# Small Game Meat - Rabbit/Squirrel



## Stars-n-Stripers (Nov 15, 2007)

How much of the game do you keep? 

I've been watching quite a few videos, it seems most are only retaining the hind quarters. Tedsholdover showed also retaining the loins on a rabbit. His way he never even had to gut the rabbit!

Also, when watching a video on field dressing squirrel, one guy showed removing glands under the front leg, I don't ever remember ever having done this in the past do you?


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## Junebug2320 (Apr 23, 2010)

We don’t gut rabbits. Take the backstraps and four legs.


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## RogerS (Jan 10, 2007)

I do remove the glands under the front legs they’re about the size of a small lima bean or a large pea. I also use game shears when cleaning squirrels, it sure makes things a lot easier. I found an excellent video on YouTube on cleaning squirrels. I’ll try to find it and post it here.


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## garhtr (Jan 12, 2009)

I keep back legs and backs from squirrel and pan fry, I save the front leg and freeze until later, once I have accumulated a large batch I fry or smoke them. My dad ate the squirrel heads and loved the brains and always put the tongues on my plate for a treat. Rabbits I quarter and usually fry including the back, save the ribs for making gravy, seems like a waste to throw away any parts. Ducks and geese I breast out but save the legs for the smoker.
Good luck and Good Hunting !


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## RogerS (Jan 10, 2007)

Here’s a little heads up if you or your Dad are still eating squirrel brains. 
https://mobile.nytimes.com/1997/08/...against-a-regional-dish-squirrels-brains.html


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## garhtr (Jan 12, 2009)

RogerS said:


> Here’s a little heads up if you or your Dad are still eating squirrel brains.
> https://mobile.nytimes.com/1997/08/...against-a-regional-dish-squirrels-brains.html


 I know several gentleman that still consume the brains but Im not big on them and I don't save the heads any longer ( spongiform encephalopathies sounds very very rare and not actually confirmed in squirrels) but I always did enjoy the tongues and the cheeks.
Good luck and Good Hunting


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## CFIden (Oct 9, 2014)

My family always keeps everything. The front legs of a squirrel or rabbit have plenty of meat. Cut the ribs off up to the back strap and you get a nice little chunk of meat there too. Seems like a waste to me not to use all the animal. Maybe if I lived out west where you can shoot 20 rabbits a day (and can do it easily) I would do it but not in Ohio.


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## Stars-n-Stripers (Nov 15, 2007)

Good video for dressing squirrel out, without gutting.


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## RogerS (Jan 10, 2007)

I like that, I’m going to give it a try on my next batch
of squirrels.


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## Stars-n-Stripers (Nov 15, 2007)

Let us know how it turns out!


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## T-180 (Oct 18, 2005)

We try to utilize as much as possible from either the squirrels or rabbits. We started clipping the ribs off to get that back strap after cooking & can always use that & other smaller pieces for the gravy.


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## buckeyebowman (Feb 24, 2012)

I've always used the whole rabbit. That's the first I started hunting since my buddy's Dad ran Beagles. I never squirrel hunted and neither did my buddy. I once asked him why, and he said that compared to a rabbit they were a pain in the butt to skin out. 

My BIL started out squirrel hunting in the big woods. He, of course, has a little "trick" that he employs to get the skin off. I'll check out the vid and see if it's anything like his way.


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## dig_doug_l (Jul 25, 2005)

I like to use as much of the rabbit as possible, cut it up, then usually sear it before adding it to any sauce. Here's an immature cottontail my son got a couple weeks ago.


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## T-180 (Oct 18, 2005)

Dang that rabbit looks tasty !!!


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## dig_doug_l (Jul 25, 2005)

T-180 said:


> Dang that rabbit looks tasty !!!


Thanks T-180. My kids and I really enjoy putting a nice meal together from our lucky days in the field and streams. The rabbit above my son shot on a Saturday morning before we caught some Saugeye later that afternoon, so it was a great day in the outdoors...


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## Artdoorsman (Dec 25, 2017)

I'm going to try that technique with my next squirrel I harvest. Thanks for sharing that video.


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## chris1162 (Mar 12, 2008)

Artdoorsman said:


> I'm going to try that technique with my next squirrel I harvest. Thanks for sharing that video.



What up kayak1979!!!


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## Artdoorsman (Dec 25, 2017)

chris1162 said:


> What up kayak1979!!!


Wanted to change my username so I asked OGF to ban my old account so I couldn't access it. =) lol


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## Artdoorsman (Dec 25, 2017)

Well ogf staff said I'm not allowed to change username so I guess this will be officially my last post here guys. Merry Christmas and God bless.


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## Shad Rap (Nov 10, 2010)

buckeyebowman said:


> I've always used the whole rabbit. That's the first I started hunting since my buddy's Dad ran Beagles. I never squirrel hunted and neither did my buddy. I once asked him why, and he said that compared to a rabbit they were a pain in the butt to skin out.
> 
> My BIL started out squirrel hunting in the big woods. He, of course, has a little "trick" that he employs to get the skin off. I'll check out the vid and see if it's anything like his way.


Squirrels are easy to clean...super easy...only takes like 5 minutes if that.
Clip off front feet and head, leave back feet on, cut around the anus and through the tail bone, step on tail, pull up on hind legs and bingo...skinned...rip out the guts, clip out the ribs...5 minutes if that...I've always heard this is the way the indians did it.


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