Why I eat squirrel, really, by Georgia Pellegrini

How do you tell the tasty squirrels from the not so tasty ones? I might be hunting squirrel in a few weeks, the only ones I see are gray.
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Much depends on what they've been eating. Squirrel from an all-pine forrest will taste nasty. Those who are from an acorn-rich area will taste great.
 
Squirrels vary ???

How do you tell the tasty squirrels from the not so tasty ones?
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Yes, as stated, it all depends on what they are eating. Here in the Midwest, they mostly eat Hickory, Black Walnuts, Acorns and quite often, will drag an ear of corn from an adjoining field. The do have a pecking order on what they eat but will settle for what's available..

Yep I still eat them alot. I live in Buffalo, Tx. We have tons of them. Cat squirrels and fox squirrels.
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Now,
I'm seeing a lot of replies on regional squirrels and for; farmboy, what in the heck, is a Cat Squirrel?? :confused:
Also, for; When hunting in Alabama, noticed that their squirrels had different markings and colors but they were still calling them Fox squirrels. The were also bigger than our Midwest Fox Squirrel. .... ;)

Be Safe !!!
 
cat squirrels are grey squirrels, fox squirrels are reds. cats are smaller, more tender and run like the wind, foxs will just hide on a limb and are easy to shoot, are bigger and alittle tougher when theyre really mature. if you get a cat squirrel corned in a tree and he cant go to another tree he will dive out of the top, bouce twice and away he goes. you have to have a shotgun and be really fast but both are great fun, and eat really good.
 
Sqirrel and dumplins is definitely the way to go. I eat this 4 or 5 times every winter. Never stopped squirrel hunting. After we tag out on deer, squirrel hunting begins in my family. Some of us get a sick maybe satisfaction out of shooting those squirrls that pestered us on the deer stand. But really, I'm 32 and we've always deer hunted, but here in Arkansas, my dads generation and for sure my grandpas had no deer to hunt. All of their game for the table was small game so it's always been a traditional family thing to hunt squirrel.
 
Squirrels as scouts

If you are stand hunting deer or set up trying to call in a turkey and you hear a squirrel cut loose barking, get ready. He is barking at something and it may well be what you are after. Same goes for pileated woodpeckers.
 
foxs will just hide on a limb and are easy to shoot, are bigger and alittle tougher when theyre really mature.
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Good point and something to add is a fox squirrel maybe easy in a tree setting but if it makes its way to the ground he is a runner/escapist for sure!
 
While I never gave it much thought, over the years I’ve seen many more than 2 varieties of squirrel. Cat and Fox ain’t the only ones. Out west I’ve seen some really different looking ones from what we have around here. I have an idea that regionally there may be more differences than one might think.

Here, in the yard, we have Reds, down the road where I deer hunt, they’re Grays and southeast a ways they’re Fox. Cats are the smallest, gray in color and are tender. Red are a bit larger, rusty red in color and only a bit less tender. Fox are somewhat large, red fox red with a white nose or face, white tips on ears and generally have a white tip on the tail. While very edible they’re not as tender as the others, also harder to spot when hunting.

When hunting them Cat and Red are runners, Fox like to be still and hide. Most youngsters here learn to hunt by hunting squirrels. It teaches them to be quiet, sneak thru the woods, and use their ears along with their eyes. Best time to hunt them is after a rain. Every move they make provides a shower of drops.

Lord knows how many squirrels I have killed or eaten over the years. The tender ones you fry, you make a gumbo with the others. Talk about good......
 
Darn it, You let the cat out of the bag!!!

Now, can you help me with trying to duplicate a recipe, that was in Field & Stream from the early 70's?

Its squirrel baked in cider, as I recall cut the squirrel in pieces and brown in oil/bacon grease, after flouring and spices first, then place in a casserole and cover with cider (not hard, that's for later). I think a there was some bay leaf added and other spices but not sure. Recall serving with chilles cranberry sauce and wild rice (or Rice-a-roni).

Any recommendations?

What firearms you use, shotgun and or rifle? Each is desirable and have limitations, prefer the rifle as it requires better stalking and (getting in tune) with the woods.

Welcome and have fun.
 
This has not been my experience. Maybe AZ pines taste better than FL pines?
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Yes, AZ pines are MUCH different than eastern pines. Eastern pines (slash, longleaf, shortleaf, etc) are heavy on turpentine. That is where commercial turpentine is comes from. When the squirrels eat the seeds out of the pinecones, they get a good does of that turpentine in their system and it taints the meat.
 
Man, I thought I was the only one!

I love hunting the little buggers, on foot and on my horse. I have never worked an opening day in my life (resulting in loss of employment in my younger days) and would just as soon take a day squirrel hunting as deer hunting. From warm fall days to waist deep snow in the winter I'm there. It's relaxing, far more action than deer hunting, and there's the instant gratification of cleaning and cooking as soon as I get back to the house. I do hunt other small game, fur, fowl and deer but the squirrels are my favorite.
 
Its not my favorite but ive had a few fantastic dishes. Most my squirrels i harvest turn into dog food for the dobies...
 
Had Squirrel tonight for dinner, fried, then simmered in homemade gravy then threw it on a bed of rice.mmmmm mmmm mmmm. I went out shot 3 brought em back cleaned em up threw em in a salt water bath then cooked em you can't get much fresher than that :D
 
For many years I was of the opinion that Fox squirrels tasted better than Cat Squirrels. Don't ask me why I thought that, cause I can't remember. Last year, while being in a rather mild fireside 'discussion' about what tasted better, I offered to settle the issue once and for all. A few days later I went out back on my place, to an area I call Squirrel Heaven, and I shot 3 or 4 Fox Squirrels and about the same number of Cat Squirrels. Yes, it took me most of the next day, but detailed scientific testing can't be done in a rush. We already had a couple of Cottontail Rabbits in the freezer. After the cooking and taste testing, we (as a group) decided that the order of good taste was: Cottontail, followed by Cat Squirrel, followed by Fox Squirrel. If you had to add Raccoon to that list, I'd put it between the rabbit and the Fox Squirrel.

I saw that someone on this chat was from Buffalo, Texas. I live close to there and was just there last Thursday evening to meet and drink wine and beer with a bunch of old friends. If anyone heard a lot of gunfire about 5 miles south of Buffalo, that was us, prior to the wine and beer (and ribeye steaks). It was target shooting, not personal disagreements.
 
yumm

I go for squirrel often with a breakbarrel pellet rifle. i have one reason for eating them. THEY ARE DELICIOUS! greys have the meat, but reds have the flavor. try marinading them then fry it till its brown. then wrap it in foil and bake it. best meat besides goose.
 
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