Ok, it is really not that messy
1. after the kill it is best to hang your meat, everyone does it but it is essential to relax and fix the meat in the traditional hanging configuration by suspending the game. Also this drains the carcass of blood and firms the meat up, never let it lay on the ground any longer than possible.
2. Don't you just love my lists hehe
3. Let the meat age for an appropriate time, the warmer it is the less time you need to "age" it but it will help the tenderness. For example at 80 degrees maybe 12 hours, at 40 degrees about 5 days, this allows the bacteria the chance to tenderize the meat. (yes I know its more complicated than that but the result is the same) In Montana it is not unusual in cold weather to hand game for 7 days with the days at 40 degrees and the nights around freezing.
4. My preferred method of butchering is to take the meat off the limbs in "loaves" which is just separating the muscle groups off the animal. With a cool piece of meat just use a knife to cut along the white lines in the carcass and stick your finger in and separate the muscle groups from the animal. No bones to saw, and no grizzle to chew. Until you get to a bone, there is very little knife work needed, just use your hands.
5. Each muscle provides a "roast" or slice it to your desired thickness for a "steak". If you want jerky slice it thin and dry is over a fire (easiest to get thin pieces when the meat is partially frozen). I usually leave the "loaves" as large as possible and then thaw them when I know what I need.
6. You will get a lot of meat that isn't big enough for steaks or roasts, I call this "trim" and you can use that for stews or grinding into hamburger. It isn't necessary to have fat in your hamburger (the white stuff on game usually isn't fat but tallow so don't use it), the fat helps hold the burger together for grilling but we don't add that. For most meals like meat loaf, or hamburger helper you just need to add a bit of cooking oil so it doesn't stick to the pan.
7. If you are freezing the meat, wrap the "loaf" in plastic wrap, then freezer paper and it will keep for years. If freezing is not an option learn how to "salt cure" your meat and you can keep it in 80 degree temperatures for months. Google it, it is not hard you just need to be prepared (i.e. learn what a nitrate is). Another option is jerky which is super easy to make, you can fire dry it, dehydrate it, oven dry it, little chief smoker it, very tasty.
8. Canning meat is easy but you need to cook it first, put it in the canning jar, add beef broth to about 1 inch from the top and pressure cook for 90 minutes. Don't add any spices as it makes a bitter taste.
As said before it is a lot easier if you can find someone that takes game and just "help" them butcher their animal for a season or 2. I would love help if someone was interested, unfortunately my sons got enough "education" when they lived here, now all they want is to show up and mooch the finished product hehe.