Haven't squirrel hunted in 15 years. Gonna sight in my .22 this weekend. Gonna try to make dumplings and cornbread if I get lucky.

 

What kind of .22 do you pop squirrels with? I go out with a Marlin 925 (model is rebranded to the XT-22 these days) when I'm going for tree rats.

What kind of .22 do you pop squirrels with? I go out with a Marlin 925 (model is rebranded to the XT-22 these days) when I'm going for tree rats.

 

Gonna use my mothers old Winchester 67 single shot. Has open sights, hope I can still see well enough.

What kind of .22 do you pop squirrels with? I go out with a Marlin 925 (model is rebranded to the XT-22 these days) when I'm going for tree rats.

It's always good to have options. I have a Ruger 10/22 and a few single shots. My fav is an over/under 22/20 gauge.

It's always good to have options. I have a Ruger 10/22 and a few single shots. My fav is an over/under 22/20 gauge.

 

I have a 10/22 as well...I've just never done a thing to it. Not saying it wouldn't make a fine squirrel rifle. I just would prefer something with a bit of a longer barrel and maybe some optics.

I have a 10/22 as well...I've just never done a thing to it. Not saying it wouldn't make a fine squirrel rifle. I just would prefer something with a bit of a longer barrel and maybe some optics.

 

Mine is a mag with a nice scope on it.

My grandma cooks us up some solid fried squirrel and biscuits. Not real sure what she does, but rarely do I get any that feel like rubber. Definitely gonna go kill some when season opens.

The common theme in this thread: our past generations knew / know how to fry squirrel and make gravy. I think that is telling as squirrel meat is one of those sustainable meats in the region that probably got a lot of people through some tough times back in the day.

 

Of this I am certain, you must, must, must cook that squirrel in bacon grease and a cast iron skillet, otherwise it will not taste good at all.

My go-to has always been to skin and quarter out the squirrels, and stick them in a crock-pot for the day along with quart of chicken broth, a can of cream of mushroom soup, a chopped onion, 2 or 3 chopped celery stalks, 3 or 4 chopped carrots, and salt/pepper/garlic/sage. Once the squirrel is cooked you remove it and pull the meat from the bones, and then transfer the liquid to a pot on the stove. Before putting the squirrel back in, you add in a slurry of milk and cornstarch to the pot and bring it to a boil before lowering the temperature back down and adding the meat back in. It will thicken as it lowers down form the boil to about a gravy consistency, and goes fantastic over mashed potatoes, wild rice, egg noodles, or spaetzle.

My go-to has always been to skin and quarter out the squirrels, and stick them in a crock-pot for the day along with quart of chicken broth, a can of cream of mushroom soup, a chopped onion, 2 or 3 chopped celery stalks, 3 or 4 chopped carrots, and salt/pepper/garlic/sage. Once the squirrel is cooked you remove it and pull the meat from the bones, and then transfer the liquid to a pot on the stove. Before putting the squirrel back in, you add in a slurry of milk and cornstarch to the pot and bring it to a boil before lowering the temperature back down and adding the meat back in. It will thicken as it lowers down form the boil to about a gravy consistency, and goes fantastic over mashed potatoes, wild rice, egg noodles, or spaetzle.

 

So we should hang out and shoot some tree rats....then eat all of them. This is pretty straight forward....

Calling them tree rats is really not endearing me to try them. I'll stick to cows, pigs, and chickens.

Calling them tree rats is really not endearing me to try them. I'll stick to cows, pigs, and chickens.

 

You won't last 10 minutes when the zombie apocalypse comes....

My two new pups have started treeing well the last 3 months. This thread is getting me amped up for the leaves to start falling so I can see what they can do.

 

My first wild meat was the squirrel, I'll never forget that woods I hunted as a boy. Squirrel has fed a lot of families thru out south when times weren't the best.

NOTE: I have never hunted, but how much meat can possibly be on these little fella's?

I ain't eatin' no damn squirrel. If you're eating squirrels, you're just bored.

NOTE: I have never hunted, but how much meat can possibly be on these little fella's?

More than a quail and less than a deer.

Gotta learn how to live off the land.