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I shot a squirrel today at the nearest state hunting area. Pretty Fox Squirrel, if I'm not mistaken. She was the first non-fish game I've taken since I was a kid. Her tail is in the freezer until I decide how to handle it; I hope to use it for tying flies. I hope to do a better job at saving more of the fur, next time.  She's stewing right now, and smells delightful.  I've gotta plan out how to cook the next ones, and plan how to preserve the furs. This one took a 12ga #6 and a 20 foot fall, then another shell to kill. I was also not great at cleaning so that also worked against me. I also will wait to clean the squirrel until I get home next time unless it's gut shot. I spent as much time picking dirt and leave bits off it as I did skinning.
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Sep 22, 2020 01:35
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| # ¿ May 11, 2024 12:49 |
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Tias posted:I would love to try squirrel ragout one day, that looks amazing I kind of almost followed this recipe https://hispanickitchen.com/2012/02/24/modelo-beef-stew/, and it turned out great. I should have used a touch more stock, and I should have shredded the meat then added it back in. Many lessons learned yesterday, every step of the process. Another kind goon linked me this Jamaican jerk recipe, which may be my next undertaking. https://www.realtree.com/timber-2-table-wild-game-recipes/jamaican-jerk-squirrel-recipe
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Sep 23, 2020 00:27
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Thank you! I'm dying to get back out there but want to be better prepared for skinning and making that jerk season recipe. I also need to check my shotgun patterns with #6 shot, and confirm zero on my .22's.
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Sep 23, 2020 16:21
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I'm really curious about entry level small game trapping, and would love to hear some trapper info. I told my buddy yesterday about my plan to get a squirrel or two this week and make jamaican jerk squirrel. He wants in on it, so I'm gonna go for four squirrel between now and thursday. What is the best practice for stockpiling a few over a couple of days? I figured I would skin ,clean, butcher, then just freeze in a freezer bag. Maybe set them out early the morning we are gonna eat? Edit: I suppose just going that morning and hoping i get enough for two is an idea, but eh, i'd prefer to up my chances. Gooch181 fucked around with this message at 15:51 on Sep 28, 2020 |
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Sep 28, 2020 15:42
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Thanks to Meateater, my wife is as amped for me killing stuff as I am. Rules. If you can get your hands on a .22 or a shotgun consider hunting some squirrels, it's like a woodsmanship training montage, and they taste good too.
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Oct 26, 2020 21:12
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Nice! That's gonna be some good eating. I'm really curious to try duck hunting eventually, but it seems like I'll need a lot of decoys and other kit to have a good whack at it. I'm assuming bare minimum: a blind, a call, and decoys? Finding a spot would be the big challenge, I'm guessing.
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Oct 31, 2020 03:36
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Awesome! Please post the meals those become!
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Nov 2, 2020 00:35
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tesilential posted:Awesome thread! Go after small game, it helps you get sneaking and spotting practice that you won't regret having when you go after deer or whatever with the fam. Do you currently own any firearms?
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Nov 3, 2020 23:52
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Man, i might have to consider involving my bike on my state park hunts next year. That dinner looks fantastic!
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Nov 4, 2020 04:19
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tesilential posted:Good advice but I don’t know how they’d like me shooting at squirrels when they’re trying to get deer. I doubt I’ll get an opportunity to hunt prior to getting out with them. I just have a carry pistol for my gf. Oh yeah don't be blasting little critters on a deer hunt! Even if you can't go hunting prior, just go out to the woods and practice walking quietly and slowly and keep your eyes and ears open. Shoot them with a camera instead or just observe, but every bit of woodcraft practiced will pay off when it counts. Start making a habit of minding wind direction and its changes. Start learning to spot animal feces and tracks. As for a first gun, its hard to beat a pump action 12 gauge that will let you swap barrels and chokes. That will work for hunting drat near anything that isn't out on the open plains. Remington 870, mossberg 500, etc. Gooch181 fucked around with this message at 16:07 on Nov 4, 2020 |
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Nov 4, 2020 16:03
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Try to move smoothly and avoid jerky movements that catch the eye easier. None of us are dead silent, but spacing out the noise so that it isn't a clear pattern of footsteps seems to be helpful. Luck and the temperament of individual animals will of course always be factors. If you want a huge comprehensive infodump, Steven Rinella's Complete Guide to Hunting, Butchering, and Cooking Wild Game are real nice. I bought the small game volume to start off, but my library has them also, if you want to put that money towards a gun or some kit instead.
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Nov 5, 2020 21:35
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I want to get a Spring gobbler. I have a slate call and have been practicing with it and feel pretty good about basic calling with it. I have a diaphragm call that I can kind of use. My uncle is going to loan me a decoy. I plan on picking up a full choke and was looking at the HEVI-shot one and there are options for different constrictions. For example, midwayusa has in stock the .664", .667", and .676" constriction models; Are the effects of these highly variable or is it a negligible difference? I figure if I get a choke and manage to find some turkey shells, the last hurdle is getting onto some gobbler turf and not dicking it up if I find one. Would love to be as prepared as possible and welcome any and all advice. I'm studying the turkey section in the meateater guidebook and watching youtube videos from callers; any other resources I should consider? I plan to start scouting next week.
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Mar 11, 2021 05:40
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HamAdams posted:There's a ton of good youtube channels for turkey hunting that are starting to ramp up again as spring turkey approaches. The hunting public is the big one, catman outdoors, shane simpson, and the pinhoti project are all good ones too. I'll check those, thanks. Definitely plan on buying extra shells for patterning, assuming I can find some. I was considering grabbing these calls: Calling all turkeys.
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Mar 11, 2021 17:45
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Squirrel season is nigh. Rejoice! With the baby I wasn't able to chase turkey or scout for my first whitetail, but I will definitely find a few hours to go stalk my favorite little tree ninjas. Its tempting to carry something that could field a shell for both squirrel and deer. That way I could grab a deer tag and if luck shines on me, I can load a sabot or whatever. My 870 only has the smooth barrel. I have a single shot 20ga and a bow that are potentially useful in the same way, but frankly have not been able to practice archery enough this year to honestly employ the bow. Gun season is short here anyway, and pretty limited. Deer may need to wait until next year, unless I can start finding time to hit the archery range nearly daily.
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Aug 11, 2021 12:40
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50 yards is more than enough, hell yeah. I'm very rarely in terrain that isn't pretty dense. I was really into the idea of my first deer season being a long drawn out bow affair, but this year I might have to just join the hordes of gun hunters who have like a 2 week season. I'm pretty sure opening day will be like a Vietnam jungle patrol, then after that they'll all know to gently caress off to private or non huntable land.
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Aug 11, 2021 15:36
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| # ¿ May 11, 2024 12:49 |
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alnilam posted:Double check your regulations, I know in some states they suspend all other game hunting during the short rifle deer season. Otherwise it sounds like a plan. They didn't restrict it last year, but I will be sure and double check.
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Aug 13, 2021 03:41
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