Katie,
I just dispatched 12 birds to freezer camp today and it is never fun but we all look forward to the tasty meals.  Your older birds need to be SLOW cooked so they come out tender.  They are not like young fryers.  I like to skin mine out.  I cut off the first section of the wings and the feet and discard those along with the offal.    You separate the crop from the neck and start pulling the skin down on the bird til you get to the vent (slipping the wings and legs out as you go).  Then make a cross wise cut where the breast and abdomen meet (actually just under this spot), but be sure not to cut into the abdominal contents.  you can then reach into the cavity and pull out the innards.  Be sure to get the lungs and kidneys as you go and DON'T puncture the green bile sac.   Cut off the tail and everything falls away leaving a pretty good looking (but under dressed) bird.  Chill it in cold water for a while to bring the temp down fast.  Happy eating.