Yes, dress it quickly as you can after the deer is killed. No running around town showing it off. You will need a pulley, a bunch of rope, twine, and someplace to hang it. And a big rubber apron and boots, 'cause you're going to be sloshing around in a lot of muck. You don't need to grind it all, just the really tough stuff, the shoulders and such. First let the blood out, that will help cut the "gamey" taste. Then cut carefully from the diaphragm to rectum
without nicking any guts. Tie off the gut with twine at the top of the stomach and the point where the intestines become the anus. Then cut just above/below the points you tied off, thereby keeping the contents of the guts intact, and you can just pull it all out and set it aside. If you've got dogs/cats, or want the guts for sausage-making later, set them aside in a bucket of water. Otherwise, start removing the various organs separately--liver for pate or fried liver-n-onions, everything else I think is good for naught but dog food. FIL eats the kidneys, but ugh, to me they taste like liver that's been peed on.
Once the organs are out, remove the head and peel the skin off and set it aside for tanning. It's better to peel the skin with a bit of meat on it than to nick holes in it--you can de-flesh a hide that has meat still on, but once there are holes in leather, they are there forever. If you're not going to have the head stuffed & mounted or whatever, get the brains for tanning and set them aside in a bowl.
Then just cut roasts and ribs and stuff according to
The Joy of Cooking. They have diagrams.
Note, put
The Joy of Cooking in a clear plastic bag while you cut up the deer, so it doesn't get messed on.
Venison Sauerbraten:
1 venison roast, about 5 lbs.
1 cup apple cider
1/2 c. cider vinegar
1/2 c. water
1/2 c. olive oil or 1 stick butter
1/2 c. brown sugar
12 juniper berries
1 knob chopped or grated fresh ginger
3 bay leaves
12 allspice berries
12 black peppercorns
1 large onion, sliced thin
1 apple, sliced.
Mix together all the ingredients except the venison. Put everything in the slow cooker or in a tightly covered pan in a 325F oven, and do something else for a few hours. When the roast is done, use a slotted spoon to put it and the onions on a platter, then boil down the sauce on the stove. Thicken it with a bit of flour, maybe 1/4 c. Add some beer or red wine, and boil again until gravy consistency. Add some chopped fresh rosemary, and serve alongside the roast. Good side dishes are mashed potatoes made with sharp cheddar and a touch of horseradish, spaetzle, or egg noodles; also, pickled red cabbage is nice with this dish.
