I skin my birds.
When the dog brings one back, I take a small knife and cut at the bottom of the ribcage, then tear the skin open so that I can reach in and pull out the soft tissue organs, all the way up to the throat. I pull them all out and pitch them away. With my GWPs, I'd save the liver and heart and give them to the dogs as a treat. My Springer doesn't like them.
Then I stick the field-dressed bird in an empty bread sack and put it in my game pouch; this keeps any blood from getting in the pouch and keeps debris from getting on the bird.
Once home, I take a pruning shears or game scissors out. I work my fingers between the skin and the flesh and separate the two on each leg. I snip the legs bones and pull the legs away from the skin. I continue the separation up the breast to the wings, and snip the wings away from the carcass. Next I cut the neck and head off and then pull the rest of the skin off the carcass down the back, cutting the fleshy stub of the tail off.
It goes quickly if the bird is still somewhat warm. In the end, I have the thighs, legs chest and back of a skinned bird. Then I usually trim all the yellow fat off the bird since I don't like the taste.
A thorough washing in running water, drain, and refrigeration comes next.
The head, wings, all skin, and legs are often in one piece. Some years a guy who participates in Rendezvous reenactments asks for the skins to make buckskin decorations or some such.
Best wishes.
