Squirrels, hunting, dressing & cooking tips

[WVneighbor]

I've decided I'm going squirrel hunting. Hopefully sometime in the coming week. This will be my first time hunting squirrels so I'm looking for some tips in 3 categories, hunting, dressing & cooking. Any advice will be welcomed.

Hunting (.22LR) :
Head shot or chest shot? I'd like to get one stuffed and mounted just to say I have a stuffed squirrel, so I imagine a chest shot for that one and a head shot for the eatin' ones?

Dressing:
I have never gutted or skinned anything, so this will be an entirely new experience. I'm checking out info on the web, but any suggestions will be a welcome addition.

I have participated in gutting several deer, just never done one by myself. I know you have to cut out the anus and tie it off. Then cut the diaphragm and finally the esophagus, at which point all the innards come tumbling out. Squirrels are a lot smaller, but is the procedure similar?

For skinning I imagine you try to take off just the skin and not the meat, then just cut the meat from the bones?

Also, is there a time limit from when I shoot it to when I need to gut it? Should I do it in the field, or can it wait (if kept suitably cool) till I get home?

Cooking:
Any recipe or suggestions for cooking? I've heard stewed with dumplings, but I'm sure there are others.

[fingers80002]

For skinning, i use this technique, I add a twist before pulling.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=66AVwthXgMA

Real easy!!!!!!

[fingers80002]

I'm thinking about trying smoking, and grilling for cooking!

[roland]

I cut them in half. Front half, back half. Cut just below the rib cage, and begin skinning. Kinda thumbing the skin off the body of the squirrel and pull down to it's feet, then break the ankle and cut off, then cut the tail off. Takes about 3 to 5 minutes. Note: I gut them in the field. I cut the stomach flaps off before I cook them, this part I think is called skirting in the beef world. I ussually though that part out, but sometimes grill it for a jerky type appetizer. I also just grill the squirells, as I do with all the other game I get. Flip it a couple of times and pour barbque sauce on it. They're real good.

[Brown-Bear]

That was a pretty slick skin job. I'm gonna have to try that next time I kill a tree rat in the back yard.

Dave

[fingers80002]

Originally Posted by Brown-Bear

That was a pretty slick skin job. I'm gonna have to try that next time I kill a tree rat in the back yard.

Dave

Just remember to twist before stepping on tail.
Works great!!!!

[Shadow Heart]

Originally Posted by fingers80002

For skinning, i use this technique, I add a twist before pulling.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=66AVwthXgMA

Real easy!!!!!!

wow, real quick there. thanks for the link.

[fingers80002]

Originally Posted by Shadow Heart

wow, real quick there. thanks for the link.

Quick and easy!!!!!!!

[WVneighbor]

Thanks for the link and the suggestions!

That made skinning it look easy.

[rallen]

If you stew the squirrels, boil the meat until it falls off the bone and put a few halves of apples in the pot. The taste of the meat is very much improved.