Recent squirrels

[Drawdown]

Got the two this afternoon the 2nd shot off the spot where they're laying. Man you can't beat a good squirrel rifle, waiting under the hickories & oaks!

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[gamekeeper]

Good shooting my son and I have terminated a few lately.

[GunnyMack]

I leave the squirrels alone until I see 8 or more hanging around the bird feeder. We are having a bumper crop of acorns this fall so I'm sure by spring the population will explode.
However, the chipmunk population has already exploded and I have been running a jihad against these little buggers. Not shooting them but trapping. They are always trying to get into my shop walls to winter. Find a hole, set a rat trap. I don't even have check the traps, Parker checks them for me, ' Parker go check your traps' if she barks I know to go reset and toss the little vermin.
I haven't kept count but I've got to be over 50 since the end of August.

[Drawdown]

That was first time I'd taken my iron sight CZ22 in 8 years, so I was pleased with my shooting, but all them shots were 20yds or less. Went back today were I killed the two, saw one but no shot, but man I love being 8n woods this time of year!
As far as ground squirrels, when I was growing up in 70's n 80's, this time of year into Nov, you would get into places, and the noise they'd be singing sound kinda like a roar there was so many! Then by 90's the coyotes were here, and in last 20 years, you hardly ever see one. Walking any logging road back into early 2000s and it be littered with hairy piles everywhere! But that's not something you see very often now!

[Drawdown]

But sometimes a slow day feels kinda nice, especially in Oct when you 5ake plenty Grub n Drinks!

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[EG73]

How ya cook em? I’ve just tried fried. Bit chewy but mostly just tasted like chicken.

[Drawdown]

I'm gonna put those last two in water & strong vinegar solution this morning, let em soak 3-4 hours, which is what I always do for long time. Really gets rid of blood and helps start to tenderize em. I've got two methods anymore that I really enjoy. Mostly BarbQ Squirrel Wings! Cover em in the slow cooker in chicken broth, salted some, let em slow cook on barely a bubble until really tender checked by a fork. When done drain except about 1/2" of broth, cover em in BarbQ, let simmer about 15 minutes, Very much like Chicken!
The other is also in slow cooker, just put in a can of CreamOMushroom Soup, little Chicken Broth, 1 Envelope of Lipton Onion Soup Mix, 8-10 Red Petite Taters. Cook till tender.
But fried was always my favorite, and my mom was the Squirrel Coniseuier of the all time! In 60's-80's, we ate Squirrel 1-2 times a week, August thru December! All family and several friends hunted, and in late season hunting with dogs meant in most years lotta squirrels. She would separate the old tuff ones to cook in a gravy kinda like my recipe, and fry the young ones.

[EG73]

That slow cooker one sounds interesting. Do you part the squirrel out or leave whole?

[Drawdown]

I used to quarter, but for Lotta years I half them, right behind the ribcage. When you cook em real tender, it's easier to eat all the meat off the bone, without a mouth full rib bone. Really doesn't matter on the hind part, but the front half, the rib bones stay connected to the spine. Lot better and easier to pick em clean!
A crockpot will do the same, but the slow cooker is easier to check em to get em cooked just right, short of falling apart. Then it's harder to getter the meat off bone free! My favorite anymore is BarbQ, but the other is great. If you only got one squirrel and you're hungry? Put it in the mushroom & lipton mix with a couple boneless pork chops! Mmmmm
A real secret to getting them all done at same time?
Recognizing an old tough squirrel from a young one which will cook lot quicker. If I got both, Power boil the old one on a pot on the stove at just a slow steady boil? Some real old ones, which are very hard to skin, at least an hour boiling. Then add it to the slow cooker just as the other young ones are starting in the slow cooker!
My mom would separate the young from old, cook the old ones on stove make gravy on them and fry the young ones. Back in the day, hunting with dogs, often we'd have 3-4 people hunting. We'd come in usually with 12-20 squirrels. We'd fall down dog tired sleep, mom have a very late squirrel feast ready! Me, brothers, dad and uncles all hunted, and back then these mountains before all the logging. 000's acres good squirrel woods. Hard to find anymore! Good years I'd kill 75-150 a year, and I was the least. My brothers and few friends considered less than 200 a bad year! We lived on squirrels gladly, not by necessity!

[JimT]

Our Blue Heeler ran a squirrel up a tree in the yard so I grabbed my Daisy Model 25 BB gun and ran it from tree to tree til it left the property. It did not like getting hit with BB's and tried stopping and cussing at me but a shot with another BB sent it on its way. Great fun for me. Not so much for the dog or the squirrel.

[TedH]

Very nice!

Like many of us, Squirrels were my first hunting experience. It teaches a young man a lot about the woods and wildlife. Sadly, those days seem to get overshadowed by life and when time for hunting does come around it's for bigger quarry like deer, bear, etc.
Lately I've had an itch to get back after some bushytails, but to go back well beyond my own youth and hunt them with a 32 cal muzzle loader, you know, a proper "squirrel rifle", like Davey Crockett. That would be a grand day spent in the woods.

[Scott Tschirhart]

My favorite squirrel gun was a .32 caliber Thompson Center Cherokee. Quite accurate but as handy as a walking stick.

