cleaned. Get a couple good knives, and go for it.
I have a small light duty Weston grinder
A couple decent but inexpensive knives.
A food saver vacuum sealer
A Kitchener 5 lb sausage stuffer
An inexpensive WallyWorld food scale
A few tubs
Some butcher paper, storage bags, etc.
I have minimal investment in tools and have no heavy duty commercial grade equipment. But I rarely do more than one, maybe two deer a year. Our eastern whitetails aren't that big. You can spend as much or as little as you want. Heck, you can get by without any grinder, stuffer, or vacuum sealer if you want. Regardless what you spend, follow a few simple rules, starting in the field with proper care and then mainly diligence with temperature and sanitation, and the quality of your finished product will FAR exceed what you are likely to get from a processor.
Plus you get the satisfaction of doing it yourself.