Squirrel hunting

[marlin39a]

Squirrel season here from October 1 to December 31. I hunt the big Alberts squirrel south of Williams, Arizona. Oak and pine fed, big and meaty. Going to use the 17 Mach 2 this year.

[Texas by God]

Fried squirrel is best if you boil them first to tenderize the meat. If cooking in beans or dumplings skip that step. Delicious Fare Deluxe. Best, Thomas.

[flyingrhino]

I've taken to hunting them with a 22 cal air rifle. What a blast!

[temac]

When I lived in another part of town I had a few pecan trees in my yard and my neighbor and trapped the squirrels and relocated them. I had trapped one that had a partial tail took him about 3 miles away and released him. About a week later I spotted another partial tail rat, caught him again and my neighbor spray painted his tail, took him about 4 miles away and released him. He showed back up, we did this to others and they generally came back. Air rifles ended the chase

[quail4jake]

The you tube vid is hilarious!
One of my favorite squirrel memories of youth was when I was just old enough to hunt on my own, 14. I had been in the woods every afternoon til dark trying to shoot squirrels under a giant beech tree and consistently missing them as they jumped from branch to branch. One day I was telling my woes to a gentleman who was doing cabinet work at our home, he was a good friend, longtime hunter and WWII vet who flew PBYs in the Pacific; Jim Judd was a man we all admired and my best friend's uncle so somehow he became "Uncle Jim" to me. After listening to my lament he asked if he could come along sometime and maybe we would shoot some squirrels behind his barn as they were plentiful and less likely to fly. I showed up at his place at the pre ordained time on my bicycle with my good old Fox but only had a few shells left, but that was OK as Uncle Jim said "you won't need that many". We took a seat on some old boxes in the top of the barn, looking out the window I saw a pile of ear corn about 40 yards away and I started to catch on to the strategy. We waited and watched as squirrels would visit the pile then scamper away and return with more friends, I asked anxiously when I should open fire and he asked "how many do you want to eat?"."All of 'em" I said, so we would have to wait a few more minutes until the pile was just about gray with squirrels. Jim looked over his glasses and told me to use my full barrel and put the bead under the squirrels and fire when ready. In a single blast it was over. Some ran, some were turning circles and flipping wildly in the air but most lay still and ready for the fryer! Our take was well over the bag limit so we dressed the rodents out in the back of the barn and I took home butchered pieces, he commented that he'd learned that trick in the war from a friend who was a USMC field artillery gunner but never expanded on it.
40 years later I can still remember the smell of Half & Half tobacco and his steady voice telling stories. We lost Jim some years ago but every time I walk out in our woods to hunt, he walks with me. Anyway that's how I learned to hunt squirrels.

[rodwha]

The you tube vid is hilarious!
One of my favorite squirrel memories of youth was when I was just old enough to hunt on my own, 14. I had been in the woods every afternoon til dark trying to shoot squirrels under a giant beech tree and consistently missing them as they jumped from branch to branch. One day I was telling my woes to a gentleman who was doing cabinet work at our home, he was a good friend, longtime hunter and WWII vet who flew PBYs in the Pacific; Jim Judd was a man we all admired and my best friend's uncle so somehow he became "Uncle Jim" to me. After listening to my lament he asked if he could come along sometime and maybe we would shoot some squirrels behind his barn as they were plentiful and less likely to fly. I showed up at his place at the pre ordained time on my bicycle with my good old Fox but only had a few shells left, but that was OK as Uncle Jim said "you won't need that many". We took a seat on some old boxes in the top of the barn, looking out the window I saw a pile of ear corn about 40 yards away and I started to catch on to the strategy. We waited and watched as squirrels would visit the pile then scamper away and return with more friends, I asked anxiously when I should open fire and he asked "how many do you want to eat?"."All of 'em" I said, so we would have to wait a few more minutes until the pile was just about gray with squirrels. Jim looked over his glasses and told me to use my full barrel and put the bead under the squirrels and fire when ready. In a single blast it was over. Some ran, some were turning circles and flipping wildly in the air but most lay still and ready for the fryer! Our take was well over the bag limit so we dressed the rodents out in the back of the barn and I took home butchered pieces, he commented that he'd learned that trick in the war from a friend who was a USMC field artillery gunner but never expanded on it.
40 years later I can still remember the smell of Half & Half tobacco and his steady voice telling stories. We lost Jim some years ago but every time I walk out in our woods to hunt, he walks with me. Anyway that's how I learned to hunt squirrels.

Nice story!

