Now that you’ve got the hunting basics under your belt, it’s time get hunting! But what do you do with the squirrel you’ve worked so hard for?
First things first. There’s more to hunting than the harvests.
Don’t let a harvest (or lack of) be measure of success. Hunting is a chance to go out in the wild woods and off the beaten path. It’s about taking opportunities as they are presented to you — not just opportunities to shoot game. Opportunities like hearing true silence to noises you never knew existed. To see wild life, new landscapes and the unexpected.
You’re out there to participate—to interact with nature and enjoy the experience. Have a little fun! It’s easy to get bogged down in the details and to think about what you could have done differently or wish you had known ahead of time. Every hunter, new and seasoned, makes mistakes and learns something new each time they go out in the field.
So what if you do get a squirrel?
You’ve got your hunting knife. So if you want to field-dress your squirrel, this is a great example of how to go about it: http://www.wikihow.com/Gut-a-Squirrel
Another method is to take the squirrels out with you, whole, and put them on ice when you get to your vehicle. There’s more than one way to skin a squirrel. The YouTube video below will show you a way to clean them using game shears and a pair of catfish skinners. Using just these tools you can skin (hide intact), quarter and de-gut your squirrel efficiently and cleanly.
How to Skin and Quarter a Squirrel
How to Prepare Your Squirrel
There are many different recipes for squirrel. One of the most iconic is Squirrel and Dumplings. Visit our 5 Best Squirrel Recipes You’ll Ever Taste blog for more delicious ideas!
Easy Squirrel and Dumplings
Squirrel dumplings. Photo credit: Hunter Angler Gardener Cook.
Ingredients:
3-4 Skinned and Quartered Squirrels
Buttermilk
2 Cups All-Purpose Flour
2 Tablespoons Salt
2 Tablespoons Black Pepper
1 Tablespoon Cajun Seasoning
2 Cups Milk (for the Gravy)
3 cups of cooked squirrel meat
One 20 oz. package of flour tortillas cut into 1” x 2” strips
½ cup of milk
2 cups of chicken broth
2 cans of cream of chicken soup
Parboil the squirrel pieces in chicken broth until tender and meat flakes easily away from bone. Add broth and milk to cream of chicken soup. Bring to boil and add cut up tortillas. Reduce heat to low, add squirrel and simmer 15-20 minutes. Enjoy!
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