I have done my last three deer myself. I ordered a video from
www.taxidermy101.com and watched over and over. I even referred back to it a couple times during the process on my first one. It was very helpful for learning some solid basics for starting out. It showed in great detail how to cape the head, split the eyes and lips, and turning the ears. Unfortunately he does use the dry preservative in the video, but I do not. For my first mount I ordered a Legacy mannikin w/mounting kit from
www.vandykestaxidermy.com
It came with a pickling solution for soaking the hide and a synthetic tan oil for tanning it. The other thing I really liked about this kit was that it included ear liners with butts already molded in and synchron eye capsules, which eliminated the need for a lot of clay work around the eyes. The glass eye slips into the rubber capsule and the legacy mannikin has a slightly larger eye socket that is designed to accept the capsule. I have since used the capsules on other brands of mannikins by just enlarging the eye socket slightly.
Personally, I think that this was a great way to get my feet wet and I have since branched out a bit and started trying different things. If you would decide to order one of these kits, I would recommend ordering some extra critter clay. It is helpful to pack in and around the ear butts for added thickness and helps mold the butt into the mannikin. I would also recommend some type of epoxy for glueing the liners into the ears. I still struggle a bit with drumming, but my last two are definitely better than the first one.
It's definitely a bit time consuming, but can be very rewarding. Keep in mind, I'm not a professional and have not been formally trained, but for the most part I have been happy with my results and have received many positive comments from others who have seen my mounts.
Good Luck!