Here's my advice on when to clean,skin,etc. With squirels, skin them first (2 inch slit across center of back, insert first two fingers of each hand and pull-one towards head one towards tail. when you get to the wrists,wack em off along with the head. You now have a naked squirrel minus head and feat, now slit open from stem to stern and pull out the guts n such, rinse and soak overnite in pan of salt water in frig, now cook or freeze in freezer bags)..If its really warm when you are hunting skin and gut on the spot,put in freezer bag and put in a cooler of ice(the small igloo cooler you use to take your lunch to work are great-take a couple pops in and bring the squirrels out) when you get home,rinse,soak,freeze. You will find its easier to skin right after the kill. Hope this helps,good luck-good eating-good day <img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>