[Screaming Eagle]

I clear rabbits the way SR1 describes because their skin is so thin. Young squirrels can be done the same way.

The trick in cleaning olders squirrels is to make the cut through the tail bone and extend the slit in the skin a bit further toward the head. Step on the legs and pull the tail (and skin) toward the head so that it all comes off in one quick move especially if they're still sorta warm from the kill. Keep your knife handy to 'help' the pulling in case the skin starts to bind around the belly so that it comes off in one pull. Also, having some water handy to wash the hair off of your hands is good before touching the meat. You can rest assured it will stick if you touch them with hair on your hands. Then pull the bits of skin that remain from the back legs and belly separately.

You can certainly parboil them if you intend on frying them to help with the tenderness factor.

[mrsocks]

yeah, the hair really sticks to the meat!

thanks for the skinning tips. I will have to try out the center of the back method as well.

Has anyone seen the different tones of meat color? Is it the young ones that are lighter in color?

Also, has anyone smelled a unique scent/smell when killed a squirrel? One had this scent, the other (the male) did not.


Hopefully Thursday or Friday I can get back out for an hour or so to get another for the weekend.

[Celticwarrior]

Most rodents have musk glands. In squirrels, the glands appear as little small grayish balls found on the neck, under front leg arm pits, on belly and hips areas, directly behind rear leg knee joints under the flesh. You must cut in order to find the gland here. The other glands are easily seen after skinning.