blinky125
New Member
New hunter looking for helpful tips.
Posts: 6
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Post by blinky125 on Jul 6, 2014 18:07:24 GMT -5
Nice video..This will be my first year hunting and I am very excited for squirrel season. Have watched several video's on how to clean squirrels and this definitely looks the easiest. Looking forward to trying some of the squirrel recipes I have been finding as well!
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Post by Russ Koon on Apr 23, 2015 0:51:39 GMT -5
I started with he method shown, standing on the tail and pulling the hind legs. Did it that way for many years.
Even used a variation of that method for a while that made use of a device that appeared to be made of a coat hanger twisted in such a way that it would hold the two hind feet of the squirrel and could be hung from a branch by a thong to assist in the process. Using that, The skinner would hang the squirrel up by the back feet and pull downwards on the tail.
But a generation or two ago now, hunting with a buddy who killed more squirrels in a season than I have in my life, I was taught another way, and found it to be much quicker and neater once learned.
So for many more years now I have used the "make a slit across the back and stick a couple fingers of each hand in there and pull in opposite directions" method.
Either way works easier and better when used as immediately as possible after the squirrel hits the ground, but I think that applies even more to the method I use now.
I save a number of bread sacks during the years and fold them down to a small package and tie them with the twist ties they were originally equipped with. Handy for a number of other outdoor pursuits as well, but pretty much perfect for squirrels. I usually just put two fox squirrels in a sack, but could probably carry four in sack if I'm into the grays.
The bread sack only needs to be run twice through a belt loop to stay on my belt with a squirrels or two in it as I continue to hunt, and the squirrels carcass is cooling much quicker than it would in a game bag, with the skin on and the guts inside.
As soon as the squirrel hits the ground, and I'm sure another is not still up that tree and just temporarily pausing in cutting, I skin and gut and cut off head and feet, and drop him in the sack. The skin comes off MUCH easier when done immediately, and the meat quality was noticeably better than the ones I had carried around for a few hours before cleaning them. And it's a whole lot nicer to come home tuckered out from an early morning rise and hunt, and only needing to rinse the squirrels and put them in a bowl of water in the fridge instead of starting a lengthy skinning job on some stiff ones with the hide "glued down".
I still haven't bought the game shears, but have been tempted to get some and try them. Seems like they would be worth carrying for making quicker work of removing the feet.
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Post by Jamie Brooks 1John5:13 on Apr 23, 2015 11:36:57 GMT -5
Nice video..This will be my first year hunting and I am very excited for squirrel season. Have watched several video's on how to clean squirrels and this definitely looks the easiest. Looking forward to trying some of the squirrel recipes I have been finding as well! Hello blinky, It sure is nice to see new hunters. I like squirrel, and usually hunt them from the boredom when sitting for deer. Do you have a squirrel chowder recipe? It's good.
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Post by turkeyscout on Jul 7, 2015 17:34:59 GMT -5
I use side-cutters to cut feet off,(saves on dulling knife).one of my favorite meal ,.fried squirrels ,biscuits and gravvvvvvy,.
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Post by nfalls116 on Jul 7, 2015 17:51:35 GMT -5
I do it similar but use fish skinners for the tougher stuff and the leg removal
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Post by tedch on Aug 22, 2015 16:46:07 GMT -5
I have to be honest. I'm a complete "newbie" when it comes to field dressing squirrels. Not done it yet myself but looked and searched and watched youtube vids. Seems like cutting below tail between "vent" is most popular. what confuses me, though is that some say, cut out "scent glands" at all 4 feet. Some don't reference this at all. So, that's very confusing to me. If there are scent glands, then do you normally soak them in salt water/butter milk or do you do that if you don't remove them? Very confusing to me.
TedCH
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Post by drs on Aug 23, 2015 4:54:39 GMT -5
I field dress my Squirrels, usually when I have three Squirrels down, then clean the remainder when I bag them for the day. I use, what my Granddad called the "Illinois method" to dress my Squirrels.