[mold maker]

I never had an uncle Jim, but figured out the same lesson on my own.
I did have an uncle Hoke that shot a squirrel with a rifle. It fell to the ground as if dead, but it weren't. When he picked it up, it bit through the end of his index finger (around the bone, under the nail) and wouldn't turn loose. He beat it against a tree but that didn't help. He finally held it under water till it relaxed.
That taught me to stomp their heads before picking them up.

[quail4jake]

Ouch!

I never had an uncle Jim, but figured out the same lesson on my own.
I did have an uncle Hoke that shot a squirrel with a rifle. It fell to the ground as if dead, but it weren't. When he picked it up, it bit through the end of his index finger (around the bone, under the nail) and wouldn't turn loose. He beat it against a tree but that didn't help. He finally held it under water till it relaxed.
That taught me to stomp their heads before picking them up.

[rking22]

When we were in high school I had a friend put one into his game vest one time. It had fallen at his feet and he scooped it up and stuffed it into his pouch...squirrel woke up about 30 seconds later,,,, he looked like a puppy spinning around trying to catch the squirrel while it was trying to get out of the vest that my buddy was still wearing. I was laughing so hard I almost passed out

[starmac]

I remember adds for squirrel tails from back in the 60's. I used to be an avid squirrel hunter, but never got around to cashing in on them. Squirrels and dumplings were good, but my favorite was pan fried like chicken (young tender ones) and smothered in the gravy made from the drippings. Got my mouth watering now.

Never was convinced to do the brains thing, though many guys I hunted with over the years did.

[versa-06]

quail4jake your uncle Jim was my Dad Jim Man do I miss him! Still walkin the woods and keep'n GOD 1st.

[Mohawk Daddy]

My father was a squirrel hunter and a great shot with 22 rimfire. He told me many times about a visit he made to Arkansas cousins who were unable to go hunting with him on a particular day, so they sent a neighbor along with him. The policy was "you shoot one, then I'll shoot one." My father shot every one of his squirrels in the head, a practice he prided himself on. The "native" as he labeled the locals shot all his through the body. After about three kills each, the neighbor said, "You're just ruining all those squirrels." Dad asked how that could be, and the local stated that shooting them through the head "ruined them." We ate a lot of tree rats when I was growing up, but I never learned to eat the brains.

[Mica_Hiebert]

Mepps is advertising that the company is paying over 25 cents for squirrel tails for its spinners. A dozen will get you a box of 22's (and a meal).

Too bad all squirels are protected in Washington state I'd like to know what idjits came up with that crud! Got 3 of em running round my yard rite now.

[chsparkman]

quail4jake

Great story! Thanks very much. I don't have any memories so dramatic, but your story did cause me to think of hunting with both my grandpas and a couple of uncles.

[Wolfer]

I love fried squirrel. The young ones are fine as is but the older ones need a little parboiling first to tender them up.

It is difficult to use all the meat. While the back legs are fine and the front legs are doable there's a lot a squirrel that ain't hardly worth knawing on for the amount of meat you get.

Some time back I took some well cleaned squirrels and put them whole in the crockpot. On low they cooked for about 20 hrs. The meat had all fell off the bone. I dumped the whole thing in a strainer and picked all the bones out. Put the meat back in the crockpot and made a pot of chili with it.
It was just pretty darn good and I used all the meat on the squirrel.

[EMC45]

I never had an uncle Jim, but figured out the same lesson on my own.
I did have an uncle Hoke that shot a squirrel with a rifle. It fell to the ground as if dead, but it weren't. When he picked it up, it bit through the end of his index finger (around the bone, under the nail) and wouldn't turn loose. He beat it against a tree but that didn't help. He finally held it under water till it relaxed.
That taught me to stomp their heads before picking them up.

I've had them gnaw my boot while they died trying to get at me. They die hard.

[richhodg66]

I love fried squirrel. The young ones are fine as is but the older ones need a little parboiling first to tender them up.

It is difficult to use all the meat. While the back legs are fine and the front legs are doable there's a lot a squirrel that ain't hardly worth knawing on for the amount of meat you get.

Some time back I took some well cleaned squirrels and put them whole in the crockpot. On low they cooked for about 20 hrs. The meat had all fell off the bone. I dumped the whole thing in a strainer and picked all the bones out. Put the meat back in the crockpot and made a pot of chili with it.
It was just pretty darn good and I used all the meat on the squirrel.

I'll have to try that sometime. I used a crockpot recipe last year with some and man there are a lot of tiny bones in a squirrel.