The UK Squirrel Season Is All But Upon Us

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Discovered when it is time to stop as light was fading this evening, a "squirrel looking head" comes around the base of a tree. After the head and top half of its body turned to pink mist, recovered the "squirrel" on the right. More commonly known as a rat.

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I'm curious how many of you eat squirrel? I've tried a few times with mixed results. I've also read a few odd comments elsewhere about CJD and not eating the brains, etc, which isn't the most encouraging thought
 
Smellydog said:
I've eaten them and it's good, it's the bloody skinning!
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Just skin them to the mid point and then whack with a clever. Head and fur waste can then be wrapped neatly into a ball that can be placed in your food waste bin without upsetting the Cart Person.

I’ll send you a cracking, all be it adapted, Keith Floyd recipe for the hind quarters and saddle if you’re interested?

K
 
Klenchblaize said:
Just skin them to the mid point and then whack with a clever. Head and fur waste can then be wrapped neatly into a ball that can be placed in your food waste bin without upsetting the Cart Person.

I’ll send you a cracking, all be it adapted, Keith Floyd recipe for the hind quarters and saddle if you’re interested?

K
Click to expand...
Post it here if you don't mind for all to see, I know I'd be interested
 
Klenchblaize said:
Just skin them to the mid point and then whack with a clever. Head and fur waste can then be wrapped neatly into a ball that can be placed in your food waste bin without upsetting the Cart Person.

I’ll send you a cracking, all be it adapted, Keith Floyd recipe for the hind quarters and saddle if you’re interested?

K
Click to expand...
Even that is too much fory aching hands!
There is easier prey out there 👍🏻
 
Smellydog said:
I've eaten them and it's good, it's the bloody skinning!
Click to expand...
Maybe I'll have another go. I think before I should have maybe sorted them a little quicker, I am assuming they sour quickly like a rabbit if not gutted straight away.

Yes a cook book I have says they are delicious but warns not to eat the brains (not that I was intending too) because of the risk of CJD! Which made me presume cooking the saddle and front legs still on the spinal column would be an issue?! But surely all the squirrels consumed in the Americas prove it's not an issue ?
 
Smellydog said:
I've eaten them and it's good, it's the bloody skinning!
Click to expand...
There is a quick way to skin them, similar to skinning chicken and game without removing the feathers. Slit under the tail then pull the skin up while standing on the tail. All the skin comes off in one go. Takes less than a minute per squirrel. Youtube has lots of videos on it: search for "quick squirrel skinning".

Problem is there is a scent gland inside the legs, so put 50 of them in a freezer and the whole freezer stinks.

Below is today's haul: went to blow the leaves away and spotted these guys looking for nuts in the leaves, so got distracted for half an hour in between the rain. Alas the dead squirrels are used only as food for the foxes, which come every day to the pile of grass cuttings where I dump them. These 14 are after ten or so just before dusk yesterday: while I was away dealing with work the past week, 30 to 40 new squirrels moved into the garden.


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AlexD said:
There is a quick way to skin them, similar to skinning chicken and game without removing the feathers. Slit under the tail then pull the skin up while standing on the tail. All the skin comes off in one go. Takes less than a minute per squirrel. Youtube has lots of videos on it: search for "quick squirrel skinning".

Problem is there is a scent gland inside the legs, so put 50 of them in a freezer and the whole freezer stinks.

Below is today's haul: went to blow the leaves away and spotted these guys looking for nuts in the leaves, so got distracted for half an hour in between the rain. Alas the dead squirrels are used only as food for the foxes, which come every day to the pile of grass cuttings where I dump them. These 14 are after ten or so just before dusk yesterday: while I was away dealing with work the past week, 30 to 40 new squirrels moved into the garden.


View attachment 338024
Click to expand...
Ay, tried that skinning
AlexD said:
There is a quick way to skin them, similar to skinning chicken and game without removing the feathers. Slit under the tail then pull the skin up while standing on the tail. All the skin comes off in one go. Takes less than a minute per squirrel. Youtube has lots of videos on it: search for "quick squirrel skinning".

Problem is there is a scent gland inside the legs, so put 50 of them in a freezer and the whole freezer stinks.

Below is today's haul: went to blow the leaves away and spotted these guys looking for nuts in the leaves, so got distracted for half an hour in between the rain. Alas the dead squirrels are used only as food for the foxes, which come every day to the pile of grass cuttings where I dump them. These 14 are after ten or so just before dusk yesterday: while I was away dealing with work the past week, 30 to 40 new squirrels moved into the garden.


View attachment 338024
Click to expand...
Ay, tried that method years ago. 👍🏻
 
Well decided to have a sit out for the squirrels yesterday -2 so I have found they dont like venturing out until mid day app here when its cold so got there at app 11.30am and one scurried off so good sign, got the pop up set up and the camo net over the top and settled in , wasnt long before I realized I had forgot my piece of kingspan I use for my feet to sit on and could feel the cold creeping in, but all that was forgotten when the first one showed and down it went. couple of hours later I had 5 and one lying on the feeder, was going to call it a day when I heard the warning calls of an other,down it came but was very nervous of the one lying on the platform I waited patiently for a shot at last it settled for a shot but just as I got to the point of no return with the trigger it moved causing the pellet to hit it on the left of the face, it made a mad leap into the conifers before I could follow up , got out the hide but could not see it , I felt sick as I detest when this happens so decided to pack up , everything packed away including the rifle and what comes running by me the injured one seemed to be moving ok but could see blood on its face ,so rifle out again but again no sign of it oh how I wish I had brought the thermal. got my gear together and walked down the drive to the passing point where my car was parked app 300yds put the gear in took the obligatory pic for the landowner , jumped in and see something running down the grass verge , and low and behold it was the injured one let it pass and it stopped for a moment then moved on a bit , so got out got the rifle out reloaded and off it went about another 50 yds and stopped again , so closed the distance moving from tree to tree I got stable leaning against a tree and whack end of story , what a relief it was to put this poor animal out its misery and I could head home satisfied , thermal next time lol.20231201_134343.jpg
 
Has anyone had any luck with a squirrel call? I saw one for sale recently and wondered if theyre actually any good.
 
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