It seems simple on paper but it's way harder than it looks. I tried a deer (screwed up with the ears), birds (kept ripping the skin) and fish (many problems). The one thing you need most of all is to be patient. I always wanted to rush and get to the finished mount. That's where you screw up. Apprentice with a taxidermist first - even if it means throwing away hides and entrails for free for a while. It's valuable first-hand knowledge.