Dun, I've hunted Merriam's for years. For convenience I skin them. Laying the bird on it's back, cut the skin from the tail up to the neck. Peel the skin back from the breast toward the wings. On the wings , I cut off at the first joint, a good pull will take skin right off neatly. Same with the legs cut off at the joint before skinning, a hard pull will leave a clean skinned thigh and drumstick. The head to should be removed and the skin will pull right off. A big tom like yours will take some muscle, and it works better if the bird is warm.