Author Topic: Red Squirrels? (Read 932 times)

lhonda · « **on:** April 23, 2004, 01:45:11 PM »

Hiya, just wondering if any folks here shoot red squirrels, and if so, do you eat them? I've done both, and while not as tasty as a grey, think they're quite good, though not much there to play with. I told some friends about it and they thought I was crazy, said in their experience reds tasted like turpentine. Just curious for any opinions. Thanks.

LNH

Huntinbull · « **Reply #1 on:** April 24, 2004, 03:42:41 AM »

Used to eat red squirrels and tried eating pine squirrels in Michigan. The reds taste fine, the Pine squirrels (very similar in appearance) tasted bitter, possibly from their diet. Dont know why, they just did.
Huntinbull

Lawdog · « **Reply #2 on:** April 24, 2004, 02:28:07 PM »

It has been a long time since I hunted Red Squirrels but even a Gray Squirrel will taste like whatever it has been feeding on. Some Pine trees have really bad tasting nuts as do some acorns, also depends on the time of the year on the acorns. Personally I like them quartered, marinated(red wine, garlic, lemon, seasonings) and deep fried. Served with a good tossed garden salad, homemade potato salad, apple pie and homemade ice cream for desert makes for some great eating. Lawdog

WD45 · « **Reply #3 on:** April 28, 2004, 03:47:25 AM »

OK.... now I'm hungry :grin:
Could be the ones that taste bad have been eating buckeyes.. I dont know if you have them where you all live but the greys wont hardly touch them. The reds and fox squirrels will and that may be one of the things causing them to have a bitter taste.

THE#1hunter · « **Reply #4 on:** August 10, 2004, 09:37:53 AM »

Quote from: Lawdog

It has been a long time since I hunted Red Squirrels but even a Gray Squirrel will taste like whatever it has been feeding on. Some Pine trees have really bad tasting nuts as do some acorns, also depends on the time of the year on the acorns. Personally I like them quartered, marinated(red wine, garlic, lemon, seasonings) and deep fried. Served with a good tossed garden salad, homemade potato salad, apple pie and homemade ice cream for desert makes for some great eating. Lawdog

I would like a order of the please :grin:

World Wide Hunter · « **Reply #5 on:** August 26, 2004, 06:34:42 PM »

ok are we talking fairy didles or fox squirrels?

HipShot · « **Reply #6 on:** September 27, 2004, 09:08:19 AM »

As part of the post mortem health check I look in the stomach to see what's been eaten. Any squirrel that's been eating green acorns gets soaked overnight in a vinegar/water mixture.

Reds are absolutely recommended for eating.

hammerless99 · « **Reply #7 on:** September 30, 2004, 06:22:20 AM »

When I was a Kid in northern Maine I use to shoot lots of red squirrels out of a cedar swamp that was behind our house. One time I cooked some up and they tasted like an earlier post said; turpintine! there are very few greys in my part of the state so someday I might have to try some reds again; but shot from mixed growth instead of a cedar swamp.