Squirrels.

[kemart17]

Never ever shot or ate a grouse of any kind. Often wonder what they taste like

grouse is very good, in my opinion better then pheasant. wish could still find them around here.

 

[4575wcf]

Forest Grouse are kind of a cool bird. The ruffed are the most interesting. Typically you hunt them on old logging or skid roads and they just explode out of heavy cover, usually pretty close. The bigger blues you sometimes will spot roosting in a tree, and you can stalk them. By far the most productive way to hunt the blues is to drive the logging roads, and then get out whenever you get into them. Some fool hens (spruce grouse) are still to be found, named so because tradition has it you can usually get close enough to harvest those with a club. All solid good eating birds, but the younger ones are preferred. When they get a few years on them they get tough as an old laying hen.

 

[Buckskinquin]

Never ever shot or ate a grouse of any kind. Often wonder what they taste like

Pheasant

 

[Notchy Bob]

@Britsmoothy ,

The squirrel in your photo looks very much like the gray squirrels we have here in Florida. Are the squirrels you fellows hunt in England an indigenous species, or an invasive exotic?

Here in Florida, and I suppose most of the USA, hunting of most native species is generally very tightly regulated. Even squirrels. However, rules and regulations for hunting exotic or introduced species of animals are a lot more liberal. Hogs would be an example. Even though hogs have been running wild here in Florida since the sixteenth century Spanish entradas, they are officially regarded as feral livestock. I see a few red ones and spotted ones, and many of these are rather chubby. These could easily pass for escaped livestock, and of those I have seen, they are not all that wary of people. However, there must be a dominant gene for solid black coloration, a lower backline, and a sleeker build. The black ones, at least in my area, are smart, spooky as hell, and as nimble as deer. They may be "exotic," but they are very much at home here. They have become a problem, and hunting them is encouraged.

Anyway, I am interested in knowing a little more about the squirrels you hunt over there. And maybe, if you don't mind, tell us your favorite way to cook them.

Thanks!

Notchy Bob

 

[Britsmoothy]

@Britsmoothy ,

The squirrel in your photo looks very much like the gray squirrels we have here in Florida. Are the squirrels you fellows hunt in England an indigenous species, or an invasive exotic?

Here in Florida, and I suppose most of the USA, hunting of most native species is generally very tightly regulated. Even squirrels. However, rules and regulations for hunting exotic or introduced species of animals are a lot more liberal. Hogs would be an example. Even though hogs have been running wild here in Florida since the sixteenth century Spanish entradas, they are officially regarded as feral livestock. I see a few red ones and spotted ones, and many of these are rather chubby. These could easily pass for escaped livestock, and of those I have seen, they are not all that wary of people. However, there must be a dominant gene for solid black coloration, a lower backline, and a sleeker build. The black ones, at least in my area, are smart, spooky as hell, and as nimble as deer. They may be "exotic," but they are very much at home here. They have become a problem, and hunting them is encouraged.

Anyway, I am interested in knowing a little more about the squirrels you hunt over there. And maybe, if you don't mind, tell us your favorite way to cook them.

Thanks!

Notchy Bob

Hi Bob.
The grey squirrel over here was imported from your way by the Victorians in the 1800's I believe.

They brought with them a pox that our native red squirrel has no resistance to. Our red squirrel is now only clinging on in a few places in the UK.
Consequently they are classed as vermin and have no limits or closed season. It is also illegal to live catch and release some place else!

I don't eat all of them I shoot, some years the place gets over run with them but occasionally I will cook a couple.
As for recipes,,,, well I just go with the mood. That usually involves a shallow quick fry, some spices and a simmer. Then make a sauce.

The main reason for not cooking more of them is they are such a pain in the rear to skin!! Yes yes I've watched all the videos but they are still a pain to do! God sure welded their hides on well!!

They being varmints don't degrade them in my mind, short of the threat to our reds they are still an interesting critter!

