Uhh.. what, pray tell, do you do with them? (please don't say eat'em, please don't say eat'em)

When we go out "squeeky" hunting (not squirrels, but close) we use .22 rifles. Makes for a fun afternoon. By the smiles on your faces, it looks like you had fun too.

Zhur

Originally Posted by zhurdan

Uhh.. what, pray tell, do you do with them? (please don't say eat'em, please don't say eat'em)

When we go out "squeeky" hunting (not squirrels, but close) we use .22 rifles. Makes for a fun afternoon. By the smiles on your faces, it looks like you had fun too.

Zhur

??? have you ever tried squirrel? If prepared correctly it is a very good meat!
Nice shootin!

They are very tastey Zhurdan. As the saying goes; Try it you will like it.

Congratulations Nuke.

Tastes like chicken.

They are absolutely delicious. After I got home, I skinned and cleaned them and left them in the fridge a while so I could go shopping. I came home and boiled them for 1.5hrs with about 3-4 inches of water in the bottom of the pot and added a bottle of Sam Adams Cherry Wheat and some Tony's Greek seasoning. While they were boiling, I soaked some Mesquite chunks in water to smoke them on my grill. After the boil, i gently took them out of the pot and threw em on the grill with a generous layer of Jack Daniels No.7 BBQ sauce. Smoked them for about an hour and it was glorious. They taste like BBQ chicken, only slightly more chewy. Nothing like enjoying a perfect sunrise and slaughtering your dinner. Oh and not a single BB in the meat, both head shots, one on the move. This was the first time I have hunted squirrel in about 10 years. I wish my dad could have been here for old times sake.

That sounds great! I like to take them and slice the meat as thin as I possibly can. I then dip each side into flour and flash fry into a pan with heated oil. Very good...like a chicken cutlet.
Put a little lemon on it and your set. I like to eat it medium to medium rare.

I'm with Zhurdan, the hunt sounds entertaining but the thought of eating a rodent is not appetizing to me.

Originally Posted by unpecador

I'm with Zhurdan, the hunt sounds entertaining but the thought of eating a rodent is not appetizing to me.

Rabbits are rodents also and if you have never eaten any you are missing a tremendous food source. Wild or domestic are great. They aren't just for kids on Easter. My Grandfather used to raise and sell Rabbit meat commercialy and it was much better than chicken.

Originally Posted by TOF

Rabbits are rodents also and if you have never eaten any you are missing a tremendous food source. Wild or domestic are great. They aren't just for kids on Easter. My Grandfather used to raise and sell Rabbit meat commercialy and it was much better than chicken.

I don't think rabbits are considered to be part of the rodent family but anyway, I have never eaten rabbit meat but I would be more inclined to. There is a very large tree in my backyard that is a haven for squirrels and rats.

Yep, rabbit is good eating too. Taste like chicken.

Looks like a great time was had by all; good to see. Makes me fondly recall hunting squirrels with my brother as a kid with a Ruger Single Six .22 revolver.

Squirrel is great meat, I usually take 20 or so per year and we have a couple big dinners from the meat I bring back. I was always tought that you don't hunt squirrel with a shotgun, however, and I was surprised to see yours in the pic. We only use .22 rifles. Either way, there's certainly nothing wrong with eating squirrel

It's great to eat if cooked right. We like to slow fry them in a skillet. Better than rabbit IMO.

BTW, a .22 is the best to hunt with so you don't have to clean out all the shot. I use .22 for rabbit too, but sometimes the terrain demands a .410.

Originally Posted by unpecador

I'm with Zhurdan, the hunt sounds entertaining but the thought of eating a rodent is not appetizing to me.

It still amazes me that the "cockroach of the sea" (lobster) is such a delicacy. I try not to think about that while I'm dipping them in butter...

Tasty looking little critters. Now a little long grain wild rice and a few veggies to go with. Yum. Ever try the old fashioned way to get 'em? with a broom.......

Years ago (and no i wil NOT define that better) i was renovating a mud room into a pantry for a NYC couple up here in Farm Country. Well, Friday before leaving for the weekend, I popped one of those "painted pie plate" covers in the flu to the chimney, closed the new doors, and left......

Come Monday morning, i open the new door, and....CRAP.. something had chewed the whole bottom of the sliding glass door to the outside.

Well, a little searching revealed a scared crapless grey squirrel in a corner. I opened the glass door for him, closed the new door, and with my boss watching for this little savage, i banged on the wall near his hide out with the handle of a broom.

That did it. You've seen the little buggers head for freedom jogging left and right on the yellow line. well at 55 they may seem slow. In a 12x18 room they are not slow. Eventually he headed up the bricks of the chimney for his entry route. (did i mention that pie plate thing was on the floor when i came in friday and I put it back in the thimble of the chimney?)

No dice. some idiot had put a shiny painted pie plate over his entry hole. And of course with the 2 brains cells he had to rub together he KNEW that he couldn't get out the door, he had chewed on it ALL DAMN WEEKEND to try that.

I cautiously open the door where i was and step in with broom in hand. There is the cute (HA) little bugger hanging face down on the chimney. There am I, standing next to my boss.

A little side note here. Do you know about flying squirrels? they dont really fly of course, just glide like those crazy Norwegians who jump off the cliffs and wear funny suits. Why, you ask, is this relevent? Well, back to our regularly scheduled program.

When last we left you, our hero (me) the evil henchman in disguise as a good guy (my boss) and the Anti Hero (that damn squirrel) were facing off in a trianlge. It is at this time that the Squirrel showed his true self and LAUNCHED (remember that aside above?) himself at my boss. Now my boss showed HIS true colors, and jumped behind me, grabbed my shirt, and thrust me at the squirrel.

Did you all know that when threatened enough to attack something enough bigger than it that a foot would squish it, a squirrel grows 4 extra limbs and 12" long fangs? I mention this because I DID NOT KNOW THAT. However, as this little killing buzz saw was flying at me, with the dasterdly boss thrusting me at it like a shield..... I watched this metemorphis take place.

Hey have you all heard Ray Stevens song "Mississippi Squirrel Revival"? Funny freakin song.

Oh, what happened? Somehow my befogged attacking brain shut down and reflex took over. I believe i have mentioned before that i study Aikido. I particulalry like studying Aiki- Jo which is a 4' staff. remember that broom i was holding? I batted the little bugger right out the open (and costly, damn it) sliding glass door.
I watched him light on the grass outside facing me, ready for round two. At this point his evil transformation reversed and he realized he was outside. He turned and ran. I turned to my boss and...well, this is a family board. (did i mention that squirrel destroyed a perfectly good (and expensive) sliding glass door?)

If your sides have stopped hurting from laughing, please leave a tip on the way out (and yes, it is a true story)