Young ones taste better, especially early in the season.
For skinning I like to use knives like the Green River skinners with a deep belly ans a rounded point along with something like a basic Mora for cutting around the joints.
The Mora and a moderate butcher knife does for most of the rest of the job except quartering, which requires a hatchet or bolo.
For your spike, I'd give it six months in a moderately warm location, then split it and give the cut surfaces a coat of clear resin (I prefer the U.V. setting stuff - it works quick).