cool air an' squirrels

[mhay]

#2833

Hard to believe it is the middle of September already . But here it is and the forecast is calling for a low in the 40’s. So , even though most of the squirrels will stay up in the tops and rain their CUTTIN’S down on me , there is always a grey on the ground somewhere .

Hopefully , it’ll be squirrel n dumplin’s for supper on saturday . If I can manage to shoot like I did this evening I just might get it done . If that cool air aggravates my arthritis ,very doubtful . It’ll be good just to be in the woods for the first time this fall.

[Doc Nock]

#13512

Cant see w here yer from by your post, but you gotta be down South somewhere to have squirrels open already!

We have to wait for near a month yet! I keep wanting to try that slick method I see in utube videos for skinning but standing on their back feet, etc.

Is there anyone anymore that ole Arty Ritis has come to be an unwelcome visitor? Could be a lot worse ailments, but he sure makes mine and lots of others lives just plumb miserable!:evil:

[mhay]

#13852

season opened Sept. 1st ,,,,,I live in southern Ohio, 35 miles north of the River and Maysville Kaintuck

[Doc Nock]

#13954

That’s excellent. In fact, I believe it was the OH game dept that put up a video I saved on squirrel skinning! There or VA. If it works, great idea! I tried it on one critter I got accidentally once but the back hind quarters pulled off! 😯

Very fortunate to have an early season like that! Good luck!

[mhay]

#14035

Well it proved to be a fine morning . The air was cool for certain with a steady breeze from the east .

Made 3 shots . 2nd arrow had tail hair on it ,,,found no blood . Had I taken the squirrel rifle I no doubt would have filled my limit .

Around 9:30 a nice buck came in with the wind , from a soybean field . Once inside the cover of the woods he simply stood in one spot and surveyed the place . I was around 45 -50 yards away at the edge of the thick stuff . After 30 minutes I shot at number 2 squirrel and the buck caught me moving but did not spook . He would walk toward me and then walk away . 3 times he did this before he eventually left for the soybean field .

It was lousy shooting on my part ,,,,,,,,,,,,,BUT IT FELT GOOD!

My good friend Jon , undresses squirrels in the fashion you have mentioned . He tried to show me and I have tried , only to dismember the poor varmint. I guess I’ll stick to the old method .Been doing it for 43 years with no problem .

[Stephen Graf]

#14200

Nothing beats a good pot of squirrel stew!

I’ve seen them skinning video’s and can’t say it looks all that reliable.

I just split the skin on their back, slip my fingers in and get a good grip and pull the skin for and aft. When I get it to the head, I cut the head and front feet off. To the tail, I cut that and the back feet off.

Rarely do I get hair on the meat.

[mhay]

#14252

Yes sir , ‘at be the way I do it too.

Getting ready to return to the woodlot and try again .

I was gonna take the 22 this evening but there is a ‘HIPPY FEST’ going on down the slope from the woods about 1/4 mile . I trust my judgment and shooting abilities but do not want any interruptions due to some bonehead calling the law because he heard a shot , and ruining my hunt . So it’s back with the recurve ,,,,,,,,,which I much prefer.

Majority of the OLD hippies are from Cincinnati and Dayton.

[William Warren]

#15653

Wish squirrel was in in NC already. Hate waiting til Oct.

[Ben M.]

#15747

Gosh guys, squirrel opens here June 1st and runs til the end of Feb. They only live in the eastern third of the state but they’re pretty thick. Have red, grey, and black (melanistic red).

[jmsmithy]

#17328

Ben M. wrote: Gosh guys, squirrel opens here June 1st and runs til the end of Feb. They only live in the eastern third of the state but they’re pretty thick. Have red, grey, and black (melanistic red).

How are the reds for table fare? Got plenty of yummy chubby greys here in Jersey but at my place up north in the Adirondacks we have predominantly reds….

[Greg Ragan]

#17330

Got a grey while deer hunting Sat….

Hopefully be out again Thurday for squir…..err….I mean deer hunting:oops:

[mhay]

#17336

fine looking rig there Hooking,,,,,da’gum fine shot too

[James Harvey]

#17643

Must have been some slick shooting mate, well done 😀

[Ben M.]

#21766

Jmsmithy wrote: How are the reds for table fare?

I think they’re tasty. Slow cooking is mandatory and we usually debone the meat and serve it as chipped BBQ on a sandwich bun. I made the mistake of pan frying a squirrel once. Turned out like meat flavored bubble gum. Chew…chew…chew…

[Doc Nock]

#21781

When we say red squirrels, we’re talking about those li’l red suckers that chhhhhhihiiiattter at you in the pine woods?

