squirl season
 

starts here in mississippi a week from tommorrow...last year i used a 3 frame 12 ga with high brass no 5..sure would reach out there....got to sharpen my knife up for sure..got a nephew who wants to go with me ...will be his first squirl hunt on opening day si hope we see a few...charlie

Maybe your nephew would like to skin the squirrels you boys get... with your nice sharp knife...:eek:

I know I'll never skin another one - and I don't care how good they are to eat!





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how come you so down on squirls dean...charlie

They're just the hardest critters to skin I've ever seen. I know they're good eating.





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Dean, you just have to know a few tricks and then they are relatively simple.

I cut a 1/2 inch slit at the base of the neck on top. Grasp the back edge of the slit with a pair of pliers with good serrated jaws, put your foot on the head and pull. It all comes off in one swipe with no hair on the body. It is pretty simple, quick, and easy. Don't gut until after the hide is off.

Thanks!

I get it - kind of like skinning a perch.





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Here you go Dean:

if i get any squirls i m gona try this method again...them boys make it look easy don t they...charlie

Growing up dirt poor, I thought squirrels were their own food group. Kinda like beef, pork, and chicken, although of the three I'd only eaten chicken a few times. I guess skinning squirrels would be like working up any other kind of mammal. After you've done it enough times you don't think about it much. You just do it. I dressed a nice mess of gray squirrels last weekend down at my mother's (she lives about a hundred miles away in the foothills) and it seemed to take about 10-15 minutes. I need to lay a couple of those out to thaw tonight and get them in the crock pot early tomorrow morning. Thanks for the reminder!

For what it's worth, I cut a slit with my pocketknife right in the center of their back and start working the skin off from there towards both ends. I leave the feets, head, and tail "gloved" and sever the joints with my knife. Some people like the brains and jowls but I never cared much for them. Skin the heads out if it appeals to ya. Then, remove the entrails and cut 'em up into six pieces (front and hind legs, back strap, and rib cage) and soak them in salt water for a while. Salt water draws the blood out. Cook 'em however appeals to you and enjoy!

I enjoy hunting squirrels but like Dean always thought they were tough to skin ! My method these days is the same as my Deer ,skin as soon after the kill as possible while old Bushy Tail is still nice and warm and Gut after skinning ! I take a couple of quart size Freezer Baggies and a folded up roll of paper towels to clean my hands and can do one Squirrel up nicely while waiting on the next ! I skin and cut the squirrel into pieces while in the woods ,leave the skin and Entrails and bring the used towels in one Baggie and the Squirrel in the other then give them a good cleaning once home !