A few questions about squirrels

[Brad6639]

Well I am not what you would call new to shooting squirels, Ive probly killed 2 or 300 of them over the years, but Ive never found a good way to clean them, other than giving them to a friend of mine to clean and then letting him keep the meat. I just found an old bolt action rifle at Gander mountain that was cheap, its a single shot bolt action .22 bolt action that I paid a whopping 30 bucks for, its in great shape for its age and price. Anyways, I get burned out on bowhunting after awhile, so I ussually head squirrel hunting because its easier and fun every now and then to go and see lots of action. I decided to get into it a little more this year, so heres the deal, I woudl like to know a good (and fast and clean) way of cleaning squirels as what Ive tried in the past takes far too long and gets more hair on the meat than anything else. Ive always done it like you would do a deer in the past. I also picked up a a lohman bark squirrel call that I thought could be fun to use. Would anyone know any tips to cleaning or calling them to help me out a little more. I want to keep my shots around 15 to 20 yards as I want to use open sights on this gun just to keep things simple. I will also be shooting off my steady stix. Also, does anyone know any recipes that I could try out because like I said, normally I gave them to friends to keep.

p.s, I remember lohman used to have this thing that called squirrels, carried dead ones, and helped skin them when you get home, anyone know what thats called and if they still make it anymore, Id like to get ahold of one. Thanks guys!

[Hardwood_HD]

as for calling, i dont know anything about that i never do it, now for cleaning i like to make a long cut from about their knee to the base of its leg around the private area and up to the other knee, you can ring around the legs like on a deer then pull the hide andcut the tail bone and pull the hide towards the head turning it inside out, cut the front legs off and the head, then gut it after you skin it.. im sure thats confusing id have to show ya, maybe not the quickest but it the easiest for me.. i dont have any cooking tips i dont kill too many and when i do my dad cooks them

[Bachflock]

Just so happens I have some squirrels cookin' as we speak!

Calling - a better term, in my opinion, would be locating. In my experience you don't call in a squirrel, you get it to make barking noises also then you know where abouts its at. You may, however, know which tree the squirrel is in, give a few barks on your all then get it to reveals itself. The squirrel is a curious and inquisitive animal and can't stand not knowing why some other squirrel is barking unless it, of course, if spots a threat - in this case you. So, again, you locate them, not call them to you.

Cleaning - I not an expert and I like Hardwood's suggestion. Fairly easy and straight forward. Once the pelt is off use a sturdy knife to cut through the pelvis to remove anus and intestines. Carefully make a cut from the base of the ribcage up to neck and remove any remaining innards. You can remove the head and feet at any point after the pelt is off. However, hair is an issue even when carefully removing the pelt. Go to your local grocery store in pick up a fine bristle vegatable brush. Works wonders but still almost impossible to get 100% of the hair off. Once your don't with the major work just run the squirrel under cool running water and use the brush to remove as much of the stray hair as possible. Maybe someone else has a suggestion here.

Recipes - there are a bunch out there. I love to cook so I go crazy but here's what I did for dinner tonight.

3 - squirrel, halved
4 - medium potatoes
3 - large carrots
1/2 - large onion
2 - tbls butter
2 - tbls spoons whole wheat flour
2 - cups white flour
1-3 tbls cajun seasoning (whatever seasoning you like in whatever amount will do as well)
4 - cups beef broth
Vegatable oil to fry with

Mix the white flour and your seasonings together in dish big enough to hold one squirrel at a time. If your squirrels are wet pat them dry with paper towel - damp is ok, dripping wet isn't. Now dust the squirrels with the flour/seasoning mix and gently shake them over the dish to remove any excess flour. Let them set for 10 min while you prepare the next step.

In a frying pan melt the butter on medium heat until it stops foaming. Toss in the flour and keep stirring until a thick paste forms - cook this for approximately 3 min. Carefully add the beef broth and stir constantly during this process to ensure no lumps form. Lumps won't kill ya however! Pour that into a slow cooker or 9x13 glass baking dish. Cut up all the veggies in similar size chunks and put them in the baking dish.

