squirell gutting

[mattw4466]

hey i just wanted a few tips on how to gut a squirrel, ive never done it and also if you could tell me wat parts you eat, i think its just the back legs and the back straps, thanks

[Montivagus]

Hmm...Squirrel advice?! If you want my honest opinion I would say don’t bother. Maybe its just Welsh squirrels but all the ones I’ve tried have been really tough to skin! Only quite young ones seemed any easier. Apart from that, I’ve put a lot into different recipes, (all of them….though there’s not much on them so maybe that’s where the advice you heard for part eating comes from) and they always turned out pretty bland at best and tough and unpleasant at worst! And before you start casting aspersions on my cooking skills I gave some to my old dear and she fared no better despite being a Delia Smith on her bad days so there! :p As for gutting that is easy enough and not really different from rabbits etc. so just take the normal care and everything should be fine. :)

[British Red]

Okay, if you really want to do this mattw,

I use a Coldsteel Ti-Lite for this job. Pinch the belly skin and make sure you get it away from the gut and covering. Pull skin up between finger and thumb of left hand and insert knife tip cutting toward head (so blade is uppermost - you knife shoulld be SHARP). Push towards chin.

Having completed vertical incision, remove all limbs at the "elbow / knee", by pull / twist motion to disengage and then cut through tendons.

Remove head above shoulder line.

You can now insert your thumbs between flesh and skin and work the skin off and over the limbs. You will need to use a kinfe tip to cut around the anus.

You should now carefully remove the guts. I do this in a "spatchcock" manne by splitting upwards through the breast bone and then scraping the lot out with an index finger.

HTH

Red

[Stew]

Do you want the long version or the short version?

Tell you what, let's do both! :D

I know this is in Fair Game already, but a quick warning for those who don't like it - these videos contain footage of animal prep.

Here's Mr Squacks skinning sub-sixty seconds:

Mr Squacks (http://www.huntingfootage.com/showphoto.php?photo=377&sort=1&cat=523&page=1)

and here's some clips I just found on YouTube:

Squirrel...it's what's for dinner! Part 1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=If3IYQX6oUM)

Squirrel...it's what's for dinner! Part 2 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMCFbs1LrDg)

Squirrel...it's what's for dinner! Part 3 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0e0gvSMk8u0)

[Buckshot]

Squirrel are easy to gut becasue the bones are so thin they cut easily.
I just got a pair of scissors and cut from anus to throat - straight through the rib cage, and pull everything out in one go.
You then have a clean carcass to skin which can be a bit fidley but treat in the same way as a rabbit and you wont go far wrong.

Cheers

mark

[Hunter_zero]

Hmm...Squirrel advice? they always turned out pretty bland at best and tough and unpleasant at worst! :)

I thought they tasted a bit nutty :lmao: (booooo)

John

[Hoodoo]

I definitely would go with the Mr. Squacks route. You don't want to gut your squirrel until after you've pulled the hide off.

However, doing it like Mr. Squacks does it is only easy if the body is still nice and warm so you need to do it immediately. Personally, I frequently use a homemade gambrel, but I still pull the hide off like Mr. Squacks. The gambrel just holds the squirrel better than stepping on it's tail. :)

http://www4.gvsu.edu/triert/images/squirrelcleaning2.jpg

[Klenchblaize]

Nice one Hoodoo!

I keep one of these in my pocket or pack at all times: http://www.gamecalls.net/products/Haydel_s_Squirrel_Skinner-559-95.html

Shot two at the weekend after an aborted fox calling session. The .22 Hornet, loaded with a 35g balsitic tip bullet, does the guting for you!

I really rate the meat but prep’ is a complete pain. I recall my wife spending over two hours removing meat from the bone of some 25 of the little blighters for a dinner party.

Cheers