Bo the brown dog came over to me this morning during our coffee time and nudged me. I knew he was going to remind me of something I had forgotten. (I know, hard to believe.)
With only a slightly condescending tone he said: “You know it’s time to remind everyone that they should be squirrel hunting, right?”
Bo tolerates the whole squirrel thing only because he knows it is important to me and we have a squirrel dog in the house (Abby the the mountain cur).
Bo, you see, barely tolerates us squirrel hunting. When he and Abby are together in the woods for a run, he will chase the occasional squirrel with Abby, but only to be polite. He will go to the tree but will not stand and bark like a good squirrel dog. He leaves all that to Abby and stays around the area, again, just to be polite.
Bo really figures this is all a waste of time when we could be chasing something much more important — turkeys, that is.
(READ MORE: In these hills, the fall turkey hunter truly earns his feathers)
So, at his behest, and we have talked about this before, you really should be out there squirrel hunting. Squirrel hunting teaches us all the basics of hunting in general and hones our skills if we are experienced hunters.
Once upon a time, most all hunters east of the Big Muddy started out squirrel hunting. It was a rite of passage when the young or the new hunter took their first squirrel. Lessons in how to get through the woods, stay quiet, read sign of the game we are after, stalk and wait for the right shot are all there.
In recent years, many young hunters have gone directly to deer and turkeys. Don’t get me wrong, that is OK, but I still think many are missing a valuable link into the hunting world, and this leads to some of us missing a great hunting opportunity in its own right.
Traditionally, squirrels were the first thing we would hunt in the fall. Some may have followed this pursuit because it was the only hunting game in town at the time, but to others it was the big show, what they had waited for since last year. I would be remiss if I didn’t say here that a big part of this was collecting a good “mess” of squirrels for the table.
Eating squirrels? Yes!
For all of those new to this, I will repeat: If you haven’t figured out that properly prepared squirrel is one of the tastiest kinds of wild game, you are missing out. (More on this in a minute.)
I have to mention here we are talking about two different ways of chasing bushytails.
One is the traditional method of quietly moving through the woods stalking and or waiting on Mr. Squirrel to appear; in many areas, this is known as “slip” hunting. This is where the hunter learns the lessons of walking soundlessly and being a sniper. I have heard more than one deer and elk guide say many of the excellent hunters they have guided started out on squirrels. That is a great testimony to the worth of learning on squirrels.
(READ MORE: As fall creeps up, slip back into squirrel hunting)
The other main category in the squirrel world is hunting with dogs. This is a very different way to hunt them. In general, the hunters follow a good squirrel dog through the woods. The dog finds a squirrel track and follows it by scent or spots a squirrel by sight and puts him up a tree. The dog barks at the tree, showing the hunter where the squirrel will be. Sometimes it is a den tree, and the hunter calls the dog off the tree and goes to look for another. (“In a hole!” and “Can’t get him!” are traditional commands.)
Once at the tree, it is not a sure thing the hunter will collect the squirrel. Sometimes the squirrel “timbers” — runs off through the treetops and escapes the hunting party. Sometimes the dogs will watch this and follow to the next tree. It is all part of hunting.
As I have said more than twice, hunting with a squirrel dog is a ton of fun and may be the very best way to start any hunter, young or otherwise, into the hunting world. Kids don’t have to quiet, and there are no interminable waits to sit still.
It is very safe, too, as the squirrel gun doesn’t even need to be loaded until you get to the tree and the game is spotted. On top of all this, everyone enjoys watching a couple lively squirrel dogs doing their job. Many dogs soon learn to grab onto and shake grape vines (to make the squirrel move in the tree) if they are growing on the tree in question. Watching a determined cur or feist dog or even a common mixed-up farm dog (who are often great squirrel dogs) growling and pulling on grape vines is big fun!
OK, before I run out of time here, I said something back there about sitting down to a big squirrel dinner.
There are dozens of ways to prepare squirrels for the table. A quick search on your worldwide web will give you lots of ideas. Conventionally, many prepare their squirrels by cleaning them well, separating them into pieces of four legs and the back. These are parboiled or pressure cooked to get them tender. The pieces are taken from the pot (save the broth if you are making squirrel gravy) and rolled in your favorite flour-type seasoning. The squirrels are then fried to a golden brown.
This is my favorite way of eating squirrels, no doubt because my mom fixed them this way. Try as I might, I cannot get them to turn out as she did. Is it what we remember as kids, or is it really different? I don’t know. In essence, most any recipe for chicken can be substituted with squirrels.
OK, maybe I have satisfied Bo and done my duty by reminding you to return to the squirrel woods. I can guarantee you will not be sorry.
One quick note: I see comments all the time about the old time squirrel “camps” are a thing of the past. I kinda sorta do not understand this. I mean, there are plenty of hunting camps still out there, right? Instead of going to camp for deer, you and your cohorts can go there and spend the week squirrel hunting! Please consider this.
Tune up that old squirrel gun, the .22 rifle. Get out there and relive how much fun you had squirrel hunting.
And don’t forget to keep your guns clean, your knife sharp, and take a kid hunting!
“Guns & Cornbread” is written by Larry Case, who lives in Fayette County, W.Va. You can write to him at larryocase3@gmail.com.