Squirrel Hunting

[hehz0r]

It looks like I am heading to an SWA an hour west of me for some solo squirrel hunting this Friday. Since the area is shotgun only I will be bringing a 20 gauge 870 with some #6's that I have lying around. Are there any tips you guys can give me, and if I bag some how do I clean them?

[pumpkinheaver]

I pattern my gun at various distances with the load I'll use. I try to kill the squirrel with the edge of the pattern so to reduce the amount of pellet damage to the meat.

[12-34hom]

Squirrels are rodents - don't eat rodents.

Would you eat a ground squirrel????

Ackey poo.....:barf:

12-34hom.

[Trip20]

hehz0r - if your solo hunting, I recommend doing a lot of sitting still and watching rather than hiking through the woods hoping to spot some movement. Both ways work, but I've had the best luck sitting at the base of a tree trunk as still as possible. If that particular spot isn't productive after 5-15 minutes, I move on. Sometimes I stay longer, sometimes less.

If a squirrel is runs around to the other side of the tree there's no sense in chasing it; you'll be doing laps for a good while. Instead, while you're standing on the other side, grab a rock or branch with your trigger hand (this is the least cumbersome way for me). Shoulder your rifle, and then under-hand toss the object on the other side of the tree where the squirrel is hiding. This usually makes the squirrel run around to your side where you can get a decent shot.

If you wish to learn to clean a squirrel, click here. That link leads to a a multitude of ways to clean squirrel.

One tip I'll give you is to keep the squirrel wet as possible while you skin it. This will help keep hair from getting onto the meat (which can be a pain to remove).

When I clean squirrel, I do so outside with my hose running. I constantly water the squirrel down through out the process. Before I make any cut at all, I drench the squirrel down while massaging it from head to toe in order to get it as wet as possible, and to wash away any loose hair or other debris.

Good luck, be safe, and have fun.

[Anthony2]

I've found that if they are on the ground whistle...
IME, whistling grabs their attention and they stand on their hind ends, thus providing a perfect shot.

+1 for patterning....make that a high priority before going hunting.

Depending on the time of the year, squirrels are good eating. They make great casserole.

Good Hunting.

[Trip20]

I wanted to post this in my last post but couldn't find the link. After some more digging, I found it.

Here's a vid of a seemingly easy way to skin a squirrel. I tried it last year for the first time -- I was unsuccessful. I intend to perfect this approach during this upcoming season.

[hpg]

=1 on Trip20

This time of the year with leaves still on the trees, they are tough to spot. Stay put and wait them out.

Squirrels haven't started cutting on any nuts around my area yet. Gum trees are usually the 1st ones they cut on here. Too early for Gum.

Just stay still and don't move around much... hpg

[swampdog]

Squirrels are more active, early and late. If you are sitting still you can locate squirrels with your ears. Calm days definitely help.
I haven't shot a squirrel with a shotgun in years. I hope you have a good dental plan. I like a .22 and try to take head shots. It's a shame you are going to a shotgun only area.
Try a recipe for chicken and dumplings with it. Yum. If you fry it you need to parboil it first or it will be tough.
Squirrels can have parasites this time of year. If it got red sores on its body, I wouldn't suggest eating it.
Squirrels will usually become active 15 to 30 minutes after you settle down. Don't sit in the same place all day if you are not seeing any.

Have Fun

[lil_bro]

What I do to make squrrels tender is soak them overnight in a 50-50 apple cider vinegar and water mix.I've also heard that lemon juice works but I have never tried it.


Michael.

[Oregongundude]

I have hit a few with my car recently leaving my driveway by accident. I was wondering are they good eating. I have some Rabbit and Squirrel shot for my 12 gauge. I have big cotton tail rabbits all over my property, my wife consider them pets and she won't let me shot them. I have eaten Rabbit before and it's good to eat.

It would be interesting to know if there good eating like rabbits? Someone told me they were high in Cholesterol.

[lil_bro]

Originally Posted by Oregongundude

Someone told me they were high in Cholesterol.

Snice when does that matter???


I think they are good eats.
After soaking them,bake them in that nice Kraft hot&spicy shake&bake stuff you can get a wal-mart SO GOOD!!!


Michael.

[VirgilCaine]

Bushy tails are great table fare. Bone out the hind quarters and peel out the loin straps, the rest is not worth the effort. I wait til I have 10-12 in the freezer then make a stew, or pie out of them. They are very good fried, but can give off an odor that turns some people off, tho' it's not present in the meat.

I "still" hunt them early in the morning, facing the rising sun and try to catch movement.

Sounds like fun to me.

