Hey guys I need some information on squirrels.When shooting early season squirrels sometimes they have wolves in them which they say is a parasite in them.Most people say it takes a frost to kill them before you can eat the squirrel.I dont want to shoot my squirrels and not eat them so what do you guys do when you kill a squirrel with wolves in them.Do you just cut that part out or do you toss the squirrel out.I just dont want to eat something that will make me sick but neither do I want to waste it.Going out some next week and need any information you have that might help me decide what to do.Thanks Alot! Mike

vaslugger, thats a new one on me. never heard of a parasite called wolves on squirrels. ive shot squirrels before frost here in Pa. and have eaten them. where did you hear of this. i sure would like to know. let me know when you find out.

Theparasites are called warbles.
They usely come out after the first frost.


Description and Distribution
Warbles are the larval stage of the botfly, which characteristically infect rodents and rabbits. They are found under the skin, usually around the legs and neck. They have also been reported from deer, cattle, cats, dogs, hogs, mules, mink, foxes and man. The adult botflies are large (20 mm or more in length) and dark blue or black with fine, dense hairs on the face, genae and thorax.
Only one genus, Cuterebra, is currently recognized from North America. Twenty-six species are known to occur in the U.S. and Canada. They are also found in Mexico and the neotropical regions. The taxonomy is poorly defined, and existing keys are for the most part inadequate for separation of the species.
In Michigan, warbles have been found in cottontail rabbits, chipmunks, squirrels, house mice and white-footed mice. Undoubtedly, other mammals are infected as well. The parasites are usually not seen by the rabbit hunter since most of the warbles have dropped off before hunting season.

http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,1607,7-153-10370_12150_12220-26354--,00.html

I have killed a couple with them in the last 30+ years of squirrel hunting.If wasting one squirrel every now and then is keeping you out of early season hunting then you are missing out.I have only saw a couple that were infected and they have a nasty sore and knot on their neck,I feel that killing them may have been better than them dying from the sore getting infected.Just get out and hunt,take a pair of binocularsand observe the animal a minute or two if possible and you may see the sore and might choose not to shoot it.Good hunting.

Thanks so much to all that replied!Yes I am definitely going to hunt early squirrel season as it is just to much fun not to do it.But if you do kill one with warbles is it all right to cut that part out and eat the rest of it or should I just toss it.Even if I toss it I know it wont go to waste as crows or some other of the good Lords creatures will eat it.Man we have so many squirrels this year where I live in Virginia it is just awesome.Right now mornings are the best as they are just cool enough in the upper fortys here.Thanks Alot! Mike

Here in KY where I live we dont have as many as normal,we have had a couple of bad years for nut crops,but this year the trees are loaded so I'm sure next year will be good, as far as wasting one every now and then you are right,there are many other critters that will benefit from them,anyway in the early season the brush is so thick that you are probable going to lose more due to not being able to find them in the undergrowth than you are going to throw away.good luck.

i think wolves and warbles may be the same parasite or maybe not i just know that everyone around here in western north carolina calls em wolves. i hadnt heard the term warbles till i was lookin around on the internet..but i know that frost killls wolves and supposedly warbles come out after frost i dunno maybe they just vary by region

Killed many an squirrel with "warbles" - no big deal.....our grandparents cut away the infected area and ate em up.

Killed one last week with a warble on his shoulder, used a stick to remove warble from skin and cleaned him just like normal.....never heard of anyone getting sick from a squirrel having a warble on it.

all I know about wolves or warbles or whatever is that i cant stand them, nothings worse than having a good hunting trip ruined by shooting a squirrel w/ them nasty things on them[:@],that and the squirrels here where i live usually rub most of their fur off in that area i guess in an attempt to get it out, you can still eat the squirrels i guess ifyou have the stomach to clean the infected squirrel i have done it before, but am very carefull not to shoot themif they have them

Grandma used to get mad when grampa shot em in the head......

Grandma ate the head, was even known to pickle squirrel heads.....

And you folks are scared of a fly larva that lives on the outside of the squirrel.....

Whatever.