 

[4575wcf]

Boy isn't that the way of introduced species! Just twenty years or so ago we began noticing the Eurasian collared doves hanging around the trees and parks in town. Now they are competing head to head with the mourning dove, the only difference being the mourning dove is still found in his usual grain and black-eyed susan haunts, and the collared dove still hangs closer to the towns. You see close to a 50/50 mix where the doves are thick. The silver gray squirrel of Oregon is also supposed to be an Eastern USA import.

 

[Britsmoothy]

Boy isn't that the way of introduced species! Just twenty years or so ago we began noticing the Eurasian collared doves hanging around the trees and parks in town. Now they are competing head to head with the mourning dove, the only difference being the mourning dove is still found in his usual grain and black-eyed susan haunts, and the collared dove still hangs closer to the towns. You see close to a 50/50 mix where the doves are thick. The silver gray squirrel of Oregon is also supposed to be an Eastern USA import.

I remember seeing thousands of the collared doves in Germany when I visited my relatives as a small boy.
It was only about ten years later that they were all over the UK!

I don't think they were introduced to the states however. I think they have found their own way there unless I'm mistaken.

 

[Gordoncourtney]

Well we are in west London, 17 miles, Hampton court palace 3 miles away...KT10 ORQ Google Earth. ..we get more foreign parakeets than anything, they are very happy chattering away, and very timid, you see flocks of them at times ..what they live on I don't know...I have never seen wild hogs, they are now around in uk, just feral pigs, they cultivate the woodland floor doing some good , friend chased in Forest of Dean, little patch of protected woodland.... Ha ha no real complaints about them ....plenty of deer across the road in hill woodland,,,,,,,Oz been there a few times only £525 Quatar airlines. Relatives in Perth. The English have a lot to answers there introducing foxes , cats, pigs, water buff camels. Dogs , goats. . Then there's the cane toads, And seems there's also a hippo up north that got loose .

And still they come, another squirrel at 40 yards, it used to be "death by double rifle" now it's " death by BSA 177 Scorpio " head shot hole as photo.......I guess life ain't so bad loosing my shotguns, at 78. but no S2 cert I cannot fire my flintlocks, smooth bore of course. Think that's 7 squirrels this week I went through a phase of eating them , had one the other day, I just cannot skin them as on utube either so my pet fox usually has one.. There's no farms around here so it does no harm to have a pet one, they eat mice and rats so they do some good, but one farmer I knew went angry and red face, " you pet fixes they are vermin" From up Yorkshire thought he would have a heart attack.....rest assured we were spending days with dogs beating and rousting foxes from their holes on NT property, alas the local manager would not renew our shooting lease, City Lady did not understand country life.!!!!!!! I did have 5 farms to shoot on , alas we all get old and farms are sold off, new comers not interested in us shooting especially with massive declines with the rabbit blood pox...

I only ramble on for our friends across the pond, it's English life ha hac God bless you all

 

[4575wcf]

My clan immigrated from UK so long ago, we cannot establish a link. Both maternal and paternal lines originated from Ulster, and most likely lowland Scotland before that. There was no one aboard the Mayflower with my surname, but the first relief ship carried one. He stayed in America and had a huge lot of kids, near as we can tell we are paternally descended. And yet, if you will strike up the bagpipes, the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. Most of my siblings and I have been DNA tested, and we run to about 50% Scot max. Personally I skipped all that and am 75% descended from their Norse conquerors. I feel a kinship to the UK, always have, perhaps blood is thicker than water. The story that gets passed around here is that the collared doves escaped cage life on a pigeon "plantation".

 

[Britsmoothy]

My clan immigrated from UK so long ago, we cannot establish a link. Both maternal and paternal lines originated from Ulster, and most likely lowland Scotland before that. There was no one aboard the Mayflower with my surname, but the first relief ship carried one. He stayed in America and had a huge lot of kids, near as we can tell we are paternally descended. And yet, if you will strike up the bagpipes, the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. Most of my siblings and I have been DNA tested, and we run to about 50% Scot max. Personally I skipped all that and am 75% descended from their Norse conquerors. I feel a kinship to the UK, always have, perhaps blood is thicker than water. The story that gets passed around here is that the collared doves escaped cage life on a pigeon "plantation".