Not the large reddish-orange colored fox squirrel, right???

We call those li’l red devils “piney squirrels” cause in my area, they seem to only inhabit the pine woods…

Ate one ONCE—:shock: Tasted like chewing on a pine cone… GAK… or gargling with turpentine!

Love Fox and Grey squirrels though… simmer and then let cool, pull the meat off the bones, but being a PA “DUTCHMAN” I throw in Pot Pie noodles, taters, celery in the broth I cooked the meat, let it soften then throw the de-boned meat back in: Squirrel pot pie!

[mhay]

#21841

I have heard of those red pineys . They are north of me about an hour or so . We have the fox and greys here . Mostly greys .

The greys here at present have put on the winter hair already ,,,,,as well as the deer .

I put an old fox squirrel in the slow cookin’ crock one time , with a can of Campbells cream of mushroom soup . Had it on low for the day while at work . Very tasty and tender as crappie !

We just had a front come thruough and the temps will be in the 70’s today and t’morrow . If I can get my chores done I hope to be in the woodlot this weekend . If my shooting holds up like the past couple days ,,,and can catch ’em on the ground I might just have the meat and some tails for my own FUR FLETCH test .

Deer seaon opens next Saturday. Except for buying the tag I am ready .

[Ben M.]

#21855

I’m talking about fox squirrels. The regular reds and some melanistic blacks live in my area. There are greys in Kansas but, as far as I know, their range ends in the extreme eastern part of the state near the Missouri border. I’ve hunted them in Kansas City but man those buggers are fast. The fox squirrels move in slow motion compared to them. Haven’t hit a one yet.

[mhay]

#21871

After the leaves drop and the greys spend more time on the ground hunting should improve . Hope to get in some good shooting while fall turkey hunting on the public land . I’ve seen as many as a dozen on the ground at one time ,,,probably less than a half acre .

Like the Eastern Turkey , those greys like the cedar, hardwoods transistions , which makes stalking a lot quieter .

[Doc Nock]

#21924

Ben M. wrote: I’m talking about fox squirrels. The regular reds and some melanistic blacks live in my area. There are greys in Kansas but, as far as I know, their range ends in the extreme eastern part of the state near the Missouri border. I’ve hunted them in Kansas City but man those buggers are fast. The fox squirrels move in slow motion compared to them. Haven’t hit a one yet.

Whew! NOw I feel better! I thought if any one eats piney reds, they’re HUNGRY!

Then I thought their diet might differ in different states. I’ve known them here to be exclusive to piney woods, and in MT. Never saw many in where I hunted in upstate NY and down in VA when I lived in those areas.

Fox squirrels can be HUGE! Neighbor shot one that was super sized…he and his wife cooked it for hours and it never got tender! She wouldn’t let him bring anymore home! 😆

I’ve shot greys and fox both, never but once with a bow, but they always seemed a trial to skin!

[Ben M.]

#22109

Doc Nock wrote: I’ve shot greys and fox both, never but once with a bow, but they always seemed a trial to skin!

Squirrels are surprisingly rewarding to hunt with the bow. When you shoot one with a .22 or a pellet gun you think, “Huh, not a bad shot.” But when you shoot at them over and over with the bow you come to appreciate just how hard squirrels are to kill. Slick as snot and fast as lightning, they’ll almost surely dodge your arrow. The reward of bringing one home with an arrow can be on par with bringing home a whitetail.

[Doc Nock]

#22114

Ben,

OUr squirrel and whitetail bow season overlap. Add to that our squirrel comes in as the whitetail hunting heats up.

I shot one once with a muzzy, broke it’s shoulder I guess. It flipped around like a head shot chicken… when I climbed down from my stand to retrieve it, it jumped up and ran up a tree… on 3 legs.

Then it ran down the tree, across the road so fast & onto posted ground, I couldn’t believe it. I threw out all my Muzzy heads!

To shoot one with a broad head in a tree would seem irresponsible. ON the ground, it’s curtains for a good head with our rocky soil. That and just disturbing the woods when I’m after whitetail makes me hesitate.

I pretty much gave up hunting small game which is in the latter parts of archery deer season… for obvious reasons.

Those with early squirrel, I’m sure it makes for some very stimulating pre-season outings!

[mhay]

#22167

That’s a fine lookin’ recurve Ben .

[Author]

Posts