Advice when shooting squirrels... (SFW no graphic images etc)

[Docherty]

The wife was having some friends over today to do baby things (I had a little boy 5 weeks ago) and I managed to get out for a bit of a ramble with the Air Arms S410. I Headed over to my permission only to discover that in the 5 weeks I've spent inside it has rained enough to turn most fields into massive slabs of mud.

As the local bunnies haven't the money for nice wellies, they were staying inside their lovely holes but I manage to stalk up to a squirrel that was making a lot of noise amongst some ivy - after playing cat and mouse for a while I managed to take a nice clean head shot only to see the squirrel fall from the tree and 'Splosh!'

...make sure the branch they're on doesn't overhang a ditch. I managed to retrieve my supper, but there's something very unattractive about squirrels or rabbits that have taken a dip.

 

[Chiseller]

Drowned rat springs to mind lol enjoy

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[geordienemisis]

I see Chiseller has his meal for 1, I myself like a bit Squidg.

 

[teh_saccade]

what are you doing with the pelts, mate?

 

[Docherty]

what are you doing with the pelts, mate?

Nothing at the moment, it's hanging over a rafter in my garage... might dry it out with some salt/hair dryer as I'm out of my tanning solution and most of his brain poured out of his ears. If I knew a local game fisherman I'd give him the tail for tying flies.

 

[santaman2000]

Nothing at the moment, it's hanging over a rafter in my garage... might dry it out with some salt/hair dryer as I'm out of my tanning solution and most of his brain poured out of his ears. If I knew a local game fisherman I'd give him the tail for tying flies.

Mepps (the lure company) used to buy them.

 

[Bowlander]

Taking a dog helps, if they are sneaking around a tree sit the dog one side and move around the other to shoot it. Not many squirrels around here at the moment, just odd ones moving in after the summer.

 

[santaman2000]

Taking a dog helps, if they are sneaking around a tree sit the dog one side and move around the other to shoot it. Not many squirrels around here at the moment, just odd ones moving in after the summer.

That's exactly the way we do it when using a dog here too. But it works best only after the leaves have fallen. Doesn't hurt if the dog's a good retriever

 

[Bowlander]

I prefer a terrier but getting them to sit still can be tricky!

Beware when picking up wounded squirrels, an old ferreting mate of mine picked a half dead one and it bit him through the thick bit between index finger and thumb. It wouldn't let go and he had a real job getting it off.

 

[santaman2000]

Yeah if you're using a dog they don't want to sit still. I generally hunt with a shotgun though so it really doesn't matter.

 

[Chiseller]

My dog, eats them whole if I'm not quick enough, its only squirrels he does it with..

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[johnnytheboy]

The fly tying companies, vienards buy squirrel pelts!

 

[Sleepy Weasel]

Last squizzer I took was trying to get a carrier bag out of a bin at an adventure playground, he didnt notice me arriving and was oblivious to what hit him. As I dont like squirrel and the mutt won't touch them it was donated to a friend of mine who seems to enjoy them roasted.

 

[santaman2000]

My best recipes invole gutting them similar to chicken (2 front leg quarters, 2 rear leg quarters, and the back) then dredge inflour and fry like chicken. take them out of the fryer and add flour to the grease to make a roux, then add water or chicken stock to make a gravy.

Season the meat heavily before dredging and be sure the flour is also heavily seasoned. Likewise season the gravy heavily.

 

[Bushwhacker]

Good advice indeed.
This one got wet too - Chewy didn't mind though.