Well I had no luck a few weeks ago hunting on a public conservation area (2,500 acres)....


However my girl has about 5 oak trees behind her house in the suburbs and I stopped and picked up a bag of the hardend feed corn and spread it around.  She called the other day a little upset about the fact her dog was going nuts chasing them.  So I figured I'll sit in her backyard this weekend and pop a half dozen or so with my pellet gun.  The city she lives in is about 30 minutes south of KC and probably has a population of 2,000.  (greenwood, mo).

What my question is, is it safe to eat city squirrels that feed on mostly birdseed and acorns from her tree?  I don't know what else they might eat or if they could be rabid or what not.  

Also,  if I grill/fry them can I feed them to the dog whole or do I need to pick the meat off like I would a chicken bone?  I won't be getting any if the dog chokes to death.

Thanks!

Yes.

Quoted: Yes.

I also have a lot in my backyard since my dog died a few years ago.  I figure this spring I'll start fatten them up and take a few dozen or so when needed.  Do they freeze well?

I have about 5 in the freezer myself. City squirrels are fatter then country squirrels! The get a lot of birdseed around here.

What's the best way to freeze them?  Fill the freezer bag with water to keep the air (freezerburn) out.  We do that with fish and can keep them for up to and over a year and still are good as they day we caught them.  Looks like I'm goin to need to make room in the freezer.

Is it OK to just eat a rat? I need this message board to help me in my daily survival chores...  

Quoted: What's the best way to freeze them?  Fill the freezer bag with water to keep the air (freezerburn) out.  We do that with fish and can keep them for up to and over a year and still are good as they day we caught them.  Looks like I'm goin to need to make room in the freezer.

Vacuum sealing works great.  If you don't have one, just get the heavy freezer bags and remove as much air as possible.  I have done this by sinking the bag (with the squirrel in it) in a dishpan full of water...the bag then is forced to conform to the squirrel.

City squirrels are good eating.  I use an RWS 48, aiming for the head/neck and it drops them reliably.  More than a few time I have noticed a BB or pellet under the skin, meaning the kids have been taking pot shots at them.  Use enough gun.  700 FPS with a pellet is the bare minimum.

Real good eat'n with brown gravey.

They freeze well in a paper milk carton, top cut off, filled with water.  Just add squirrels and cover with water.  That way you can add more until you get a good mess and then cook them up.

Vac. sealing would be best though.  That is if you have the capacity.

Quoted: Quoted: What's the best way to freeze them?  Fill the freezer bag with water to keep the air (freezerburn) out.  We do that with fish and can keep them for up to and over a year and still are good as they day we caught them.  Looks like I'm goin to need to make room in the freezer. Vacuum sealing works great.  If you don't have one, just get the heavy freezer bags and remove as much air as possible.  I have done this by sinking the bag (with the squirrel in it) in a dishpan full of water...the bag then is forced to conform to the squirrel. City squirrels are good eating.  I use an RWS 48, aiming for the head/neck and it drops them reliably.  More than a few time I have noticed a BB or pellet under the skin, meaning the kids have been taking pot shots at them.  Use enough gun.  700 FPS with a pellet is the bare minimum.

At her house I'll be using her grandpa's old bb/pellet pump.  Dropped on a few weeks back with 1 shot, but had to follow up on him after he dropped from the tree with a close up to the skull.

At my house I'll be using my DROZD at 1,200 rpm.  It'll take a rabbit pretty reliably, and the squirrel won't stand a chance.   With the trigger depressed for just a half second at 10 yards I can get a handfull of bb's in the head/neck area.  FPS is only around 450 or so, but the kills are quick and fairly clean.

Not as good as city clams!  

Quoted: Not as good as city clams!

You mean city beaver?  Much less hair than that crap from the country.

How exactly do you prepare said squirrels for grilling?  
There are 3 kinds in my neigborhood, do you cook 'em differently?

I have a yard full of oak trees and dozens of fuzzy critters making a huge mess of my yard and my rain gutters.  I would like to get rid of them, but haven't eaten one since I was a kid.  Even then, it was usually in some kind of stew.

Squirrel meat isn't normal fare or a delicacy. After years of hard frontier living back then plus a ready supply of squirrels through today, you'd think it would catch on by now. Maybe they just don't taste good enough or aren't nutritious enough for the trouble?

Quoted: Squirrel meat isn't normal fare or a delicacy. After years of hard frontier living back then plus a ready supply of squirrels through today, you'd think it would catch on by now. Maybe they just don't taste good enough or aren't nutritious enough for the trouble?

Heathen!!!!

Squirrel is excellent. I've never tried "city" squirrel, but I imagine they would be just as good as country squirrel. It all depends on what they eat. The squirrels I used to hunt would eat mostly hickory nuts or acorns. I had shot some out of a stand of pine trees once, I guess they ate pine nuts or something, because they were horrible.

Alot of people don't think they are worth the trouble which is kind of true for gray squirrels as there isn't alot of meat on them. I can eat 6 by myself and still be hungry if there are no side dishes. Red squirrels are bigger, therefore having more meat.

Roll them in seasoned flour and fry them up, then use the drippings to make gravy. Serve with biscuits and you have just about one of the finest breakfasts known to mankind. Squirrel and dumplings is also great. You can use most chicken recipes and substitute squirrel instead of chicken.

