Too Warm for Squirrels?

KYDeerHunter03 · 08-11-2007, 09:29 AM

Kentucky squirrel season opens August 18 and its really been hot. I have heard that squirrels get "weevils" when its hot and that you cant eat them until it gets cooler outside. Is this true or are they OK to eat anytime?

WolfWithBow · 08-11-2007, 10:48 AM

never heard of that. i eat squirrel. they hot outside i still eat. no got sick yet, should be safe.

8mm · 08-13-2007, 01:43 PM

yes it is tru they do get weevils after u shoot them all u got to do is check there neck forknottsi have killed many of them in the summer an never kille one with weevils so its like a 1 out of 1000 u will be ok i promis lol

Roadkillwarrior · 08-13-2007, 07:37 PM

As long as you make sure you dont leave anypart attached to what you are planning to eat you are probably safe. Our season starts on the 15th of August, and I would rather wait untill a cold snap with a couple of frosty nights and morning before hunting them but its to much fun hunting squirrels durring early season while there cutting hickory nuts. Just make sure you cook your meat somewhat theroughly to kill any perosites, like worms or weevels. Good luck to your squirrel hunting!!

KYDeerHunter03 · 08-14-2007, 08:03 AM

Thanks for the help. Where do I check for weevils? or are they just everywhere in the squirrel?

WolfWithBow · 08-14-2007, 09:44 AM

Generally, weevils usually thrive near genitals, the head, the tail, the legs and arms, and mostly anywhere in there body near the surface of the skin. Although weevils are parasite-like insects, you can still eat them, so if you swallowed one you don't have to panic. Now if you swallowed an inffected one or something, than you must worry. But the chances of that happening is very slim. So if I were you, I would still hunt Squirrels and eat them. Maybe this would work, but freeze the meat once you have cleaned it. Freeze it the whole day just to make shure the weevils freeze to death. Or cook it over a fire, that heat would be shure to kill any harmful things. I don't think you have to worry, your like me when I kill Frogs with my slingshot, and im afraid to cook them and get a chance of Salmanilla.

Brod_Man · 08-14-2007, 09:47 AM

ive seen a couple squirrels like that. if you want to know more you could google it or you could ask you local division of wildlife i gurantee they'll know. (its there job.) heres a link.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weevil

TREEDOG · 08-14-2007, 02:36 PM

I like to wait for cold weather. I have killed them with weevils and it grossed me out. Rabbits get them as well. The ones ive seen have been in the neck [:'(]

TheformerLives · 08-14-2007, 03:48 PM

Quote:

ORIGINAL: TREEDOG

I like to wait for cold weather. I have killed them with weevils and it grossed me out. Rabbits get them as well. The ones ive seen have been in the neck [:'(]

I second that....gross. I shoot nuisance rabbits in my garden and I know they have them around here (just about all rabbits have them). Normally after I shoot a rabbit I throw it in a plastic bag and put it in the freezer. Come back a day later and all the bugs will be either A)Frozen dead on the outside or B)half way out of the rabbit and frozen. They hate cold weather so they crawl out right away. I wouldn't eat a rabbit like that though. On another note, I've never killed a squirrel with the bugs. Must be more common in rabbits.