1. First I remove front paws, with a pair of Garden hand clippers.
2. Then start cutting at the base of the tail, with the Squirrel face down, and loosens it by cutting through the tail bone, with my hunting knife.
3. After carefully cutting the tail bone, I loosen the hide about midway up the length of the Squirrel and all around, cut the hide so I can step on the tail with a bit of the hide, and carefully pull the entire hide off.
4. I then pull the front legs free and remove the head; then use my clippers and knife to remove the hind feet of the Squirrel.
5. I then lay skinned Squirrels on a piece of 3' X 3' plastic sheet, and carefully remove the entrails and other organs, then place skinned Squirrel in a plastic bag, and place in my "game bag".
I ALWAYS wear latex gloves while cleaning any game, and clean my hands with anti-bacterial soap. The whole skinning process usually takes me around 10 minutes for three Squirrels, and about the same for the remainder 2 or 3 Squirrels. When I return to the my house; I wash them in cold water, drain, and soak overnight in salt water.
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Post by beermaker on Aug 23, 2015 6:12:32 GMT -5
I have cleaned more squirrels than one could possibly count and the absolute best purchase that I have ever made for game cleaning is a pair of Outdoor Edge game shears. I bought them a few years ago after way too many close calls with the knife while cutting squirrel feet off. They will cut through any part of a squirrel with ease.
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Post by drs on Aug 23, 2015 8:18:10 GMT -5
I have cleaned more squirrels than one could possibly count and the absolute best purchase that I have ever made for game cleaning is a pair of Outdoor Edge game shears. I bought them a few years ago after way too many close calls with the knife while cutting squirrel feet off. They will cut through any part of a squirrel with ease. YEP! Those shears come in very handy!! Also, I've have used one of those fish filet boards where a clamp holds the fish in place. This works well with skinning Squirrels as it hold the hind legs in place, and the Squirrel doesn't move around and it's easier to make the "tail cut".
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Post by dbd870 on Aug 23, 2015 12:14:16 GMT -5
I use tin snips for that job
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Post by Jamie Brooks 1John5:13 on Aug 23, 2015 14:53:22 GMT -5
I have a cooler on my atv, and if I ever shoot one, I'll store them in here until I'm finished for the day. I like the hillbilly jeff method, but shears would be nice.
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Post by squirrelhunter on Aug 24, 2015 8:06:53 GMT -5
That's the way I'fe always done it,just not that quick.
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Post by Woody Williams on Aug 25, 2015 15:11:25 GMT -5
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Post by tedch on Aug 25, 2015 16:15:22 GMT -5
All great pointers. Have seen several videos on youtube that demonstrate cleaning. Just wondering about those scent glads though. I've heard both ways that they should be removed and some say they don't with no adverse taste to the meat.
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Post by nfalls116 on Aug 25, 2015 16:29:01 GMT -5
I remove them on coon to eat but not squirell
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Post by drs on Aug 26, 2015 10:20:42 GMT -5
Used this method on the Squirrel I shot this morning, which worked out fine and took only three minutes to skin the Squirrel.
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Post by Woody Williams on Aug 27, 2015 17:10:11 GMT -5
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Post by jackryan on Jun 13, 2016 23:59:52 GMT -5
This was how my dad had taught me to do it and I have been doing it like this all my life. Just curious if anyone else does it like this. Yeah, that's just how I do it. Just that quick and easy. May be by about the fifth one each day after the first 25 the week before.
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Post by Jamie Brooks 1John5:13 on Jun 14, 2016 8:58:49 GMT -5
I do it similar but use fish skinners for the tougher stuff and the leg removal I usually use a potato peeler.
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Post by schoolmaster on Jun 27, 2016 19:51:34 GMT -5
I broke down and bought one of those squirrel skinner holders that hold the feet and head of the squirrel so I could skin them standing up. Arthur wont let me knell and bend like I used to.
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