Randy from the Mississippi Delta. Primarily making smoked venison sausage, my maternal grandpa spent his winters after the farm work was done being the community hog butcher. Cut up 80 the year he was 80. See a few from KS here, SW KS is where my parents were raised, lot of meat eaters there!
I do have one of Grandpa’s old Biro bandsaw and a humongous #12 grinder that weighs over 100 lbs.

I like to make pastrami from backstrap and also venison roasts. It seems the amount of pink salt (cure) is excessive, but I have been told that is what is needed in a brine as opposed to actually mixing into the meat as when making sausage.
I have have not been able to smoke backstrap without it becoming too dry, pastrami prevents that and since we use it for snack meat instead of a main meat course it lasts longer.
Made some gator meat into pastrami also, was almost as good as venison.

Might add that I have been told venison likely only needs about 3-4 days in brine compared to 5 for beef. I rinse after brining and then soak couple hours in water only, then change water and soak overnight to remove some of the saltiness.