[maas]

my squirrels seem to field dress themselves but then again i use a 22-250.
as far as eating them i hear there pretty good in the three rodent stew. squirrel, rat, and raccoon.

[Wild Bill Bucks]

They are very good eating, but a pain in the A__ to clean. I cut mine across the back with a knife and work my fingers under the skin and peel from the middle to both ends, pulling the skin down past the ankles and cutting off the feet and head. Put them in an oven after SHAKE AND BAKE (chicken flavored or pork if you prefer) for about 20 minutes, and they are pretty tender.

[garryc]

Would you eat a ground squirrel????

yes, ate it in survival school. Actually it wasn't bad.

[12-34hom]

Would you eat a ground squirrel????


yes, ate it in survival school. Actually it wasn't bad.

+1 Garryc...

I've eat rabbit, so i guess i ain't got much to talk about....

12-34hom.

[DobermansDoItGoofy]

I like squirrel hunting and it's relatively 'safe' and 'easy hunting'. I prefer a .22 rifle but have used a shotgun and a Benjamin Air Rifle too!(the air rifle requires careful shot placement of course but clean one shot kills are the routine!) Squirrels are delicious and easy to clean/prepare(I'd rather clean a squirrel than a rabbit ie. I've encountered a few flea-infested rabbits...)
Supposedly the original meat-ingredient of authentic 'Brunswick Stew' is squirrel meat - not chicken. However, there seems to be a stigma in regard to squirrel ie. I know a person from Eastern Europe who was somewhat horrified by the idea of my actually ever eating a 'squirrel'(there they tended to be red haired friendly 'pets of the park') but this same person was quite fond of rabbit. It's weird when you think about it ie. bison/cattle/lamb is more 'intelligent and sensative than squirrels or rabbits and people will eat'em up without a 2nd thought...but when it comes to squirrels and rabbits
- these same lamb and cattle eaters will stop and say 'I could never eat such a cute little thing...' Oh well, I suppose possum would be a sort of in-between compromise?

[littlmak]

I haven't hunted squirrel for some time but I used to as a kid on G-pas farm with a .22. I would think a 20ga. would be a bit too much for a bushy tailed rat. If you want to give them a sporting chance or you just want to shoot at moving targets. See if one of your friends has a .410 you could bum for the day. It'd be a whole lot easier on the top of the shoulder not to mention lighter carry and quicker aim and follow.

[nico]

bison/cattle/lamb is more 'intelligent and sensative than squirrels or rabbits and people will eat'em up without a 2nd thought...but when it comes to squirrels and rabbits
- these same lamb and cattle eaters will stop and say 'I could never eat such a cute little thing...' Oh well, I suppose possum would be a sort of in-between compromise?

I don't know about cows. I helped out on my campus farm in undergrad and they were pretty stupid. Add to that, the herd (at least 30) of cows that decided to sit and moo at me for about 45 minutes last year during deer season, and I don't think I'd call them intelligent in any comparison.

About possum; the two possums I've run into were mean little SOBs. I'd have no guilt eating them.

[Bigfatts]

Here is a great forum for hunting/cleaning tips:

http://www.gutpilestyle.com/

And the how-to with pics on Squirrel cleaning:

http://http://www.gutpilestyle.com/F...p?topic=1968.0


MMM... Tastey...

[USNairman]

My favorite way to eat squirrel is to fry up the meat and then use the grease to make gravy and then serve the meat and gravy with biscuits. yummm - I have about a week and season opens here - I can't hardly wait.

[arizona hunter]

Clean it as soon as it's dead-much easier to skin that way. I always wear a medium back pack and bring water to drink and to wash the animal after skinning it.

[Death from Afar]

WHat does squirrel taste like ? ( Apart from chcken that is)

I once saw a video of some brits doing Squirrel fishing which involved a rod, a reel, and line baited with an acorn ( no hook though )

[Ohio Annie]

Don't believe that "squirrels are rodents and therefore don't taste good" malarkey. Squirrels mostly eat nuts, where I hunt they are mostly white oak and hickory nuts. Squirrel meat is delicious and very low in fat, tastes a lot like wild hassenpfeffer.

I sear the meat in some oil, deglaze the pan and then braise the quartered squirrel in stock (water with chicken bouillion works well). When the meat is tender, reduce the stock and serve on your favorite starch food. For the snootier set if you want to impress people, serve with sourdough bread and tangerine slices and a red wine.

[FirstFreedom]

Squirrels are rodents - don't eat rodents.

Really? How do you figure?

"Deer are ungulates - don't eat ungulates."
"Crow are birds - don't eat birds."

Makes about as much sense, IMO.