Do you have turtle doves?
Our turtle dove is in serious decline!

I spent a lot of time in South West Scotland stalking deer.
Between Newton Stewart and Stranraer. Glen Luce and New Luce.
Not been for several years. I miss the place.

 

[4575wcf]

Our "turtle" mourning dove populations are quite good. They are a migratory bird though and the first chill of autumn they are packing up and taking it south to AZ, NM, and further. I understand they take a frightful drubbing in South America on their winter ranges by paying customers, but up here we enjoy a 30 day season with generous bag limits of about 15 birds per day. So long as the warm weather of late summer persists we get good shooting, but one freeze and it is all but over.

 

[Gordoncourtney]

I guess you are just plain Lord Britsmoothy , if the truth is know, Just funning . well equally I have been on Safari in Nigeria, did not shoot a thing no animals there, nearly got shot by mad Italians. Was there from 1978 -82 .....excuse my poor humour .I am in a strange mood Joan's Z3 just passed her mot after a few problems and new HT parts, been bit of a nightmare this last week, even using a computer. Of course it's an emetic an car with a BMW badge. I prefer my little fiat van. Far more useful

I am decided from Courtenay SE of Paris 1140 AD it seems , via Courtenay duke of Devon.... ....mother ginger hair from Sweeden I guess, she's more meanwhile Anglo Saxon ......dads mate was Scottish so he got married in a kilt , and of course I had Gordon his mates name.

We gave gone way of this string , interesting though. Whichever we wish you all well.

 

[4575wcf]

My instructor in Machine Tech classes back in my 20's was a Scotsman who held dual citizenship. Of course he picked up on my surname the first day of classes, caught me before I left the room, and asked about my heritage. I told him what I knew then, that I was a combination of Scot, Irish, English, German and Dutch. He always put a strange twist on my surname--once I told him how I pronounced it. He promptly told me that it couldna be HIS fault if I couldna pronounce me own name! And then he told me the "English" part could remain between just us. What a character.

 

[Notchy Bob]

Hi Bob.
The grey squirrel over here was imported from your way by the Victorians in the 1800's I believe.

They brought with them a pox that our native red squirrel has no resistance to. Our red squirrel is now only clinging on in a few places in the UK.
Consequently they are classed as vermin and have no limits or closed season. It is also illegal to live catch and release some place else!

I don't eat all of them I shoot, some years the place gets over run with them but occasionally I will cook a couple.
As for recipes,,,, well I just go with the mood. That usually involves a shallow quick fry, some spices and a simmer. Then make a sauce.

The main reason for not cooking more of them is they are such a pain in the rear to skin!! Yes yes I've watched all the videos but they are still a pain to do! God sure welded their hides on well!!

They being varmints don't degrade them in my mind, short of the threat to our reds they are still an interesting critter!

Ha! I thought I recognized that little rascal! That explains the open season on them in Britain. His cousins here in Florida make it impossible for me to grow sweet corn in my garden. Thank you for the information!

A couple of years ago, my wife and I watched a four part (I think) BBC series on "Wild Ireland." They had a little piece on the native red squirrels, if I remember correctly. That was a great series, very nicely done.

My clan immigrated from UK so long ago, we cannot establish a link. Both maternal and paternal lines originated from Ulster, and most likely lowland Scotland before that. There was no one aboard the Mayflower with my surname, but the first relief ship carried one. He stayed in America and had a huge lot of kids, near as we can tell we are paternally descended. And yet, if you will strike up the bagpipes, the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. Most of my siblings and I have been DNA tested, and we run to about 50% Scot max. Personally I skipped all that and am 75% descended from their Norse conquerors. I feel a kinship to the UK, always have, perhaps blood is thicker than water. The story that gets passed around here is that the collared doves escaped cage life on a pigeon "plantation".

