# Skinning squirrels



## alleyyooper (Dec 13, 2011)

Talk me thru skinning your squirrels.

 Al


----------



## abureels4me (Dec 13, 2011)

wet them down, split the hide in the middle of the back, insert fingers and peel like a banana. when you have the skin, head, and feet off split the belly and gut it. Soak it in some salt water, roll it in flour fry it up and enjoy.


----------



## AT sawyer (Dec 13, 2011)

abureels4me said:


> wet them down, split the hide in the middle of the back, insert fingers and peel like a banana. when you have the skin, head, and feet off split the belly and gut it. Soak it in some salt water, roll it in flour fry it up and enjoy.



Same as above but pull in opposite directions so the lower half of the hide goes one way and the upper half goes the other. Fur is now inside out and stays off the meat. Fiskars makes a great game shear that will snip off the feet and tail real quick, a nice-to-have when you're cleaning a mess of squirrels. This is the no chainsaw method.


----------



## jdc123 (Dec 13, 2011)

Fellas, ya'll sure are bringing back some good memories. I grew up hunting squirrels and they were my favorite game until I started deer hunting. I still like to get in a little hunting after deer season closes. We always skinned them just like you said, except for the wetting them down part. Is this to clean them off or does it make them easier to skin?


----------



## dingeryote (Dec 14, 2011)

Snip off the feet with hand pruners, snip a 1" horizontal slice in the mid back fur, step on tail, stick finger under skin and "Pull the shirt up" untill it stops at the neck and elbows. Step on the "Shirt" and pull the "Pants" up to the tail. Snip tail, snip head, pull skin off elbows.
Takes longer to type than perform. Gotta skin 'em right after shooting them and before they cool off though, or it's tough.

The plastic grocey bags keep the leaves and dirt off real well, and 2-3 in the game bag will work for 5 tree rats.
We gut them back home unless somebody is using a scattergun and busted the gut.

Stay safe!
Dingeryote


----------



## alleyyooper (Dec 17, 2011)

Thanks. Going to start thinning them some time soon.

 Al


----------



## abureels4me (Dec 17, 2011)

wetting them helps keeps the hair from sticking to the meat


----------



## jdc123 (Dec 18, 2011)

abureels4me said:


> wetting them helps keeps the hair from sticking to the meat



gotcha, have to try that


----------



## Chainsaw_Maniac (Dec 18, 2011)

Why are you skinning them?


----------



## alleyyooper (Dec 18, 2011)

You like hair and tough hide in your food?

 Al


----------



## Ayatollah (Dec 18, 2011)

I haven't had squirrel in..well,..a coons age.

What are they eating out there about now? As I recall, the squirrels take on the taste of what they've been foraging. My grandfather said they tasted best when they had been eating pecans.


----------



## redneck51587 (Dec 18, 2011)

dingeryote said:


> Snip off the feet with hand pruners, snip a 1" horizontal slice in the mid back fur, step on tail, stick finger under skin and "Pull the shirt up" untill it stops at the neck and elbows. Step on the "Shirt" and pull the "Pants" up to the tail. Snip tail, snip head, pull skin off elbows.
> Takes longer to type than perform. Gotta skin 'em right after shooting them and before they cool off though, or it's tough.
> 
> The plastic grocey bags keep the leaves and dirt off real well, and 2-3 in the game bag will work for 5 tree rats.
> ...



That's the way we always did it too


----------



## alleyyooper (Dec 19, 2011)

Our squirrels are eatting hickory nuts and acorns they buried as they fell from the trees.

 Al


----------



## greendohn (Dec 19, 2011)

yep, pretty much what you fellas said. gonna have to try that water trick, if aint too cold out side,lol. i put a couple over the smoker a while back, had never smoked 'em before. not too bad over long slow smoke...the very outer hide came out a lil' tough,but, the rest of them critters we're fallin' off the bone delicious. most all we have around here would be the fox/red squirrels. thy're dumb like a rock and easy to kill. i also go south of here and chase the lil' grey critters. i think i'm gonna' have to get the shot gun,,OUCH,,after them guys ;cause i just can't seem to get 'em in the game pouch with my .22 rifle. it seems like as soon as i get out of the truck/jeep, them squirrels head to the next county,,,you guys ever try a squirrel call ?? i'd like to try one if i thought it would work. any secrets to using one ?


----------



## abureels4me (Dec 19, 2011)

I use a squeak dog toy for a call. It mimics a youngster in distress and the others just have to come to see what's going on.


----------



## alleyyooper (Dec 20, 2011)

I think the the key to getting a bunch of squirrels at one time is to do things slow. Once I go in the woods with the 22 it takes I'm guessing a good half hour for them to return to normal activities. Then I shoot a few and stay in place between each one marking the spot in my mind where they are. I have shot the whole days limit in one sitting spot and most from the same tree even.
I have a squirrel call it is one of those bulb bump types that makes a chattering call as you tap it on your leg. It seems to work but I don't use it much at all.


 Al


----------

