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RE: Ethical hunting of squirrels?
 

Squirrels are darn good eating, not only is it unethical to kill something just to leave it lay, its also illegal.Wanton waste of game!!!!

RE: Ethical hunting of squirrels?
 

trapper dave said it all !!!!
if you are not going to eat it,don't shoot it.squirrels are game also.there are a lot of hungry people in this country,so don't waste there food.be it crows,or squirrels. crows are good to eat also.

if you need pratice, go to the range and punch paper.

I am not a hunter I am a whitetail population reduction specialest

remember keep your back to the sun, your knife sharp, and your powder dry.

RE: Ethical hunting of squirrels?
 

Hello, As I've posted under other topics here on hunting.net, I'm newly licensed and awaiting the N.J. squirrel season opener Sep. 28 and my first day afield as a hunter. But I believe I already have something to offer you and it's possibly important: Simply this;
If this is a "practice hunt" for you, and you will move on to deer and expect to eat them, Have you considered what it might be like to gut and skin your own game animal? I expect that for me at least, the most difficult adjustment I will have to make in becoming a hunter will be retrieving that first dead squirrel and sticking in that gutting knife. Shooting the squirrel? no problem, it's a target and I'm a long time gun owner. Cooking and eating that squirrel? I don't expect a problem as I've eaten supermarket meat 'most all my life. Skinning and gutting it? HEY... I'm from New Jersey and from the more urban areas as well. I've never had to do THAT!!! Noone in my family hunts! And I will even admit that I'm a bit less macho that some of you real guys out there.
I don't know if when I try to gut that first squirrel or two, I might experience the type of revulsion that will send me scampering back to the indoor pistol range shooting paper and eating pre-killed animal flesh at the McDonald's next to the range, or, if I might easily deal with it and go on to be a regular hunter. But I do know that if I'm not sucessful and I abandon my first kill or two because I can't handle the gutting, I will not shoot any more animals and I have only wasted a small animal as opposed to a large one like a deer.
My opinion: Don't eat that squirrel if you don't want to BUT DO gut it and clean it and bring the meat out. Give it to someone who will eat it or even to a hungry dog. Even if you are hunting with others who will process your game for you, there will come a day when you will wish you could do it yourself. (I'm obviously assuming you have never done this either)
Good luck!
May your game bag always be full...
BB

RE: Ethical hunting of squirrels?
 

Good points IAMBOB. I'm also a VERY new hunter. Went hunting for the first time three weeks ago. Tx dove opening day.

I too have never gutted or cleaned ANYTHING!! I went to the gun store today to find a book on how to do clean game... and how to cook it... I'm used to the microwave generation and it didn't matter how many feathers I pulled off the bird I still couldn't find the directions. heheh... Fortunately, I was with another hunter who got tired of my inefficient method of 'cleaning' the bird... grabbed it from me.... and promptly ripped the breast out and threw it back to me.

This weekend however, it's going to be significantly different. It's only going to be me and my 11 yo son. [He's never cleaned and gutted anything either.] So it looks like it's going to be a trial by fire for BOTH of us. I can't back down from the gutting because I don't want him to think I can't.... he won't back down from the gutting because he doesn't want me to think he won't... <img src=icon_smile_8ball.gif border=0 align=middle>

I think I can manage based on what that book said on how to clean it without destroying the carcass too badly. But WHEN do you clean it? Right after you shoot it? If not right then - what do you carry it around in? And what do you do with the meat? How long will it last before it spoils? How can you tell??








<img src=icon_smile_8ball.gif border=0 align=middle><img src=icon_smile_8ball.gif border=0 align=middle>

Houston, TX

RE: Ethical hunting of squirrels?
 

Hi JC-1, Hopefully the more experienced people will jump in and help us, but here is what I'm hearing and learning so far;
Carrying game: Some folk use &quot;game bags&quot; or &quot;game vests&quot; inquire at your local sport store. However, Some folk leave game exposed, tied to or pierced on a stick or pike or something like that (after gutting) to help it cool down. I'm told that dissipating the natural body heat is very important to preserve a good taste in the meat. Here in NJ, they want us to keep our harvested animals out of sight when possible to avoid offending non-hunters.
I'm also told that gutting the game as soon as possible, especially when you think you have hit the animal in the stomach or intestines or pierced the urine bladder etc, will mean a better tasting meal. If you don't gut and clean asap, the meat will be basicly &quot;marinating&quot; in urine and feces and will be more &quot;gamey&quot; tasting.
Of course you will be hunting birds and different rules might apply? but I'm sure there are accomplished hunters out there that will soon post here.
Good hunting! Safety first!
BB

RE: Ethical hunting of squirrels?
 

Squirrels are pest? If you don't want to eat them don't shoot them. You just want to shoot something, is that it? Try a peice of paper or a clay target. Don't waste them. At the very least give them away.

Guns cause crime, like flies cause garbage.

RE: Ethical hunting of squirrels?
 

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>

RE: Ethical hunting of squirrels?
 

So do you carry the cooler around with you? Or wait until you get back to camp possibly hours later?

We'll be hunting this saturday in Houston. It'll be prolly in the 80's. So is that an instant gut issue or can it wait?

Houston, TX

RE: Ethical hunting of squirrels?
 

take the cooler with you, might want to camo it,an old camo t-shirt will do in a pinch. <img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>