This thread has pretty much covered it, except for one thing. Jordan mentioned using freezer paper, but that works best (great in fact) in non-frost-free freezers.
If you have a frost-free freezer, the reason it's frost free is it periodically melts the surface of frozen packages, then expels the moisture from the freezer. This dehydrates the surface of the meat, which is exactly what freezer-burn is.
The major reason to use plastic-wrap (or whatever kind) or a vacuum sealer is when the meat's going into a frost-free freezer. If not, then freezer paper will keep it in fine shape for years--as Jordan noted. Which is why all three of our 15-cubic foot freezers are non-frost-free. We defrost them once a year, just before the fall hunting season when we reorganize the packages, and meat wrapped in freezer paper keeps several years without freezer burn.
Freezer paper can be bought in 1000+ foot rolls for around $35 at Costco, but can also be ordered on-line for somewhat varying prices. We usually process 3-5 animals a year, not just deer-sized game but an elk or moose every couple years. Wrapping in freezer paper is a LOT cheaper, and in our experience quicker than using plastic, though we do use a vacuum sealer for odd-shaped packages, usually game birds.
I might also suggest buying a copy of my wife's field-to-table big game "cookbook," SLICE OF THE WILD, which not only contains around 100 recipes but the science of field care and meat aging, along with photos of how to butcher animals in various ways for your particular needs. You can order it through
www.riflesandrecipes.com. It's been in print now for over a decade, and many Campfire members have ordered copies, often more than one.