Very interesting! Maybe "Ulster Scots" are in the mix? A lot of people in the USA call these folks "Scotch-Irish." I found this informative website a while back: The Ulster Scot Society of America I don't think I have any of the Ulster Scots in my own lineage, but I would be mighty proud of them if I did.

Best regards,

Notchy Bob

 

[Gordoncourtney]

You have to watch this DNA thing loads of crooks out there......however, this youngish Scottish guy that does "coast" on UK TV had his DNA done properly , a proud Scotsman, Well you are 59 % Chinese and the rest East African.

Most DNA comes back , from people reporting on Google, when I searched " you are Europian and some you are Jewish" strange my wife has Jewish blood from 1840 a Samual Rubin Walker that's as far back as we could get.......the pier where the Pilgrim fathers left from Plymouth is well marked , perhaps on images Google

It's a strange world.........well in keeping with this string I got another big male squirrel first thing this morning. My foxes supper.

Yes a BSA pcp pump up Scorpio 177. Preferring it to the same but in 22 They are so accurate and deadly.....12 ft lbs is all you need, the U.K. Legal limit without a police certificate.

Bagpipes a Scottish sod at our sailing club, I hear you have a big sewing machine , yes, could you sew my new bits for my bagpipe bladder up, no problem, For thanks he made me a Robin Hood style bow.....not a bad chum for a Scotsman. I fancied playing it, but did not fancy sucking on on a pigs bladder full of his spit.......

Still not got over the Z3 passing its annual mot road test, I find it a stressful time being a poor old age pensioner, but not so poor I ha to live on squirrels, might change my mind, wife Joan said I am doing fish pie, fir me nothing more disgusting, no thanks ........sorry about today's humour , I am still not right in the head. Ha ha

My instructor in Machine Tech classes back in my 20's was a Scotsman who held dual citizenship. Of course he picked up on my surname the first day of classes, caught me before I left the room, and asked about my heritage. I told him what I knew then, that I was a combination of Scot, Irish, English, German and Dutch. He always put a strange twist on my surname--once I told him how I pronounced it. He promptly told me that it couldna be HIS fault if I couldna pronounce me own name! And then he told me the "English" part could remain between just us. What a character.

 

[nhmoose]

13 days till opening day in NH 9/1. Same day as bear so bear wins out! I wouldn't eat them till the first frost anyway as then their fleas will be gone usually. (SQ not the bears)

 

[Gordoncourtney]

Just wanted to say thanks to the Polish and French guys and those across the pond , and I guess the English and scots, also on the DIY mould making string , for their kind words and most interesting conversations together with it seems great friendship, Many thanks super forum. No fleas on our squirrels, ha ha

We have a local forum , we are over run with squirrels, but shooting being contraversal in many parts of uk.......one woman called the police because I was shooting the furry things, another the RSPC came around to see how I was killing them, it'all on police record and contributed to me not getting my shotgun S2 certificate renewed, It means I cannot own guns , other than , air guns under 12ft lbs or S58 obsolete wall hangers . I can borrow and shoot others peoples guns though, always borrowed my brothers OU as for safety reasons he did not like having 16g cartrige around with 12b cartridges, I preferred a 16g pump, fast little gun great on foxes with BB shot. That also kills any shooting with my ML flintlocks or otherwise. At 78 it don't realy bother me, but I practice with my Hoyt bow and my compound bow, so I can look forward to some deer hunting, of course once again bow hunting has been banned since 1963 , so it won't be U.K., and don't think of hunting in OZ with a muzzle loader, crossbow or blow pipe, all banned there use a proper rifle. Pointless going there again.

