Lots of squirrels still out there

[Huntsman27]

Have a new 597 22LR the wife got me over Fathers day and had it sighted in and wondered when Id get a chance to use it.
Took it out the afternoon of the 24th, man the tree rats were everywhere. I shot 5 of them in a couple hours from a small wood lot. Almost forgot how long its been since I went after them. Just like the old days. Saw maybe 20 or so, but was in no hurry and just took my time.
Going to swat some pheasants this afternoon hope to have some good dinner tonight.

[One Eye]

I love that squirrel hunting. I will taking the kids out after the bow season closes to chase them. I need to get out a few more time with the bow as well as get my shorthair out for partridge before it closes this week. So many things to hunt and so little time.

Dan

[eino]

Sounds like a good day of hunting. Do you mind telling me what part of the state has squirrels that thick. I am an avid squirrel hunter to say the least, and I have only limited twice. Once with a dog and once with out. I've never seen 20 in a day. I mostly hunt around Ingham and Clinton counties.

Ed

[Zoobydoo]

Does anybody know a good trick for skinning them, I like to shoot them but I hate cleaning them.:confused:

[Jari22]

I've tried a few methods. This one suites me the best... This, by the way, is straight out of F&S...
Place squirrel under running water until soaked
Pinch skin up on back, carefully make perpendicular cut
Get your fingers in there and pull the hide apart (i.e., in opposite directions)
The skin will tear around the belly and come off inside out...
keep working the squirrel, keep it under the running water while skinning
in a minute or two you should have the skin hanging from either end of the squirrel...
cut off heads, feet, and hands...
The trick to this is keeping the squirrel wet while pulling the skin off of him...
Also, I found that gutting him AFTER skinning is a much better way to go.
I just worked three squirrels that way... they came out virtually hair free... It takes a little practice, but it works for me (I used to use the step on the tail method... broke too many darn tails...!).
Good luck...!

[Jari22]

There are tons of squirrels around the state, but finding the squirrel honey holes takes a little walking and talking... I've found squirrels by walking as if stalking and using a squirrel call... also, I've had to "go in after them" on a few occasions... Like deer hunters, small game hunters don't go far from the road... In the dexter Pickeny area, I've walked a hundred yards off the trail sat down and in ten minutes was surrounded by them (after a few seconds of that, I was wondering who was hunting who:lol: ).

[Michigan Mike]

I love to hunt and eat them too and without ice again it looks like they are definitely on the agenda. lol

As far as cleaning them goes, the greys are twice as easy as the foxes.
Dang skin is super glued on I think.:sad:

I also do pretty close to Jari22 and keep them wet when cleaning.
I do mine in the washtub in the basement and start off by putting them
in a warm bucket of water for 5 minutes.
I then cut the tail and head off and snip the feet with small pair of wire cutters.
I gut them at this point and rinse real well and then start the skinning of them as stated above but I use pliers to assist.
Keeping them wet really helps with keeping any hair off the meat.
Good eatin when all said and done for sure.

Mike

[snowman11]

the rats are easiest done when still warm I think. I carry a 2 gallon ziplock bag and skin them a few minutes after they hit the ground. Cut around rear feet up to tail, cut tail a bit, stand on tail and pull up....the rat comes right out of it's skin. then gut.

i went out today, it was a little cold, but they were still out there (didn't end up getting any as I didn't have any good shots, and was too cold to be patient)

the hardest thing about them is, as was said, finding them. Where I went today it seemed that there was a nest in each oak tree...very literally. But that's the biggest thing, find the oak trees. If you find the oak trees, you've found the squirrels.

Anybody want to clue me in on how to hunt rabbits without dogs? :) I've never been much of a rabbit hunter. (sitting in my back yard and waiting for peter cottontail to come munch on the garden doesn't count...)

[walkercoonhunter]

Sounds like a good day of hunting. Do you mind telling me what part of the state has squirrels that thick. I am an avid squirrel hunter to say the least, and I have only limited twice. Once with a dog and once with out. I've never seen 20 in a day. I mostly hunt around Ingham and Clinton counties.

EdMake that 3 times!!!


Ed and I went today and had 3 in a hour, went to some state land and came up empty handed. We decided to make one more attemt and and it rewarded us with a double. What a blast man, let me know next time you are headed out.

[Huntsman27]

Sounds like a good day of hunting. Do you mind telling me what part of the state has squirrels that thick. I am an avid squirrel hunter to say the least, and I have only limited twice. Once with a dog and once with out. I've never seen 20 in a day. I mostly hunt around Ingham and Clinton counties.

Ed quite a few. This parcel is private but no one hunts squirrels there [mostly deer, and waterfowl] so I decided to look into doing some hunting with the 22 and 16 ga. I saw a whole lot of them when I was deer hunting.

