ASSISTANT UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA BASEBALL COACH- LANCE HARVELL 

Do not gut the bird. Rinse off and blood on the feathers with water.  Take the bird immediately to you taxidermist or freeze it. Put the bird into a plastic bag for freezing being careful not to damage the feathers, including the tail (Sliding the bird head first into a nylon stocking is also very effective for protecting the feathers and keeping them in order).  If the bird's tail feathers do not fit in the bag do not bend them. Let the tail stick out of the bag and tie the bag loosely.