When trying to taxidermy a duck on your own, you have to pay attention to the smallest details and to make sure you’re doing a thorough job. Below there are various steps you should take into consideration before starting to skin and mount a duck.

Step One: The Main Incision
The first step’s goal is to turn the duck inside out, which involves taking out the meat, the fat and the skin. Make sure that the main incision is large enough to allow you to do the rest of the steps without destroying the birds’ skin.

Step Two: Skinning
The body must be almost the same size as the real body of the duck. When skinning the bird, be careful when dealing with joints and various bone in the body. As you are skinning the bird just keep peeling the neck skin away from the neck until you get to the base of the skull. This is pretty easy and I did not even need a knife. I pulled the skin back until I could feel the base of the skull. Then when you can't peel anymore, just use some sharp scissors to cut through the neck. Pull the skin back over and the head will be inside the head skin. Then cut around the bill and pull that skin back over the top of the head.

Step Three: Debone and defat
You must take the wings out in such way that it stays intact. You need this when you will mount the bird.

Step Four: The Fleshing
This step is achieved with the help of a machine, whose purpose is to get the rest of the fat out of the bird. This also requires attention and patience. After all the fat and meat is out, it’s time to go to the washing and degreasing steps.

Step Five: The Washing

Step Six: Drying
These two steps are closely related. Throughout the two processes, it’s important to keep the skin moist and flexible.

Step Seven: Putting all back together again

Step Eight: Making it look good

Step Nine: The finishing touch

However, if you find these steps too difficult for you to do on your own, you can always ask the help of professional, who will definitely do a quality job.