[Drawdown]

Well I went Monday to a new place, saw few bit no shots. Took my CZ American-scoped. On way out, I took a bad fall jumping off a rock wall, boot heel hung (too old pick my feet up), but my rifle hit on rock hard, especially scope! Figured it was off? But went to another new place yesterday with the iron sight rifle. Killed first one. Then got into 3-4 on the ground, open woods, dry, couldn't get close. I found out how old my eyes are now, cause I know 10 years ago, I'd probably killed the 3 I shot at, and I mean 5-6 shots! Man, it hurts more than that fall, cause my squirrel sniping always been my highlife! After I shot the one outta tree, hust stood still, hoping another. 10 minutes later, a doe stepped down hill feeding along. Never knew I was there! Perfect broadside if I'd had my bow, that's all I've done in recent years! But I'm getting too old for all the requirements of sitting dead still for hours! I've decided nor to bowhunt, enjoy what I love and can do, move slow and steady, cause I get too stiff and hurt trying sit still!
Well I took the scoped rifle this morning, sure enough it was off just enough to miss, but it'll drill one hole now dead zero at 20yds, 1/2" high 25-50yds, zero at 55yds, and 1/2" low at 65yds! Maybe, just maybe the squirrels are in trouble???
But I've been shooting my old CVA 45Cal Mountain Rifle and got it ready, I've never in my life hunted deer during MZL Season but I am next weekend. And I've got a load ready for squirrels with a good chance out to 25yds. I got it in 1977, but it's collected dust and rust since about 1980! It's plenty 75yd capable now with a patched roundball! Hopefully?

[308magtip]

take FF basket and after a good rinse cook them in the basket and plain water till soft. Take out,drain, and roll in flour and fry in brown in butter until nice and brown.

[Drawdown]

Got these two yesterday, an Oct squirrel hunt is as good as it gets to me, lifelong love!

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[6pt-sika]

Once I start deer hunting this season I’ll see about some squirrels . I’d like about eight to use for a Brunswick stew at Xmas lunch in the shop . Typically I carry a rifle and a shotgun to my treestand . I like killing deer with old doubles shooting buck or ball I cast and loaded . So I also carry half dozen loads of #4’s or #6’s for possible turkey or squirrel . The rifle’s there for deer not inside my self imposed shotgun range .

[Drawdown]

That's good use of appropriate guns! I've done this a number of times few years back when I regularly hunted my best friends farm, but always for spring turkey season. I'd carry my old 16ga Win SS for turkey & my Marlin 336 30-30 for yotes. I've taken or had opportunity for more yotes during the spring turkey season, and I was usually hunting hay field edges there. I could reach way out with a tang sight on the Marlin when needed with good accuracy. Lot more interesting to armed for anything!

[Oldncrusty]

Thanks for getting me fired up for squirrel season. Used to hunt them voraciously as a kid. Probably have 30 good squirrel rifles to choose from, but I really need to draw blood with my Winchester Model 1893 12 ga. I paid huge $$ for a box of 2 1/2" black powder shells. I don't mind a few stray pellets. Also a fan of the slow simmer in cream of mushroom soup. But my goal this year is squirrel tacos!

[Drawdown]

I had the Squirrels&COM&Taters yesterday, and enough leftover to have today! Big part my Squirrel hunting is "Which Gun for Today's Hunt?" And I've taken more of them in my life with a shotgun than a rifle. But rifles cover many tasks in hunting, but a "Squirrel Rifle", now that's something special! But I'd like to go out soon with my 16ga SS Win & #4's! But I've got couple 22's in the cabinet now, that haven't been blooded, and they're feeling neglected. So many hunts so little time! Squirrels = the smallest of critters but the biggest of game! Unreal the excitement enjoyed in a good squirrel woods on a good day!

[6pt-sika]

I’ve got a Winchester 1890 pump that only accepts shorts . My grandfather and his older brother bought it new in the 20’s . His brother was killed when they were still young . My grandfather used that little rifle to keep he and my grandmother in squirrels for dinner when they first were married . When I graduated high school in 79 he told me you can have $100 or the little 22 as a graduation gift , of course I took the little rifle . I’ve owned it 45 years now which was about how long it was in his possession . Grandfather was a big time advocate of head shooting squirrels and when I was young he was poison on a squirrel with that little rifle . Perhaps I’ll try and kill a squirrel or two with for old times sake this season .

[Drawdown]

I'm familiar with the 1890 Win, never seen one, but I know they're highly treasured, in fact one the top squirrel rifles in early 1900s! 22shorts was a popular favorite to lotta my squirrel hunting buddies in 60's-70's, because they could buy them few rounds at a time, probably a penny or two apiece, they killed perfect at usual squirrel shooting ranges with that just right killing- little meat damage effect! But the 1890 in the old 22wrf was highly loved also!
Took this yesterday, me and my brother had a fine day in squirrel hunting in one my long ago woods, my favorite location to canoe hunt always. We just parked and hunted on foot. Plenty squirrels that took us to school, made us look like juveniles! I only shot one time, 1 squirrel with my CZ American and brother got 2 missed one. This only pic I took

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[6pt-sika]

I’d like to have $10 for every squirrel that little 1890 has killed I suspect it would be in the thousands of dollars . I killed quite a few with it years ago as well . But if I kill any while deer hunting they’ll be done in with 4’s or 6’s out of an 8 or 10 gauge double barrel .

[Drawdown]

Got out this morning, man a fine Oct morning. 3 shots!

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