# Squirrel hunting today



## kayak1979 (Jul 13, 2014)

Spent quite a few hours in the woods today. Didn't mind the light rain and while it was heavy found shelter under some hemlocks. I ended up getting two with my Marauder .25 cal air rifle. I've been seeing all of them on the ground now or on the trunk of tree while still hunting.


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## jonnythfisherteen2 (Mar 5, 2011)

Looks good. I am planning on trying to go today. I know its a little late but I dont have xbox gold right now and its better than sitting around bored.


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## kayak1979 (Jul 13, 2014)

Get out there and get them Jonny, it's a blast and even if you don't get one it's still better time spent in the woods.


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## kayak1979 (Jul 13, 2014)

Hit the old fence rows and tree lines alongside corn fields tonight and had my most successful outing for squirrels to date with 3 in less than an hour. It was a lot better than wasting time watching a certain football team lose!


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## kayak1979 (Jul 13, 2014)

Well I went out again tonight and got one and was headed back through the one oak patch and decided this stump was a nice place to capture a photo. I then heard a rustling to my right and looked up and sure enough there was another fox squirrel. I grabbed the rifle from the stump and aimed and fired. The eun jin .43 grain .25 cal pellet blasted him and this adds my total for the year up to 11. I really am getting tired of skinning squirrels! I at first was trying to skin them by cutting the tail partially and then two cuts out from that then stepping on the tail and pulling the legs. That worked sometimes, but more often the tail was just breaking off. I now have found that I get less hair on the squirrel by taking an axe to the head and tail first. Then make an cut on the middle back from should to shoulder direction. Just enough to get two fingers from each hand in there and then pull apart. This has helped me skin them a lot faster this way. I'm going to try boiling them before I bake them next time too to make sure that all of the hair is off the squirrel. Anyone have any good recipes for baked squirrel? I prefer not to eat fried squirrels.


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## jonnythfisherteen2 (Mar 5, 2011)

I have issues with that tail method sometimes. Some squirrels that died with a damaged spine split apart on me. The tail only comes off when its damaged. Id say cut up towards the thighs and stomach on both sides to aid in ease of pulling. The skin should peel right off. Try removing the feet too if you dont want them.


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## kayak1979 (Jul 13, 2014)

I've had them split apart before with the tail as well...talk about a quick way to gut them lol. Then it just makes it harder to skin when that happens because you're lost for anything to have leverage with to pull.


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## James F (Jul 2, 2005)

Skinning and cleaning them while they are still warm, freshly killed makes a huge difference. The skin is still loose. Carry some gallon ziplocks.


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## kayak1979 (Jul 13, 2014)

Do you think boiling them before you bake them would help remove any hair?


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## chadwimc (Jun 27, 2007)

There should't be any hair after rinsing them under cold running water in the sink. Am I missing something.


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## kayak1979 (Jul 13, 2014)

There will be some still after rinsing sticking. Sometimes you can't notice it but if you pluck the skin with two fingers you'll find there is still hair. It happens when you don't skin them right away I have found.


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## chadwimc (Jun 27, 2007)

Singe the carcass with a torch if it bothers you that much. Just wave the flame around on the meat for second.


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## jonnythfisherteen2 (Mar 5, 2011)

The best thing you can do is keep your hands away fron the meat when skinning, and wash your hands often to minimize the amount of fur you transfer to the meat. 
Me? I just eat it, fur and all. A little bit of fur on the meat doesnt bother me too much. Though I couldnt say the same for someone else.


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