By Jeff Kurrus
It’s understandable why you don’t squirrel hunt. The weather might be hot, often muggy, and despite all of your readings, you’re still not quite sure you can distinguish between Virginia creeper and poison ivy.
But you’re missing out. Start, or re-kindle, your love for squirrel hunting for these reasons.
Shoot Better
The margin for error when shooting squirrels with a rimfire rifle is small. But for young or inexperienced shooters, practicing with an inexpensive 3-9×40 scope atop a Ruger 10/22 provides the perfect pre-season classroom for big game firearm season. Squirrel hunting forces the shooter to slow down, allowing them to look for the head or heart shot necessary to bring down this quick-moving quarry.
Hunt Better
Tree identification can become a huge advantage for hunters of various species. While deer will spend the majority of their feeding time in crop fields, knowing when walnuts, acorns and other tree nuts drop helps hunters determine travel routes for these big game animals — and determine where squirrels can be found throughout the season that begins Aug. 1 and doesn’t close until Jan. 31.
Fish Better
In-line spinners made by Mepps are one of the most recognizable and versatile fishing lures on the market, and they are interested in your squirrel tails. Mepps provides an opportunity for you to recycle the tails of harvested squirrels for money or Mepps fishing lures. Visit Mepps.com/squirrel-tail for more information.
Cook Better
After a successful hunt, enjoy squirrels at the dinner table. Tasting similar to rabbit — perhaps a bit darker — squirrel meat is nothing to scoff at. Quarter the squirrel(s) into smaller pieces and remove as much silver skin as you can to prevent toughness. Then batter and fry the pieces for a simple meal of fried squirrel. Another option is to simmer them in a stew or gravy, leaving the silver skin on, until tender. Squirrel pot pie or squirrel and dumplings come to mind.
Regardless of how you cook and serve squirrel, the first step is to go to the woods and hunt. Although there are many more reasons to hunt this small game, enjoying them at the dinner table is good motivation alone.