Squirrels in the big timber

Several years ago I had blood work done at Doc Carnett’s office in Salem. When I went to get the results Doc dropped an informational packet in my lap. Over the top of his glasses frame he looked at me with that piercing, serious stare and in his serious voice he said, “Read it and live it.” It was a low fat diet. “NO WAY!”, I remember thinking to myself. He knew my family health history and apparently my eating habits were not to his liking. Only Doc could get away with telling you what to do as opposed to asking and he told me to quit consuming so much red meat. Apparently my cholesterol was right on the cusp of being too high and I was only in my early 20’s. After some serious discussion about what I could and couldn’t eat I asked him, “What about wild meat – deer, turkey, squirrel, rabbit, etc.?” He replied, “All you want, just don’t fry it.” Problem solved. I consume as much wild meat as possible. In between fall deer and spring turkey seasons squirrel is a tasty change of pace that is easy to find, healthy to eat, and cheap to hunt, not to mention fun.

Squirrel season extends from the 3rd Saturday in May through the following February 15th. The bag limit is 6 and the possession limit is 12. Both gray squirrels and red fox squirrels are legal to take. As far as eating is concerned, young gray squirrels are the best. Because of their smaller size you need more to make a meal but they are much tenderer when prepared.

Methods for hunting squirrels vary. Some of the most fun hunting you will ever pursue is hunting squirrels with a good squirrel dog. Some of the best squirrel hunting dogs are Feist and Cur breeds. They make good pets and can even be trained as well-mannered house pets. I believe house squirrel dogs bond better with their masters and give more in the woods while hunting than their outside dog counterparts. Since they spend more time around their human masters they respond better to verbal commands and more fully understand what their masters want. I know some will not agree however my kids want a house dog and I’m vying for a Feist. Another more predominant method is still hunting. In the Ozarks the squirrel population is adequate enough to still-hunt in the big timber and have a lot of action and the opportunity to limit-out. In normal years big oak flats and ridges are great opportunities to still-hunt for squirrels. 2009 – 2010 season has proved a little more difficult because to the spotty acorn mast. However, they are out there.

Adequate firearms for squirrel hunting range from the 12 gauge shotgun to the .22 magnum rifle. The newer .17’s are also proving to be quite good squirrel guns. For my purposes the .22 long rifle is the caliber of choice and the most economical. The subsonic ammunition variants provide all the velocity needed at a greatly reduced noise level, thus spooking fewer non-targeted squirrels into their dens. At around $0.07 per round, if you shoot straight your limit can be had for as little as $0.42. When compared to $5.00 for hamburger or $7.00 for pork chops on average for a family of 4 it becomes a pretty good economic choice as well as nutritional choice. For folks and youth who prefer a shotgun the .410 is a great choice but much more expensive to shoot. For our very young beginners the small, inexpensive, and accurate Cricket and Chipmunk .22 rifles are great choices that are readily available at the local sporting goods store.

Squirrel hunting– easy to learn and teach, cheap to outfit, fun to hunt, and good to eat, what more could you ask for? One of my favorite recipes for squirrel is Southern Squirrel Stew. For the recipe visit my blog at www.natureseconomy.blogspot.com. It’s a tasty recipe that is not fried so it passes the Doc Carnett litmus test and he would be proud of me. Hope you enjoy it. Remember, in Nature’s Economy the food is more or less free and replenishes itself when properly conserved. Take the kids to the woods and introduce them to ‘free living designed by Mother Nature.’ Good luck, be safe, and get a big one.