Since we are talking squirrels I will put in one of my favorite squirrel hunting pics. This was my daughters first trip hunting with daddy.

Quoted: Since we are talking squirrels I will put in one of my favorite squirrel hunting pics. This was my daughters first trip hunting with daddy. img.photobucket.com/albums/v406/kooter/Squirr1.jpg

Priceless pic

Quoted: Quoted: Squirrel meat isn't normal fare or a delicacy. After years of hard frontier living back then plus a ready supply of squirrels through today, you'd think it would catch on by now. Maybe they just don't taste good enough or aren't nutritious enough for the trouble? Heathen!!!! Squirrel is excellent. I've never tried "city" squirrel, but I imagine they would be just as good as country squirrel. It all depends on what they eat. The squirrels I used to hunt would eat mostly hickory nuts or acorns. I had shot some out of a stand of pine trees once, I guess they ate pine nuts or something, because they were horrible. Alot of people don't think they are worth the trouble which is kind of true for gray squirrels as there isn't alot of meat on them. I can eat 6 by myself and still be hungry if there are no side dishes. Red squirrels are bigger, therefore having more meat. Roll them in seasoned flour and fry them up, then use the drippings to make gravy. Serve with biscuits and you have just about one of the finest breakfasts known to mankind. Squirrel and dumplings is also great. You can use most chicken recipes and substitute squirrel instead of chicken. Since we are talking squirrels I will put in one of my favorite squirrel hunting pics. This was my daughters first trip hunting with daddy. img.photobucket.com/albums/v406/kooter/Squirr1.jpg

That is one of the most precious pictures I have ever laid eyes upon.  You, Sir, have an absolutely adorable child.

http://members.localnet.com/~nickdd/

Follow this link to a helpful video on how to skin a squirrel real easy!

When I was a kid a squirrel followed one of my sisters home and ended up living in our house for a while.  A basement window was left open a crack and the squirrel would come and go at will.  It was completely housebroken and we believed that it was someones pet.  In Michigan, it was not legal to keep wild animals and the DNR found out and came and confiscated it.  It wasn't like we were keeping it in a cage, it adopted us.  Same thing happened to me in high school but it was an adult crow that flew to my arm after I threw a rock at it.  Followed me home.


Red squirrels are one of the smallest of the squirrels. Worthless for eating.


Grey squirrels are bigger and also come in a black phase.  Some areas in Michigan and Indiana that I am aware of have isolated populations which are white though not albino due to genetic inbreading.
 

Fox squirrels are some of the largest of the common squirrels.  Good eating size.
There are three color phases for this squirrel: gray over yellow, reddish brown and black. Variations include white markings on the face, tip of tail, ears and nose. The tail makes up half of the squirrel’s total length and is bushy with a mix of hair color. Fox squirrels range from 18 to 27 inches in length, and the tail can grow to be from eight to 13 inches long.

Quoted: Quoted: Squirrel meat isn't normal fare or a delicacy. After years of hard frontier living back then plus a ready supply of squirrels through today, you'd think it would catch on by now. Maybe they just don't taste good enough or aren't nutritious enough for the trouble? Heathen!!!! Squirrel is excellent. I've never tried "city" squirrel, but I imagine they would be just as good as country squirrel. It all depends on what they eat. The squirrels I used to hunt would eat mostly hickory nuts or acorns. I had shot some out of a stand of pine trees once, I guess they ate pine nuts or something, because they were horrible. Alot of people don't think they are worth the trouble which is kind of true for gray squirrels as there isn't alot of meat on them. I can eat 6 by myself and still be hungry if there are no side dishes. Red squirrels are bigger, therefore having more meat. Roll them in seasoned flour and fry them up, then use the drippings to make gravy. Serve with biscuits and you have just about one of the finest breakfasts known to mankind. Squirrel and dumplings is also great. You can use most chicken recipes and substitute squirrel instead of chicken. Since we are talking squirrels I will put in one of my favorite squirrel hunting pics. This was my daughters first trip hunting with daddy. img.photobucket.com/albums/v406/kooter/Squirr1.jpg

That picture is priceless!!! I just showed it to my wife and she thought it was 'adorable'...

Note to self: when it comes to squirrel meat, bigger is better! I learn something new every day on arfcom.

Originally Posted By Ratgravy: Yes.

not sure you want to follow this advice.

* 2 squirrels - skinned, gutted, and cut into pieces
* 4 large potatoes, quartered
* 1 pound carrots, chopped
* 1 green bell pepper, chopped
* 4 onions, sliced
* 2 cups water
* 1/4 medium head cabbage
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1. In a slow cooker, place the squirrel meat, potatoes, carrots, green bell pepper, onions, water, cabbage, salt and ground black pepper.
2. Cover and cook on low setting for 8 hours.

I can't wait to get my 22 silencer.

Quoted: Since we are talking squirrels I will put in one of my favorite squirrel hunting pics. This was my daughters first trip hunting with daddy.

Cute pic! My eight-year old daughter is envious! "Can we shoot some squirrles out back, daddy?" In suburbia? Yeah, sure, kid- suuuuure...

Quoted: "Gopher, Everett?"

I was just thinking that!

Tree rats

"Get yer hot tree rats on a stick."