Squirrel - It's what's for dinner!

[dhaverstick]

Squirrel season opened here in Missouri this past Saturday and, after the way the turkeys had treated me this spring, I was ready to kill something. I wasn't able to go out on the opener but I did slip behind the house Sunday morning and kill these two fine young-n-tenders. The United Bowhunters of Missouri is having a squirrel fry at their Rendezvous this summer so I am stocking up on raw material to donate to the cause. The guy that fries them up does it in such a way that you just stick a leg in your mouth and pull out the bone. Good vittles!

There ain't nothing quite like the sight of a cloud of smoke on a cool morning!

Got these with my 12 gauge smoothbore. I had some leftover turkey loads measured out so I just used them; 75 grains FFF, 1 overpowder card, 1/4" greased fiber wad, 1 1/2 oz. #6 shot, and 1 overshot card.

Darren

 

[Britsmoothy]

First class :hatsoff:

B.

 

[satx78247]

My crystal ball says that there is likely fried squirrel, biscuits & cream gravy in your immediate future.

looks like a NICE smooth-bore 12, too.

yours, satx

 

[nhmoose]

I am envious! We in NH have to wait till September 1. 3 months to go.

Enjoy them! :hatsoff:

 

[Silky921]

Nice Darren. Thanks for sharing. Have to wait until September over here.

 

[wattlebuster]

Cool :thumbsup: I have to wait till oct IIRC

 

[hanshi]

:thumbsup:

 

[Skychief]

Darren, shame on you for posting this where a Hoosier can see it. You should have had the decency to wait until August 15th, at least! :nono:

Almost forgot to mention......Congratulations. :wink:

Best regards, Skychief

 

[George]

Good job. I really like your smoke picture, neat idea. Which I just stole. :wink:

Spence

 

[Docgp]

Thanks for the report, especially since I slept through the summer season around here.

Doc

 

[Dave Marsh]

I only hunt squirrels after the first frost as one time when I lived in Georgia we went hunting and ran into the "wolves" or "warbles" as they are called. Actually a bot-fly parasite in the squirrel. I was led to believe that the frost drives the parasite out. Pretty gross I'll have to say. Any of you run into that??

Dave

 

[Major Dorman]

I always wait until after the first frost to harvest squirrel and rabbits here in Alabama because of the "wolves". I think that if the summer is dry there is less chance for them to have wolves.

 

[smo]

I only hunt squirrels after the first frost as one time when I lived in Georgia we went hunting and ran into the "wolves" or "warbles" as they are called. Actually a bot-fly parasite in the squirrel. I was led to believe that the frost drives the parasite out. Pretty gross I'll have to say. Any of you run into that??

Dave

In N. Alabama where I grew up , yes the squirrels would have "wolves" in them. Usually most would be gone by the Oct. season opener. Here in Tennessee we have a Spring season I have hunted the Spring season very little but it appears the "wolves" are not as common here. I can only remember one having "wolves" out of the dozen or so I've shot in the early season.

 

[hanshi]

I was born and raised in Ga and lived there for over 62 years. I saw my share of "wolves" and only hunted in the fall. But sometimes it takes much of the season before we get frost; hard for me to wait.

They "tell us" the squirrels are still fine to eat even when they have those parasites. But like most squirrel hunters they just don't look appetizing with those things in their hides.

 

[tenngun]

I have eaten deer tartar when butchering, still warm and twitching. That said I think any game should be cooked. There are few things an animal can catch and spread to people that can survive the pot.

 

[Sean Gadhar]

warbles The things you learn here :haha: I shot a rabbit in Florida 40+ years ago and have wondered all this time what the heck was wrong with that rabbit. warbles Now I know :thumbsup:

 

[dhaverstick]

I have killed a train car load of squirrels in my time and only one or two of them had a warble in them.

The biggest problem I have with killing squirrels this time of year is it seems I kill a lot more old males which are rather tough and need to be pressure cooked. Many years ago, a good friend of mine suggested that I should "bark" a squirrel before shooting it. That's where you put your ear to the bark of the tree and if you can hear that squirrel's male parts dragging on the limb then you know not to shoot him. :grin:

Darren

 

[robinsroost]

Congratulations Darren, nicely done, :bow: A nice brace of gray's and a beautiful gun. I especially liked the smoke photo. Keep yer powder dry..........robin

 

[George]

Many years ago, a good friend of mine suggested that I should "bark" a squirrel before shooting it. That's where you put your ear to the bark of the tree and if you can hear that squirrel's male parts dragging on the limb then you know not to shoot him.

Now that's a way of barking squirrels I can understand. I've always been very doubtful of the tales of barking them by shooting the limb right under them, but this I can believe. :haha: :haha:

Spence

 

[Wes/Tex]

Now that's a way of barking squirrels I can understand. I've always been very doubtful of the tales of barking them by shooting the limb right under them, but this I can believe. :haha: :haha:

Spence

Then there's the goofy Texas guy who who let off his .72 caliber Potsdam musket at a 7 inch pine about opposite where a limb chicken was hugging it. He did a back flip and landed about a foot or two behind said pine tree and by the time I was done laughing my ass off, he'd come to and run off in a rather ragged line. It's a treasured memory of messing with nature. Think Yodels paid me back a couple years ago! :wink: :haha: :rotf: