Deer hunter with questions about squirrels

[daniel craig]

Hey y’all, it’s been about 20 years since I’ve squirrel hunted. I’m mainly a deer hunter. When you get a deer the hunt is usually over. You field dress it and get it cut up. Here in NY deer season temps are fairly cool.
I’m wondering how. For squirrels; if I get one and field dress it is it game over like for deer or will the met be fine for a few hours while I continue to hunt? I don’t really want to end the hunt if I get a squirrel within the first half an hour, especially if I’ve walked a long way onto public land. What do you suggest?

 

[Weflyfast]

I skin them and dump the insides and place them in a plastic bag in a game pouch or outside pocket if I am going to be more than 6 hours to the house - any less than that I clean them when I get home-

 

[Patocazador]

It's hot most of the time down here even in the Winter. Squirrel hunters usually skin and dress each one as they are killed. Since there is almost zero fat on a squirrel, they are not insulated well and cool off quickly. I string mine on a fish stringer and let them hang from my belt. Air can circulate and they cool down in a hurry. Then I put them in yhe cooler with the drinks when I get to the truck.

 

[Highland Lofts]

It it all came down to only hunt one game animal it would be squirrels.
When I lived back there in Broome County come September 1st on I was sitting my butt out in the woods with my Marlin 882 bolt action in hand waiting for squirrels.
I had mulitpule properties to hunt on and knew what wood lots to hunt as the season wore on.
Early season the beechnuts produced. Then on to the butternuts and hickories. Then the oaks. Once the leaves fall and it there is any corn standing I use to sit inside the woods and shoot the squirrels as they were on their way out to grab a cob of corn or on their way back in to the woods.
I wouls sit in one spot for atleast 45 minutes, go collect the squirrels I shot, gut them out saveing the hearts. Skin them out & put them in a plastic grocery bag of other plastic bag and put them in my fanny pack when back to the truck I would put them in my ice chest that had ice in. Gallon zip lock bags work better.
If there is a clean creek around I would rince the meat off. I always took wet wipes to wipe my bloody hands off. I always took paper towels in case i needed them for #2 or to wipe my hands off after gutting the squirrels at a creek.

To clean the squirrels I would cut their feet, tail & head off. Then slice their hid about midway across their back & pull one half off then the other half. Then gut them.

Some times I would just gut them and skin them at home.

I use to make soup out of them. Boil three of them up then pull the meat off the bones. In a large pot I would put a 46 oz. Can of tomato juice or V8, potatoes cubed up small, cut carrots up & cut them into small pieces, some frozen peas, and any other veggies you might want. Add enough water so everything is covered and let it cook until veggies are done with enough brooth to accomodate noodles. I would add the noodles when everything is done, turn the heat off, add the noodles & occasionally stirr it together.
When cooking the squirrel & veggies I would add seasoning, bay leaves, salt, pepper, thyme, oregano and what ever else you like.
Some saltine crackers and chow down.

Fishing people use the tails to tie flies and if you get enough tails Mepps will give you lures for your tails.
.

 

[bsparker]

If I wanted to hunt both, I'd probably wait till a time in the day when I knew the deer weren't moving much. Where I am that would about 11am-2pm. I'd take a couple squirrel, head back to the truck throw them in the cooler, grab lunch and settle back down for the rest of the day.

Happy hunting and good luck.

 

[Fyrstyk]

I skin and gut the squirrels I take soon after I get them. I then put them in an old bread bag in my day pack where I keep a couple of cold packs to cool them down.

 

[whughett]

In New England it’s generally cold enough I’d slip them into the game pouch in back of the vest. A prolific grove would leave them where they fell until the action stopped. Cleaning took place at end of the hunt. Generally 4 or 5 hours. Same for rabbits or birds.

 

[bluebanana]

I skin them when I get home after hunting for 2-3 hours. Skinning is tougher when they are cold but all the messy work gets done at once.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

I skin them when I get home after hunting for 2-3 hours. Skinning is tougher when they are cold but all the messy work gets done at once

Agreed. If it's cold out, they will cool off quickly. I won't field dress them by dumping the guts, as that's an odd scent that the deer are not used to. It's bad enough that I'm in the woods I don't need to add bloody squirrel guts to the scent mixture, eh?

LD

 

[Barbaroja]

I wait until I get home to clean them.
Squirrel hunting is my favorite type of hunting and I do it a lot.
In Washington, eastern grey squirrels are an invasive species and have no seasons or bag limits so I hunt them year round with the exception of the spring when the females are nursing young. I should probably hunt them then too if I want to really help the native squirrels but I have to say I really enjoy having the resource available to me.
Shotgun with a load of #4s or .22 rifle loaded with hollowpoints is what I use. I’ve been using subsonic hollowpoints as of late and I am really liking the low noise level doesn’t scare the other squirrels off. Ive has a few occasions where I missed and the squirrel didn’t even know it was being shot at. Using the .22 is more about the sport of it for me. If I wanna stack them up I bring out the scattergun.
Have fun!

 

[jmorris]

It’s hot enough when I dove hunt, I am sweating wearing shorts and a t shirt in the shade. From the first one I kill that day to the last is going to be hours apart and I don’t breast them out until we are all back at the truck.

Out of thousands of birds, never had anyone say, “this one must have sat for awhile.”

That does however remind me of a story. Decades ago I dated a girl who was the youngest of two girls and her Father was awfully happy when, he had come dove hunting with me and a couple buddies, as it had been 8-10 years since he had been.

We make it to the field and are gearing up when, as he is putting on his vest, discovers a petrified dove in it. The thing is a rock with feathers. I immediately wondered how it could have been in perfect condition as maggots are all over them in days much less years. Before I could say a word, he says, “I bet that’s the smell Martha was talking about back then.” He kept his hunting gear in their bedroom closet.

That one was almost as funny as the time watching him try and park a ‘48 Chevy truck with no brakes in their driveway that was around 35-40 deg incline... Great guy.

 

[buck460XVR]

AS a kid, I would start out on Saturday morning squirrel hunting and many times would not make it back till dark. Cleaned 'em when I got home and ma would cook them up the next day and you couldn't tell the difference in taste from the one shot in the morning and the ones shot right before I got home. Used to be, folks would intentionally hang game animals out to improve the taste and tenderness. The idea is not to let them start to rot. I would suggest tho, if the squirrels have been gut shot, to dress them immediately. Body fluids will taint the meat quicker than anything. head shots can wait till you get home. Me, personally, I dress all small game in the field so I don't have to bring the mess home. I have a cooler, and rubber gloves in the truck. The guts and other offal gets left discretely for the scavengers. Check your state game laws tho, some game like pheasants have to have something left on them to distinguish sex till you get home.

 

[bsparker]

I wait until I get home to clean them...

That's a good looking side-by-side.

 

[Barbaroja]

That's a good looking side-by-side.

Thanks! That’s my 1926 LaFevre Nitro special in 20ga. It’s Family heirloom that belonged to my great grandfather. I take it out once or twice a year and let it stretch it’s legs. If I wasn’t sentimental I’d use it much more it’s a great shooter.

 

[daniel craig]

Agreed. If it's cold out, they will cool off quickly. I won't field dress them by dumping the guts, as that's an odd scent that the deer are not used to. It's bad enough that I'm in the woods I don't need to add bloody squirrel guts to the scent mixture, eh?

LD

I’ve seen deer walk right over gut piles and not be bothered so I don’t agree with you on that.

 

[mokin]

I read through all the posts with visions of small game in the near future. Not many squirrels around here - and ones large enough to eat are even more scarce. When rabbit hunting, I'll skin and clean them as I have them. I usually find a patch of snow to rinse the carcass off.

 

[Hookeye]

Only shoot reds. Open season on them, but I wait til reg squirrel season.

When eyes good ran .22 pistol.

Nowadays its scoped 22 rifle cz455 w Leupold 2-7x left at 4x.

 

[buck460XVR]

I’ve seen deer walk right over gut piles and not be bothered so I don’t agree with you on that.

I've watched deer stop and eat the contents of their dead friends stomachs on their way past/over a gut pile. Deer are quite accustomed to smelling rotting carcasses in the woods. They do not identify that smell with danger.

 

[Highland Lofts]

We put trail cams on the deer gut piles. Last year they got cleaned up pretty fast.
Al.ost every deer gut pile was investigated by other deer. No nervous one bit even after they have been ate on by coyotes, foxes, raccoons and tons of crows.

I don't thing a gut squirrel will make any difference.