Post by stalkingbear on Jun 26, 2009 17:43:53 GMT -5
How many of yall like to go hunting for squirrels? Squirrel hunting is
something I've never outgrown. The methods used are widely varied, and I've used them all. While I don't care much for squirrel hunting with a dog, it is productive. Another good way to obtain a lot of squirrels is to float down a river, shooting the squirrels with a shotgun as they scamper along the tree limbs overhanging the riverbanks. You don't have to worry about snakes, chiggers, or ticks as much that way.
Shotguns are particularly effective during early season, while the leaves are still on the trees. I've found high brass #4 loads seem to do a better job.Even so, there's not very many things I'd rather do than silently, slowly slipping through the woods, searching for squirrels while armed with a finely accurate .22-either rifle or pistol. Subsonic .22LR hollow points work great when fired out of .22 rifles-both in accuracy and due to the fact that they scare squirrels
less because there's no sonic boom as there is with high velocity .22LR. They make a lot less noise. I've even hunted squirrels with a .22 magnum. When loaded with FMJ bullets, the .22 magnum leaves no more wasted meat than the .22LR HP, offering the same wound channel as the smaller rimfire. It also offers twice the
range of a .22LR. I've tried .17s and while they're extremely accurate, I don't care for them as they tear up too much meat.
Usually the squirrels are using dogwood berries as the main food source when the season first comes in for Ky, changing soon thereafter to hickory nuts as they ripen. Hickory trees don't produce mast (nuts) every year, the same as the nuts don't get ripe on all the trees at the same time. When I see a tree that has HEAVY cuttings sign underneath it, I'll look for a comfy place to sit nearby.
That's what's known as a "hot" tree. Look for cuttings and you have it made. As all the nuts are eaten on the hot tree, some others will be ripe by that time. After shooting a squirrel, don't get up quickly to retrieve it. Instead sit still and you'll get more squirrels after they go back to cutting. I've gotten my limit many times under just 1 big hickory that's "hot".
I feel it's extremely important to clean squirrels (like any game animal) as soon as possible and make SURE there's NO hair on the meat. I've even been known to carry a small cooler with ice in it in the woods so that I can clean them & cool them down within minutes.
Everybody has their own idea on recipes for squirrel, and I'm no different. Soaking everything in salt water was done religiously back when I was raised. I'm still in the old habit of doing it-but with a twist. What I do is instead of simply using salt water, I go ahead and marinade it and soak it in the marinade overnight. It really makes the flavor come out. I mainly cook squirrel 2 ways-rolled in batter and fried, and as stew, boiling until the meat falls off
the bones.
something I've never outgrown. The methods used are widely varied, and I've used them all. While I don't care much for squirrel hunting with a dog, it is productive. Another good way to obtain a lot of squirrels is to float down a river, shooting the squirrels with a shotgun as they scamper along the tree limbs overhanging the riverbanks. You don't have to worry about snakes, chiggers, or ticks as much that way.
Shotguns are particularly effective during early season, while the leaves are still on the trees. I've found high brass #4 loads seem to do a better job.Even so, there's not very many things I'd rather do than silently, slowly slipping through the woods, searching for squirrels while armed with a finely accurate .22-either rifle or pistol. Subsonic .22LR hollow points work great when fired out of .22 rifles-both in accuracy and due to the fact that they scare squirrels
less because there's no sonic boom as there is with high velocity .22LR. They make a lot less noise. I've even hunted squirrels with a .22 magnum. When loaded with FMJ bullets, the .22 magnum leaves no more wasted meat than the .22LR HP, offering the same wound channel as the smaller rimfire. It also offers twice the
range of a .22LR. I've tried .17s and while they're extremely accurate, I don't care for them as they tear up too much meat.
Usually the squirrels are using dogwood berries as the main food source when the season first comes in for Ky, changing soon thereafter to hickory nuts as they ripen. Hickory trees don't produce mast (nuts) every year, the same as the nuts don't get ripe on all the trees at the same time. When I see a tree that has HEAVY cuttings sign underneath it, I'll look for a comfy place to sit nearby.
That's what's known as a "hot" tree. Look for cuttings and you have it made. As all the nuts are eaten on the hot tree, some others will be ripe by that time. After shooting a squirrel, don't get up quickly to retrieve it. Instead sit still and you'll get more squirrels after they go back to cutting. I've gotten my limit many times under just 1 big hickory that's "hot".
I feel it's extremely important to clean squirrels (like any game animal) as soon as possible and make SURE there's NO hair on the meat. I've even been known to carry a small cooler with ice in it in the woods so that I can clean them & cool them down within minutes.
Everybody has their own idea on recipes for squirrel, and I'm no different. Soaking everything in salt water was done religiously back when I was raised. I'm still in the old habit of doing it-but with a twist. What I do is instead of simply using salt water, I go ahead and marinade it and soak it in the marinade overnight. It really makes the flavor come out. I mainly cook squirrel 2 ways-rolled in batter and fried, and as stew, boiling until the meat falls off
the bones.