Does anyone still squirrel hunt?

[carpediem]

Some of my fondest childhood memories are hunting squirrels and then cooking them up. The inevitable birdshot throughout the meat wasn't so great, but what the hell. Does anyone still hunt them? I haven't in forever, with the exception of some nuisance red squirrels. I have totally forgot how to clean one. seems like no one I know still does it.

 

[togmaster]

How do you cook them?

 

[carpediem]

How do you cook them?

My stepfather pan fried the meat, like chicken. He also cooked some in the oven if I remember correctly.

 

[Criticalt]

I do
My girlfriend and I hunt squirrels and rabbits several times a year. We like to make stews, sauses and gravies with squirrel and usually charcoal grill rabbits.

Cleaning squirrels is almost as easy as rabbits. Just cut the head and feet off, a few selective cuts and peel off the skin and fur. Or you can blanch and de-fur if you want the skin.

 

[togmaster]

It's something I would like to learn to do. The cleaning and cooking part I mean.

 

[carpediem]

Now that I have some squirrel appropriate shotguns, I would like to get back into hunting them. My Winchester 1300 Defender just didn't fulfill the squirrel gun role!

I do
My girlfriend and I hunt squirrels and rabbits several times a year. We like to make stews, sauses and gravies with squirrel and usually charcoal grill rabbits.

Cleaning squirrels is almost as easy as rabbits. Just cut the head and feet off, a few selective cuts and peel off the skin and fur. Or you can blanch and de-fur if you want the skin.

Did you notice some years ago when the rabbits were loaded with parasites? I shot one once and it was so scrawny and full of bugs I ended up burying it.

 

[Criticalt]

I have not found any parasites except for the occasional worm, we dont eat them if we notice.
We usually hunt them later in the season when its cooold.

 

[GOPerfect]

I shoot them just to shoot them. Little rats!

 

[carpediem]

I shoot them just to shoot them. Little rats!

Gray squirrels are good eating! It takes a couple to make a good meal though.

 

[Sixbennetts]

We go out barking all the time. Use your most accurate .22 and hit the tree right next to them. Stuns them long enough for a neck snap. Clean and skin. Braze them with onions until browned. Remove from pan. Deglaze pan with beef broth, and flour thicken. Debone the squirrels, chop em up, add to pan with the gravy, and toss in taters carrots, turnips, and corn.

Our version of squirrel stew! (Best if eaten with garlic Italian bread from the oven).

 

[Robin]

I par boil them, cool them in the fridge over night, bread them like chicken and pan fry them, tender and delicious. The leavings in the pan make an excellentt gravy.

 

[Eddie Gunks]

Their livers are awesome too!

 

[carpediem]

Their livers are awesome too!

Liver is awful no exceptions! That's my opinion of course! They must be small little bastards!

 

[GOPerfect]

Sorry, got way to much city in me. I have no intentions on eating them unless I absolutely need to. I have a closed mind, not willing to even try them.

 

[NirvanaFan]

I hunt and eat them. A .22 to the head makes quick work of them. I can usually get 3 or 4 of them just walking down the 4 wheeler path through the woods. I usually clean them, split them into 5 pieces, soak them in milk and then prepare them a few different ways. Bread them and pan fry them, make a stew, or braise them and finish them off in a pan.

 

[FrankenCub]

I like to hunt and eat those bushy tail tree rats. A .22 to the head doesn't ruin and meat so no picking pellets while you eat. Although if I don't find a good supply of .22 soon I'll be chewing pellets too.
Been pretty slim picking this year, I think the damn Fishers have decimated the squirrel population. Thanks DEC

 

[togmaster]

Ummmmm. Tree rat. I can't wait.

Seriously I love wild game and would like to try some.

 

[whauburger]

I like to hunt them with a recurve bow and blunt tips. Some times a .22...always good practice right before deer season .

 

[camper4lyfe]

I definitely prefer .22 over a scatter blaster. With the .22, there's no little pellets to worry about biting into.

 

[Elwood]

Sorry, wood don't eat tree rat. I've eaten some foul shit, but i draw the line at tree rat.

 

[carpediem]

Sorry, wood don't eat tree rat. I've eaten some foul shit, but i draw the line at tree rat.

They taste like chicken!

 

[Sixbennetts]

I'm tellin ya, guys. Just bark em. Hit the branch or tree near em and most times it scares em to death. No damaged meat.

And squirrel stew is a delicacy in the Carolinas.

 

[GOYABEAN]

What ever happened to the annual squirrel hunt in Holley NY i remember some dumb asses wanted to stop the hunt's

 

[NirvanaFan]

What ever happened to the annual squirrel hunt in Holley NY i remember some dumb asses wanted to stop the hunt's

It still happens. I think it's the last weekend of the squirrel season.

 

[carpediem]

It still happens. I think it's the last weekend of the squirrel season.

They actually allow an organized slaughter of poor, defenseless squirrels?!?

 

[Catskillkid]

I cut my hunting teeth on squirrels and chipmunks as a little one. A buddy of mine occasionally makes a stew out of them. Not bad if I do say so myself.

 

[Catskillkid]

They actually allow an organized slaughter of poor, defenseless squirrels?!?

I had a college professor once tell us that out west they "hunt prairie dogs for sport" like it was a terrible thing. Whole class seemed disgusted with it (poor defenseless creatures and what not). When I visited my uncle in Wyoming that was one of our main activities. Let me assure each and everyone here. Prairie dogs are not an endangered species. And we shot a lot of prairie dogs.

 

[Criticalt]

Sorry, got way to much city in me. I have no intentions on eating them unless I absolutely need to. I have a closed mind, not willing to even try them.

I just might have to eat you then.

 

[Criticalt]

I had a college professor once tell us that out west they "hunt prairie dogs for sport" like it was a terrible thing. Whole class seemed disgusted with it (poor defenseless creatures and what not). When I visited my uncle in Wyoming that was one of our main activities. Let me assure each and everyone here. Prairie dogs are not an endangered species. And we shot a lot of prairie dogs.

Kill or be killed!!