[ROBBY MEYERS]

http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/photopost/data/500/hunters1.jpg


I love this!!!

[One Eye]

Yes, that is a rare breed, Squirrelus Horribulus. I believe it is a cross between a fox squirrel and a grizzly bear. You will need more firepower and a lot of luck to not get mauled by one of those.

Dan

[woodie slayer]

best time to skin them is as soon as you shoot them .the hide peels right off. i cut in the middle and pull both ways.
hate fox squrrels i just shoot blacks and greys

[trout]

I'm cooking up a pot of 6 tonight as I type.
Anyone here have the link to skinning them as Thunderheads crew did on TV?
It was even better than the back cut method.
Thanks
btw thats one big squirrel
the tail alone would bring at least 20 bucks :)

[English]

Here is a link to a post on Squirrel Dog Central. This post contains a link to a video on cleaning squirrels.

http://www.sqdog.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=9790&hl=

Hope this helps.

Mike

[ScavengerMan]

Here is a link to a post on Squirrel Dog Central. This post contains a link to a video on cleaning squirrels.

http://www.sqdog.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=9790&hl=

Hope this helps.

Mike


Do you have a link that doesn't require registration?

[English]

http://photos.imageevent.com/brobert/hosting///SQUACKS.wmv

Sorry I forgot about having to register now at SDC. Hopefully this will work.

Mike

[tanner]

Hello, there are a ton of them left around this year. I took Frank Giddings and Mike Giddings out the other day and we treed 15 in about 2 hours. Frank Is a long time coondog man but he had a great time so I let them keep Tanner up there to hunt. Some of you on here know Tanner and can tell you how much fun he is to hunt.:corkysm55:corkysm55

[Huntsman27]

However, I dont. Atleast for squirrel shooting. Might make a run at them again this weekend and see if I can bag another limit. Maybe next year I wont have so many to pester me during deer season.

[English]

Tanner, I thought you died and went to the great kennel in the sky!

Mike

[jackbob42]

Sounds like a good day of hunting. Do you mind telling me what part of the state has squirrels that thick. I am an avid squirrel hunter to say the least, and I have only limited twice. Once with a dog and once with out. I've never seen 20 in a day. I mostly hunt around Ingham and Clinton counties.

Ed


I might know of a couple places ! ;)

[tanner]

Hello Mike, yes this old dog is still around and well. I have been hunting a good bit but not just squirrels. I have started back hunting my hounds again so I have been out at night a lot!!! We need to make a round with the squirrel dogs before season is over. When Lavan died I just about quit squirrel hunt very much, It was like lossing my dad all over again. I am starting to go some again so I am sure you will see me at some point packing a curdog and a sack full of game.:lol: :lol:

[English]

Barry, give me a call sometime. That gyp you saw that last time we hunted with Lavan has turned out to be a real squirrel dog. I'm hoping to hunt her in the hunts this year and could use some tips on handling a dog in them. Championed Buster out last year but should have been a lot quicker doing it.

Mike

[tanner]

Hi Mike, send me you new number at tanner@eztechinternet.com

barry

[ishot3bucks]

http://photos.imageevent.com/brobert/hosting///SQUACKS.wmv

Sorry I forgot about having to register now at SDC. Hopefully this will work.

Mike

That was pretty cool!

[2PawsRiver]

Have not squirrel hunted since 1988. No reason, just with Deer Season and fishing never fitted it in.

Was thinking how much I alway enjoyed it so I popped out the ole .22. Popped a 4X scope on it, sighted it in and hit the woods this evening.

I got a little late, 4:30 or so. First ridge I sat on I had a black at about 25 yards but in brush. A short time later a large Gray climbed a tree 20 yards in front of me.

I watched and saw him move to a limb and perch. Checked him through the scope, decided he was a shooter, maybe a 3.5 year old..(Sorry Couldn't Resist). Didn't squeeze off the shot fast enough as he started up the tree. Follwed him in the scope till he bedded down in his nest. It was only 4:50, I was a little suprised he was headed to bed.

Sat up on a second ridge, saw one large Gray but it never gave me a shot. I knew I was hunting in the right area. Lots of large mature trees, lots of nests and saw this Wise Hunter scoping out the same area. I was just there a little late.

http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/photopost/data/539/medium/fellow_hunter.JPG

Was a real nice time. I plan on making it out again in the morning.:)

[Huntsman27]

Hunting close to the woods and has squirrels running about and chattering. Did manage 2 nice drake mallards, but the squirrels were there but the 3-1/2 inch mags mightve been a bit of overkill.
Interestingly enough, the rain didnt seem to bother the squirrels at all today.

[boots741]

We got out yesterday on some state land in Northern Oakland County, and managed to shoot a few. Lots of nests, and lots of squirrels.
First time I had squirrel hunted in a few years, had a really good time.