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squirrel hunting?

HokieHeavyWeightHokieHeavyWeight Member Posts: 16 ✭✭
edited October 2001 in General Discussion
I just came back from the woods and shoot my first squirrel!!! When deciding how to cut up the squirrel my roomate told me the meat was no good because I shoot it 2 and a half hours ago. Is there a time limit you can keep a squirrel before cutting it up so the meat will stay good? Also how do you properly cut and skin a squirrel? Do you need to gut it like a deer right after you shoot it. I hunt in VA and it was about 70 degrees today. I had to throw away the animal except for the tail. I feel really bad about wasting an animal and any advice woul be welcome so I don't have to waste any meat again.
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Comments

  • will270winwill270win Member Posts: 4,845
    edited November -1
    I ain't never heard of such! I hunt all day long and since I leave the animal in his "wrapper" I figure he's alright. Never have gotten sick and I have eaten lots of them bushy tails. I might just be lucky but I don't see no problem. I skin out my morning kills at noon when I quit for lunch but I get to the woods at 0500.
    If you run, you'll just die tired! will270win@aol.com ~Secret Select Society Of Suave Stylish Smoking Jackets~
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  • bfairbfair Member Posts: 250 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Just don't gut shoot them and haul them around
    Home of the Blue Angels, P'colaSemper Paratus
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  • BlueTicBlueTic Member Posts: 4,072
    edited November -1
    Shoot it, pack it around, gut it, skin and quarter it, throw it in the pot around 3:30 with vegies, add the dumplins around 4:45, open a bottle of Bobs Best Reserve and dinner at 5:00. Best with two or more. Fried potatoes on the side was always my favorite.
    IF YOU DON'T LIKE MY RIGHTS - GET OUT OF MY COUNTRY (this includes politicians)
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  • NateNate Member Posts: 168 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    The best way I have found to skin a squirl is to first put them in water for about a minute. This keeps the fur from coming off the skin. Cut all the way around his belly and over his back. Then peal the skin back over the head and front legs. Do the same with the skin over the back and hind legs. Now take your wire cutters and cut his legs and tail off. Just watch your fingers around them sharp claws when you snip the leg, them little things will get ya. Cut off head, and gut. Wash off and place in water with some salt. Wash again before cooking.
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  • RedlegRedleg Member Posts: 417 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    What do they taste like? We have a bunch of them out back of my house along with all the rabbits. Seems like an easy way to make a meal!
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  • travelortravelor Member Posts: 442 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I have this hillbilly friend who once told me the best way to squirel hunt. I laughed my self silly when he told me, but he just said try and see, so I did. So here it is: Find your self a good tree to sit down at the base of where you can get a good view of the community in the woods. Be very quiet, and pretty soon the woods will come alive. Make sure you have your 22 short, or whatever you are hunting with all set with plenty of rounds..when you get your first shot, don't go running over to see how well you did. Just sit tight, and mark in you head where he fell. Pretty soon all his buddies start to get currious as to what all of the racket was, and you'l see the next little bugger stick his nose out. BANG! WAIT! BANG! WAIT! BANG! when you think you got them all, or when you are afeered you might forget where you put them all, then go out and fill your sack. Try it and you'l see, there's always enough squirel for the stew...
    keep lots of extra uppers for your ar..you can change often enough to keep the thing from over heating...what ever caliber fits the moment..~Secret Select Society of Suave Stylish Smoking Jackets~
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  • ysacresysacres Member Posts: 294 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Indian recipeDress freshly killed squirrel. To do this the squirrel was thrown in the fire to singe, Today a rolled newspaper lit and held under the animal will do nicely. Wash and scrub off hair,this was done with the ashes from the fire,Wash again when thoroughly scraped and clean the innards.Rub with lard inside and out.Fry squirrel intill brown and make gravy out of the grease
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  • Bubba JoelBubba Joel Member Posts: 5,161
    edited November -1
    HokieHeavyWeight, cut them from butt to neck, gut them like a rabbit, snap feet off, make a cut around the neck and peel skin, cut them up like a chicken....um, um, good.....Man I'm getting hungry..Fry or pressure and cook with gravy....
    I wouldn't mind being the last man on earth-just to see if all of those girls were telling me the truth....
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  • varmit huntervarmit hunter Member Posts: 1,674 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    saxon,I dont think you would care for a second helping of our Cajun squirrel brain gumbo.Down here the head is considerd the best part of the squirrel.Yes I am serious.
    A unarmed man is a subject.A armed man is a citizen.
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  • win37win37 Member Posts: 74 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Travelor ~ Your friend has it right. If you scout the wood prior to season and find the right spot. It is just sit back, relax and let them come to you. I don't hunt anymore but that is the way did it many years ago.
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  • timberbeasttimberbeast Member Posts: 1,738 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Squirrels are delicious!! I don't think it would have been spoiled in 2 hours. I skin them by, in the words of my ole' pal, "first ya take the pants off, then ya take the shirt off." Make a cut right under the tail, and through the tailbone. Stand on the hind legs, and pull up hard on the tail. This will remove most of the skin from the body, and the hind legs. Ooops, forgot, chop off the feet and head with a hatchet first. Then just skin off the rest, gut it, cut it into quarters, soak it in salt water for a couple hours, wash it with cold water, and throw it in the crockpot with onions, taters and a can of cream of mushroom soup. Set the crockpot on low and let her cook about 4, 5 hours, or until that wonderful smell drives you crazy!!
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  • mag44mag44 Member Posts: 16 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Y'all are forgetting to throw in a couple of rabbit thighs with that squirrel in the stew pot. Man-o-man! Wash down with a couple of real cold ones...
    Ridge Running in SWVA
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