Squirrel Hunting (Updated with Pictures)

[Bob_VT]

Re: Squirrel Hunting (Updated with Pictures)

I have always "barked" my shots since I read about it as a kid. I looked it up on the net and found this<br />

Squirrels were common game for early longhunters, but a large lead ball would ruin the meat on a body-shot animal. To avoid this problem, good shots learned to "bark" a flattened, hiding squirrel by shooting the tree bark just under the animal's head. The concussion of the ball's impact (and often the shrapnel effect of exploding bark) would kill the critter outright or at least stun it.

It works very nicely. A shotgun makes you "pick pellets"<br /><br />Merry Christmas

 

[salty87]

Re: Squirrel Hunting (Updated with Pictures)

i'd feed those scraps to my dogs, they'd love it.

 

[txswinner]

Re: Squirrel Hunting (Updated with Pictures)

Do NOT shave the tail cause then all you have is a rat. Grew up shotting and eating squirrel til some one told me this. Yeah I know the whole chicken thing. And catfish yuck, the things they eat. Oh well turkey and ham for Christmas. It is all relative right. Merry Christmas all.

 

[technostingray]

Re: Squirrel Hunting (Updated with Pictures)

Originally posted by JamesCoste:<br /> I recently took my 10-year-old hunting (with a .22) until he gets his 20 gauge for Christmas.<br /><br />I'm teaching him the basics of hunting with the .22 and teaching him to take one kill shot (make it count).<br /><br />So far, he has killed 3 squirrels. It had been about 12 years since I squirrel hunted and I forgot how much fun it could be.<br /><br />Here's the thing. I only really like to eat the legs of squirrels. I just don't like eating much more than that. There isn't much meat on them anyhow. I want to teach my son good hunting morals, but have mixed emotions about throwing away what little meat there is on the body cavity.<br /><br />Any other hunters just eat the legs.<br /><br />Oh, I won't eat squirrel brains or any other organs. I would not make it on Fear Factor for that reason...

Well, whatever you eat don't forget to try QCs' Grape Jelly and Dijon Mustard sauce. I heard Squirrel taste like "chicken"

 

[txswinner]

Re: Squirrel Hunting (Updated with Pictures)

Techno, it actually is a little more like owl.

 

[technostingray]

Re: Squirrel Hunting (Updated with Pictures)

Originally posted by txswinner:<br /> Techno, it actually is a little more like owl.

Dang, and I been pitchin' all my owl meat to the dogs.

 

[ebbtide176]

Re: Squirrel Hunting (Updated with Pictures)

i have made squirrel & dumplins, but when i was young we always fried the squirrel, rabbit & quail, and bbq'd the dove breasts. you just don't overcook squirrel, if you fry it <br /><br />i killed my first squirrel at age 8. i cleaned them like my pop, and uncles, and grandpa did - small cut across back, insert fingers, and pull skin in two, then pull each half - up to neck, down to tail. cut feet,tail & head off, then clean body cav. i ate the whole body. didn't do innards or brains, like my grandpa did tho. <br /><br />i always liked squirrel, it had a strong nutty flavor, for some reason

 

[cpj]

Re: Squirrel Hunting (Updated with Pictures)

I dont keep the back unless I am making a stew. But, one time when we went camping, we cooked the whole thing over the fire. The deal was we ate what we killed, because we took only water with us. One of those see if we could make it trip type things.We shot a few squirrels, skinned em out and roasted them over the fire. And we roasted the WHOLE thing, head and all. You want to talk about ugly,imagine the whole critter all tan and naked over the fire.It looked like a big hairless rat, but when youre hungry, you dont care. It was tough as leather, but tasted pretty good though. <br /><br />BTW James, thank you for teaching you son to hunt. he will thank you for it one day.

 

[CN Spots]

Re: Squirrel Hunting (Updated with Pictures)

Popped a flying squirrel once. Now there's a critter that's hard to make a meal of.<br /><br /><br />spots

 

[deeep water]

Re: Squirrel Hunting (Updated with Pictures)

i keep the whole thing i 1/4 them mix 2 cups flower and a dbl tsp of peper sahke in a bag ,,,heat 1/2 in of oil and 3 to 4 min pan brown,,cut a sweet onion and lay on bottom of a thick allum pot cover onions with ribs and put larger browned squirrels parts on top add some more onion and 2 cans of new potatos choped cellery1/3 cup of the oil you browned the sq in and add water to just cover the last sq cover and bake for about 2 1/2 hrs at 375 ,, they plump when you cook em just like ball parks ,, and it works for muskrat coon woodchuck and deer

 

[Bondo]

