The first thing you should take into consideration when considering to taxidermy a turkey is cutting out the breast. This is not recommend as the feathers will be messed up when mounting time will come.

Start with the scales on the drumstick. You should pay attention and try not to cut too deep into the meat, but cut straight across to the other side. The basic thing to do is to skin the turkey so that the meat is still good. As long as a turkey is not shot in the head, you can freeze it for a long time and the meat will be fine. Their tight breast will allow this.

The next step is to skin around the drum sticks. Run your hand in there and peel the skin off the drumstick. Find the joint where the drum stick hits the thigh and cut it off. Cut through the meat and then go right through the skin. Pull the skin up and pour a special type of glue on the breast and loosen the skin. Above the vent, trim it down against the meat and try to leave all the fat and meat on the carcass and not on the skin. Skin it down all the way to the ven. Cut through its inside and reach the base of the tail.

Then, lay the turkey on its breast so that you have easier access it and skin it down its back. Sometimes you can use your fingers for this, but be careful, as the turkey skin is pretty tough. You can use a stainless steel hook to skin it all the way. Stick the hook right through the middle of the back.

Now cut the big bone in the wing, which is called humerus. You have to do this as well with the chest, because all the wings and bones are needed when mounting. After going through that joint, you will hit skin, so cut wider, through the skin. When skinning down around the neck, leave the head still on it and cut the neck above the head. Then pull the tail out so that you have a good look at the wings and feathers.