Now, in a frying pan on high heat enough veggie oil to cover the bottom of the pan. Its hot enough once you see little whiffs of smoke - any hotter is to hot. Carefully sear each squirrel approx 1 min. per side. You'll likely have to add more oil in between each batch. Once these are browned add them to the slow cooker and cook until tender - how long depends on your cooker. If you use an oven cook them at 225-250 until tender - be sure to cover the baking dish with either a glass lid or a good covering of tin foil.

Yeah, its complicated but good. Enjoy!

[Tominator]

Cleaning them buggers is one of the reasons I don't hunt them anymore, don't care for the taste either.

Like Devin said, making that cut around the tail and back legs gets it going, and I've found a pair of channel loks, or other pliers helps grip the fur pretty good.

[Brad6639]

So make a cut in a circle around the feet and then maybe step on the tail and pull towards the head? I had kind of thought of something like that but wasnt sure if it would work or not.

[okiedog]

Here is a video that is real close to the way that I do it.
http://members.localnet.com/~nickdd/

[Bachflock]

Love that video. Tried it two days ago - it was comical. Guess I'm going to have to practice! LOL

[dartonman]

That was a good video...ref the calling...this is how I do it, and I kill quite a bit....dont use the bark call until about an hour after sunrise...that way the audience is awake and ready for you....and bark all you want, but listen for a live speaker, and his or her cadence or pattern of barking...another trick is to rub to metal ends of shotgun shells together to imitate feeding on a nut...its a distinct sound, I find more squirrels by leaning against trees, and watching the nuts fall from the tree...they will give up their location...before the video, which was informative on skinning, my own way is to skin half way down the back from the base of the neck, to the mid body, taking a long fat part of fur off the back...then I undress them, like a coat....I take the front "arms " out, then pull it all the way off the body, including the tail bone...then I butcher it....when I rinse my squirrels off in the sink in parts, I use a paper towel or two, drie them, then use a small lighter and burn off any fine hairs I missed...have fun with it...if you keep them cool, and are not too far from Rockford, Illinois area just south of Wisconsin, Ill drive up and get em....my 5 kids and wife love squirrels............good luck, have fun, wear a facemask, and walk slow....al

[turkeygirl]

I just hunt them where the food is...have never really used a call. For cleaning, I basically make a cut in the skin around the squirrel in about mid-belly so that the skin is then cut into the bottom half and top half. I pull the bottom half down off the meat and over the feat...cut the feet off and the tail. Then I pull the top skin half up over the front legs, cut the feet off, cut the head off. Then I make a slit all the way down from where the rib cage meets down through the pelvis and remove the guts.

[Rem308]

Yep, I agree with Turkeygirl...I just go halfway down the back of the squirrel and make a cut across. (My Grandad always said to make a cut where his Belt would be). Once you make the cut, just put 2 fingers in on both side and pull your arms away from each other. The hide will skin right out, you then just pull his legs through, cut the feet, tail, & head off and remove the guts. Run cool water over and remove as much hair as possible. I then soak in iced salt water for a while, which helps remove a good bit of the 'wild' taste.

I don't call too much, but I have located them before by rubbing a quarter on the brass rim of a shotgun shell. (Saturday is our opener for squirrel season and I'll be hunting with a .22, yet I'll be carrying one 12 gauge shell and 1 quarter!)

[revhard]

I just go halfway down the back of the squirrel and make a cut across. (My Grandad always said to make a cut where his Belt would be). Once you make the cut, just put 2 fingers in on both side and pull your arms away from each other. The hide will skin right out, you then just pull his legs through, cut the feet, tail, & head off and remove the guts.

same way I do it.. its so easy its funny....

[brownie65]

they are quick & easy to clean. Spread the rear legs out., put a foot on them. At the base of the tail cut all the way thru ( do not cut the tail off then it makes it alot harder)this cut will go basically into the back or tob side of the butt whatever you want to call it. Then cut the hide on down in front of the legs around to the underside of the belly. Stand on the base of the tail & pull up on the rear legs. Pull hide all way down until you can pull the front legs out. Pull the hide in your hands (the rear legs) up. Cut the front legs at the feet & cut head off. this removes that section of hide. Next cut rear legs off & that gets rest of hide off. Might sound complicated but after you do a few, it only takes a minute.

[bowtech]

I do it the same ways as Rem308 .. always has worked for me

[Gator]

Love that video. Tried it two days ago - it was comical. Guess I'm going to have to practice! LOL

That makes two of us