This single rifle 14b heavyweight, 37"barrel, on the chair, , is my buffalo gun, .500 bore , I/24 twist , centre fire muzzle loader on an 1885 Swiss martini action with a set trigger. ........it rudely takes a scope, but embarising that, but it's for us old folk, that can't see more than 800 yards

I wish you all well..........happy to meet, sorry to part, but happy to meet again.........Gordon

 

[Britsmoothy]

Just wanted to say thanks to the Polish and French guys and those across the pond , and I guess the English and scots, also on the DIY mould making string , for their kind words and most interesting conversations together with it seems great friendship, Many thanks super forum. No fleas on our squirrels, ha ha

We have a local forum , we are over run with squirrels, but shooting being contraversal in many parts of uk.......one woman called the police because I was shooting the furry things, another the RSPC came around to see how I was killing them, it'all on police record and contributed to me not getting my shotgun S2 certificate renewed, It means I cannot own guns , other than , air guns under 12ft lbs or S58 obsolete wall hangers . I can borrow and shoot others peoples guns though, always borrowed my brothers OU as for safety reasons he did not like having 16g cartrige around with 12b cartridges, I preferred a 16g pump, fast little gun great on foxes with BB shot. That also kills any shooting with my ML flintlocks or otherwise. At 78 it don't realy bother me, but I practice with my Hoyt bow and my compound bow, so I can look forward to some deer hunting, of course once again bow hunting has been banned since 1963 , so it won't be U.K., and don't think of hunting in OZ with a muzzle loader, crossbow or blow pipe, all banned there use a proper rifle. Pointless going there again.

This single rifle 14b heavyweight, 37"barrel, on the chair, , is my buffalo gun, .500 bore , I/24 twist , centre fire muzzle loader on an 1885 Swiss martini action with a set trigger. ........it rudely takes a scope, but embarising that, but it's for us old folk, that can't see more than 800 yards

I wish you all well..........happy to meet, sorry to part, but happy to meet again.........Gordon

Gordon.
Be careful sir.
One person on here likes talking to the British police and I am concerned with your public announcement that you borrow a shotgun from your relative.
If you no longer hold a licence you can not have any shotgun in your possession. Borrowed or otherwise.
Also Gordon we are supposed to keep all things muzzleloader on here.
I appreciate your many and varied interests and being an archer myself a while ago I understand!
Best wishes.
B.

 

[Gordoncourtney]

Britsmoothy, thanks for your comment, I only borrowed my brothers shot gun when we were shooting together on NT lease , At that time I had an S2 licence........I haven been shotgun shooting since the lease expired a number of years ago, and indeed I have not been out shooting with my brother probably since 2012 Probably not having a shooting lease paid a big part in my S2 not being renewed. yes I agree the odd un-thought out comment can easily bring a Plod Banging on the door. Especially after this terrible incident in Plymouth. Many thanks for your warnings and thoughts from me, ears and eyes are everywhere and recorded .It's nice to chat to kind people I agree DNA should be on its own forum, but conversation helps us understand each other, and brings like minded people together.......I wish you well No squirrels today Looks like fish pie again, for me I am happy with my little lot, just an old man , no I am 35, cannot be 78, wanting to talk to others about his shooting past. I always thought you could borrow a gun under supervision even without an S2, or S1 so I stand corrected.. Must look it up.

 

[Gordoncourtney]

No my comments are within the UK laws as follows. Bit strange for those across the pond, but the Brits , to many, may be a bit strange anyway ......obviously this applies to flintlocks or otherwise so within the confines of this forum.....

The law on borrowing and lending guns
The rules are covered in the Policing and Crime Act 2017 section 130 which says: “A person (“the borrower”) may, without holding a certificate under this Act, borrow a rifle or shot gun from another person on private premises.”

Section 11(A) 
of the Firearms Act 1968 also covers this issue, and details how shotguns can be lent and borrowed, as long as all the following are met:

• The borrower of a shotgun may 
be of any age (to borrow a rifle the user needs to be aged over 17)
• The lender must be aged 18 or 
older and have a valid certificate in respect of the shotgun.
• The borrower must be in the presence of the lender; that 
is in sight and/or earshot.
• Use of a shotgun must comply with any conditions on the certificate held in respect of that shotgun.
• The purpose of the loan is only for hunting animals, shooting game or vermin or shooting artificial targets.
• The lender must be a person who has the right to allow others to enter the premises for the purpose of hunting animals or shooting game or vermin, or a person authorised 
by them in writing.p