Re: Squirrel Hunting (Updated with Pictures)

Originally posted by Stiff Nibbles:<br /> Hey, I thought a dutch oven was when you fart in bed and hold your wife's head under the covers?<br /><br />Plus I agree about eating squirrel, and if you think about it, you are eating a bushy tailed rat, which makes it even worse. <br /><br />But of course to each his own! <br /><br />

 

[JamesCoste]

Re: Squirrel Hunting (Updated with Pictures)

We hadn't been in the tree for 10 minutes after noisily trudging through the woods on the way to the tree. We had a 6-point buck walk right under the tree in which we were perched. He was less than 20 yards away. Had my son had a slug for his 20-gauge he, most-likely, would have had his first buck this morning. I had a 22 caliber rifle. Although I could have taken a shot right between it's eyes, I wouldn't take a chance at not taking an instant-kill shot. Plus, I'm pretty sure it is illegal. We simply enjoyed watching him walk around the tree for about 20 minutes.<br /><br />I think he learned a valuable lesson today. Hunting is not always about bringing home something to eat. We will be back, proper ammo in tow.

 

[18rabbit]

Re: Squirrel Hunting (Updated with Pictures)

Rabbits don't eat squirrels! 'Tain't natural.<br />

 

[aspeck]

Re: Squirrel Hunting (Updated with Pictures)

No wonder you don't want to eat the middle of 'em, that's where your shooting them! Head shots waste less meat! <br /><br />Good looking kid - very happy with his game!

 

[JamesCoste]

Re: Squirrel Hunting (Updated with Pictures)

Originally posted by aspeck:<br /> No wonder you don't want to eat the middle of 'em, that's where your shooting them! Head shots waste less meat! <br /><br />Good looking kid - very happy with his game!

I wish I could shoot them in the head. I am definitely no marksman and I therefore aim for the dead middle of their body. I'm sure most of it has to do with technique. Nobody has ever shown me the proper way to shoot. With my 22, I try my best to hold the gun steady. I honestly don't think it has to do with arm/shoulder strength, just technique.<br /><br />Any tips.<br /><br />I brace against a tree whenever possible. I sometimes use my sling around my elbow to steady the gun.<br /><br />Squirrel's are small. Their heads are smaller. A shot from 50-60 feet away on a 3" (approx.) squirrel head is too much for me.<br /><br />I've got to spend more time at the range (my back-yard) learning "proper" technique.

 

[jims plan b]

Re: Squirrel Hunting (Updated with Pictures)

hi james, madison fl. here now you got me wanting to go shoot some I have not done it in years but may be soon

 

[18rabbit]

Re: Squirrel Hunting (Updated with Pictures)

Originally posted by JamesCoste:<br /> Any tips.

Yup. Get your hands on a quality .177 cal air rifle. Headshots are very doable. You can practice just about anywhere. I used to poke a hole in a 1-gal milk jug cap and hang them from a string.

 

[aspeck]

Re: Squirrel Hunting (Updated with Pictures)

James, most of it is in the breathing. Always try to keep the same "ritual." Something like ... take 2 deep breaths, exhaling deeply. On the third inhale, click off the safe. Then exhale sssllllloooowwwwwlllyyyy. As you exhale, gently squeeze the trigger. Do not pull it, squeeze it. If you pull, you will be anticipating the shot and are more prone to jerking. So squeeze as you exhale and let the gone go off. This will greatly reduce flinching.<br /><br />The above and most importantly, practice, practice, practice!<br /><br />By the way, it is no small feat to hit a squirrel in its midsection, either. I wasn't hassling you about the shot, just having some fun - if that makes sense. Any hit on a squirrel with a .22 is an achievement. So keep practicing - from different positions with different rests - and get your shooting ritual down. Before long you will be hitting heads with ease.<br /><br />I had a friend (passed away at 80+ years old recently) who had made a practice of tagging the deer he wanted to shoot before season. He would tag them by shooting a hole in their ear! Then during season he would only shoot his "tagged" deer. Said it made more of a challenge for him. He only missed tagging a deer once - they had venison early that year!

 

[JamesCoste]

Re: Squirrel Hunting (Updated with Pictures)

Good advice. I need to practice more and try the breathing exercise. I'll work on my trigger squeeze also. This week my work schedule will allow me to shoot some every afternoon just before dark.<br /><br />Neat story about the man who tagged his deer with a shot through the ear.

 

[crazy charlie]

Re: Squirrel Hunting (Updated with Pictures)

You guts are really making me feel crappy with squirrel eating.I will eat duck,sashimi,buffalo steak,squid,octapus and even some vennison stew.But squirrel???