A story from my youth. When I was a youngster, about 13 as I remember, my Granpa took me squirrel hunting in the pecan trees near the Sabinal River in Texas. He sat me down in the midst of several trees and said " I'll just mosey on down the river a bit and do my hunting there. In those days I had a Savage 410/22 over and under with a 2.5 power scope that worked pretty well for still shots and also moving critters. Granpa, however, was not carrying a gun and I had expected him to sit with me. "Granpa, how do you expect to get any squirrels without a gun?" "Don't you worry none about me" he said as he moved off " I have my ways!" Well hunting was good and I got 5 critters with 5 shots and I was feeling pretty cocky when Granpa came quietly in. To my surprise he had his small burlap sack plumb full of squirrels. "How did you do that without a gun" I asked? " Well Son, its an old tradition that runs in the family, "I UGLY them down!" I set down and let the woods settle and then crack a stick. When the squirrel peaks around the tree I give him a good hard stare using all of my natural born assets and down he drops, stone dead." "Wow" I said "Who all knows how to do this?" "Only certain ones through the years crop up with this talent" he said. "Does Granma know how to do it" I asked?" "She most assuredly does" Answered Granpa. "Well why don't you take her out hunting" I asked? "Oh Heavens no Son, She tears up way too much meat!!!" Fortunately, This is one family trait I never inherited though my Wife may disagree with that! True Story!
I like the story a lot and will write a bit to say so. To bad that forums now are going to those darn like buttons. No ugly harvensting here either but the squirrels only have 8 more days to run the woods foot loose and fancy free. Al
trail twister thanks for the comment. Always nice to make it personal. I have hunted a lot of big game but still have special memories of those squirrel hunts. In Georgia I used to cock my 410/22 open and tie it to my bike handle bars. Then a 4 mile pedal to the hummocks bordering the "Marshes of Glynn". Later a trip home with a limit of grays and foxes. I was 14 at the time. Can't do that nowadays. Do you like them fried or do you go the squirrel and dumpling route? I like them in stew or pot pie!
I have hunted many different animals in many different places but my fondest memories are of those first few years of squirrel/rabbit hunting as a kid.
I also have hunted some big game but so enjoy a nice bright sun rise morning on a cold frosty morning sitting againest a big old beech tree, waiting for the squirrels to wake up. I have several recipes for squirrel. My favorite is bacon wrapped squirrel. squirrel legs, front or rear, amount depends upon how hungry you are beer garlic powder pepper salt minced onion hickory smoked bacon Soak the legs in beer for 2 – 3 hours. Remove and drain. Sprinkle to taste with garlic powder, pepper, salt and the minced onion (or if you have a favorite dry rub for grilled squirrel you can use that instead). Wrap each leg with bacon. Secure with toothpicks if necessary. Place on hot grill (charcoal grill recommended for a nice smoky flavor, although a gas or electric grill will do the trick). Cook over medium heat until cooked through, tend to the meat as your cooking to make sure you do not over cook. Smother - Fried Squirrel Ryan waters recipe. 6 young squirrels, cleaned & cut into serving pieces, use only the back legs & backstrap 1 cup shortening 3 cups flour salt and pepper 1 cup water 1 cup milk 1 small onion, sliced Clean squirrels thoroughly, making sure to remove any hair and shotshell pellets. Use a 22 LR to avoid this. Salt and pepper the flour to taste. Heat the shortening in a large skillet. Dredge squirrel pieces in flour mixture until well coated. Reserve 1/4 cup of the flour. Fry squirrel in shortening until light brown. Remove, and pat dry with a towel. Add the onion to the skillet and brown. Add the water, milk and the 1/4 cup of reserved flour. Stir well. Bring to a boil and add squirrel pieces. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes. Al
As a kid, I grew up across the street from a large park "Oak Hill Park" which you can guess where it got the name. We also had a very large (and highly valuable.. Black Walnut Value?) Black Walnut tree in the back yard. Well, a large branch ran outside the upstairs bathroom window (large window) and it was like a squirrel highway. Now, being in the city, one is not supposed to fire BB guns even But me and friends could shoot grey's on that branch from within the bathroom. We'd get about 5 or 6 and clean them, then fry up the legs in "Buffalo Wing" style. Here, I have too many red squirrels, and not enough grey's.
Well, if they're in my woods, they're homeless for sure. Don't think I'd feed red squirrels to homeless people, they have enough problems already.
Have never had them bacon wrapped. Sounds great though. When I was a kid and we would camp in the swamps, we would eat them smothered similar to your second recipe. We were growing teenagers and could put away the chow! The designated hunter had his work cut out for him! Have not had them for many years because Washington State protects them. If squirrels are in the bird feeder is that an act of predation? I could stretch the rules a bit and have some sunflower seed stuffed squirrels! Probably won't though. Seems all the critters are friends around here except the moles and maybe the raccoons. They have been tearing up the yard for crane fly larva lately!
I have not the foggiest idea! I'm not even sure they are native to WA. But they are sooooo cute. We must protect them from those nasty hunters! Maybe not in huntable numbers except in certain finite areas!
Hard around here to not see at least one squished in the road on the way to work about once a month. Living across from the park, I've seen a LOT of squirrel antics, and they have their own "stupid" ones. Natural selection is a biatch.
