Got my first squirrels ever today.

[Canadian_Zuk]

Man, i can blow away gophers but squirrels?? That's cold man. not cool.

You "blow away" gophers for sh!ts and giggle then look down on someone hunting tree rats for food? Go away and troll somewhere else, you have no integrity.

 

[dak47]

I find this most interesting ... And congrats to the OP as another hunting endeavour unfolds. Now those damn tree rats are a major pain in the azz in my deer hunting zone. The thought of dispatching a few into some tasty eats is a cool idea, bring on the recipe thread!!!

DK

 

[DK519]

Can you live trap a squirrel for the purpose of eating it with a small game license? Not asking if people do it, simply if it's legal.

 

[ironsighter]

I find this most interesting ... And congrats to the OP as another hunting endeavour unfolds. Now those damn tree rats are a major pain in the azz in my deer hunting zone. The thought of dispatching a few into some tasty eats is a cool idea, bring on the recipe thread!!!

DK

Throughout the vast majority of BC, all you will find are Red Squirrels, which are protected. And yes, they are a pain in the azz, as they often alert other wildlife to your presence. That works both ways, though. Often if one is chattering in the distance it is chattering at a deer, moose, bear, etc.

Down in the LML and out on the Island, you'll find Eastern Grey(/black) Squirrels and they are Schedule C (kill and eat as many as you want).

Here's a good squirrel recipe (and a funny video):

 

[JR86]

I haven't eaten them yet, but they are vacuum sealed and frozen waiting for a few more to make a squirrel stew. I personally only have interest in hunting for things I can eat soo... Gophers aren't really my thing. (Although I know people who eat them)

A friend of mine is a chef and he's really excited to make a squirrel gumbo with them for me and my friends. I know headshots are preferred, but the grey one was moving when I hit him, and the black one was 75 yards away so my options were body shots or no squirrels. They were a quick humane kill and none of the meat was spoiled so I ll take it.

I actually prefer this to rabbit hunting. I took a friend of mine today who just got his hunting license yesterday. We didn't really see any but it's always fun to get out and enjoy the fresh air. It was a beauty morning around 5 degrees with a light fog. I ll try again tomorrow.

Also I prefer to call them tree chickens. I get less funny looks when I say I'm going to eat them.

Oh and I read somewhere that they can carry a variation of mad cow disease soo I'm gonna avoid the brain. Lol

 

[uberkermit]

Is the black one a common colour phase ? Never see that colour around here.

The black squirrel IS an Eastern grey squirrel. It's called melanism and they are very common in Southern Ontario.

never saw a black one before. just red and grey here.

There are even white Eastern grey squirrels, and they are not albino. Here are a couple of articles on them:

http://www.blogto.com/travel/2009/10/the_white_squirrels_of_exeter/

http://www.journeysontario.ca/Adventure/White_Squirrels.html

All this squirrel talk is making me hungry. There are some fat little critters around my place. The thought of Tularemia has kind of kept me from trying...