Rabbits, Hares, and Squirrels- Oh My!

[Ptaylor]

#4577

Do any of you think it is important to keep the wind in mind while hunting small mammals? I rarely hunt small game, but decided to take a walk today and look for cottontails and jackrabbits. I was so out of my element that at first I didn’t even consider the wind and had been walking straight down it. But I’m not sure if it matters, what is your opinion?

Also (2 threads to this topic)- I cooked up a couple western gray squirrels this afternoon. I made an oak-fir fire, let it burn down to coals, then cooked the squirrels on a grill about 9 inches above the coals for an hour. The outside crisped then the inside steamed in its own juices. I’ve never eaten gray sq. so wanted to taste the meat, i. e., no marinade. They were delicious! I think if I had been marinading them as they cook, they would be amazing.

Anybody have good squirrel/rabbit recipes?

preston

[Doc Nock]

#31881

NO expert by any means…and most small game was with a 22 and shotguns so may be different than sneaking into bow range…but with small prey like that, I always got the idea they were more tuned into noise and motion. FWIW.

As for recipes, I love squirrel/ rabbit “pot pie” we call in in PA Dutch Country… cut into major parts, then par-(partial) boil in salt water with onion or garlic and parsely…till about cooked. PUll out meat and let cool. Put pot pie noodles and diced taters in water you cooked the animals and let simmer/boil till soft. Add chopped celery to pot to soften

Pull meat off the bones and reserve. When taters are nearly soft, add back meat and let simmer covered. Splash of white dry wine can add a new dimension.

Enjoy a rib-sticking dish.

[mhay]

#32415

I can’t recall ever spooking a rabbit due to my scent ,,,,doesn’t mean it didn’t happen I suppose . But , I know for a certainty that squirrels will high tail when they get a nose full.

Rabbits , like any other haired over and wild critter will bed down with their butt toward the breeze and eyes to the downwind . I have found that by moving into or across the wind slowly and looking for little dark ,rabbit size holes in the brush they can be spotted . Sometimes all that can be seen is the dark hole . Always looking for that little black dot , EYEBALL. Of course snow is always helpful in picking out the dark spots .

[cyrille]

#32523

“youtes” either got all the rabbits in the vicinity or chased them to a safer area. In any event squirrel stew is yummy also. 1st kill the squirrel then skin it, disembowel. cook in salted water or chicken stock [w/ no salt] with pepper or tony cherie’s carrots, onion, celery , parsley cumin,(for gravy) serve over rice No I don’t use potatoes, thus the cumin Just got “fed- up” with potatoes while in the Navy, so I refuse to use them in my recipes.

[William Warren]

#34164

Just let me know if any of you have seen me post this before. I’m beginning to repeat myself. 😀 A lot. But anyhow an old friend whose son I used to do a lot of squirreling with, once said with conviction, as we sat around his kitchen table enjoying steaming plates of fried squirrel, mashed potatoes, gravy and cathead biscuits all prepared by his very talented wife, that it “should be a crime to prepare squirrel any other way but fried, with mashed potatoes, gravy, and biscuits”. And I heartily concur along with plenty of sweet tea to wash it all down with.

[Bruce Smithhammer]

#34258

Duncan wrote: …. that it “should be a crime to prepare squirrel any other way but fried, with mashed potatoes, gravy, and biscuits”. And I heartily concur along with plenty of sweet tea to wash it all down with.

I’m in. That sounds delicious.

[tailfeather]

#35377

I’m finna get real serious with the squirrels now that deer season is almost over. I do love them fried with gravy like Duncan said….especially with a side of grits. But I’ve had a real hankering lately for squirrel gumbo. Oh, mercy!:D

[William Warren]

#35456

Oh yeah, grits works too. With salt n pepper and a pat of butter.

[cyrille]

#39082

I truly enjoy grits and eggs most any time. But grits & gravy just doesn’t cut it for me. 😯 Not bad, just not my favorite grits dish. Now rice & gravy that’s a whole nother ball game!

[grumpy]

#40368

What are grits??

[William Warren]

#40436

[quote=grumpy]What are grits??[/quote

Ground hominy which is corn, but I won’t get into the details of how corn becomes hominy. Anyway thought everybody knew about this staple of the South. Similar to cream of wheat except not ground as fine. We don’t generally add sugar to ours although I have had them creamed in South Carolina and they were sweet. Everything is served with grits in SC.

[mhay]

#8226

Yesterday evening I put 3 young greys in a crock pot , with ‘tators , diced onion , celery and carrots . A little salt and black pepper .

The spouse of the house just gave me one of those ” COW LOOKIN’ AT A NEW GATE ” stares as I dished out the stew for breakfast . She doesn’t know what she is missin’.

[Ralph]

#8238

Me too on a repeat:). If you have a recipe for chicken and rice casserole, just substitute the the chicken with your small game, squirrel,rabbit, pheasant, etc. You might want to not use the cream of chicken soup and use double on the cream of mushroom or one can cream of mushroom, one can cream of celery. Lots of variables here. Makes everything really tender and sooooo good.

[Jason Wesbrock]

#8325

I’ve never paid any attention to the wind when I hunt small game. With squirrels, I’m more concerned with keeping the sun behind me than anything else. Trying to locate them in trees with the sun in your eyes isn’t easy.

On the subject of recipes, portioning them up and slow cooking in a crock pot with some creme of mushroom soup is excellent. Breaded and fried with onions is really good too.

[mhay]

#8328

Oh Yeah!

My good friend and hunting pard just came in on his 4 wheeler and plow to push out the snow and ice we got during the night . He came in to get warm and devour a plate of the stew . Now he’s on his way home to thaw out some of his squirrels .

[Author]

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