[Kajun]

i love to eat squirrels or rabbits and since i've been in virginia i dont know where to hunt around here.....so if anyone would like to put me on some squirrels or rabbits .. i'd be happy to trade you for a rockfish/striper trip at HRBT or CBBT.....i live in norfolk...willing to drive a couple hours to find them

 

[yllowfin]

There are plenty of WMA within a few hours..Cumberland State forrest has plenty of land.You can get all the squirrels you want.

 

[Albemarle24]

Kajun

I like to squirrel hunt too. I was back home last Christmas (mobile, Al) , went with my dad and his friend who had a awesome squirrel dog. We tree'd about a dozen shot about 6 or so.

yellowtail
That cumberland WMA is not on the WMA list on the VA DGIF website. Where is that?

I am looking to go maybe next season myself, too much going on right now. You can go to http://www.dgif.state.va.us/hunting/wma/index.html

click on a WMA and read about what hunting they offer. You can then call a warden and ask them all the ends and outs.

I have done some of the quota duck hunts, very well managed.

 

[cskiff]

Kajun, dont know exactly where you are located but I have hunted squirells at Chickohominy WMA in January after deer season is out and have done real well and after deer season the place is not crowded at all, I would sit and move and shotgune or 22 you will get some squirells, the paths are kept up too so you can move around pretty quite, Chickohominy is off rt 5 in Charles City if I remember right, over 5000 acres. Hope this helps.

 

[yllowfin]

Cumberland is a state forest.I think it cost $5.00 for a stste forest permit.

 

[EHOIV]

Kajun,

I have a friend that I deer hunt with who has property in Louisa, approximately 2-2.5 hours from Norfolk. There are tons of squrrels on his property. They drive me nuts when we deer hunt. We were talking the other day about going up there one day and busting up some squrrels. Let me talk to him. I don't know how he will feel about bringing in someone he doesn't know hunting on his property or if he is interested in trading a fishing trip but it wont hurt for me to ask. I will let you know.

Ed

 

[Kajun]

thanks ed..that would be great...i'd be happy to thin the squirrel herd out for you deer hunters lol


and thanks for the info on the wma's...i might have to check out chickhominy this year.

 

[Mako993]

I'm assuming you all like to eat squirrels if you like to hun them so much, but I never much enjoyed the taste, I guess. How do you clean and prepare them?

 

[h2oboss]

Mako, no expert here but I'll provide my exp on squirrel. This is what I do .....Skin'm, then soak the body in a cold salt water bath. It helps if you disolve the salt in the water under heat and then let it cool.....you can also use buttermilk...which I've done for fried chx but never squirrel...... After a few hours use a paper towel to dry them, after draining. Then treat them just like any other fried platter.....3 step dredge.......dip DRIED bodies in seasoned flour, then seasoned egg wash, then into seasoned bread crumbs. Be carefull with the salt, not too much b/c you've already had them soaking and you've got three steps for seasoning. [You can always add a little more if need be at the end] I place them in a cast iron skillet if you have one, if not whatever you've got will work but I like C-Iron. Have your veg oil or whatever at a med/med low temp and slowly fry them on each side, only add another carcass to the pan until AFTER the temp has come back up from the previous one you've dropped in (about 1min).....otherwise the oil will be too cold and the breading/batter will absorb the oil rather than the oil frying the batter. I've found that if you try to fry them at higher temps they thoughen up a bit.
That's usually the way I do it, although not all that often over the past few years. They're kinda like one big (small) chicken.......lots a little leg/arm bones ect,ect. Actually kinda fun to eat if cooked right. I've also heard good things about he crock pot, but never tried it.

 

[Kajun]

my favorite way to eat squirrel and rabbit is pot roasting them....i skin ,clean them then season them up well....then i brown them real good , throw in some chopped onions,garlic and then brown them....then i start adding alil water which will make a dark brown gravy from the browning.....keeping adding alil water a few times..each time letting it cook down and your gravy will be dark and thick....add more water to cover squirrel up and then throw a lid on it and slow cook them for a couple hours....end result...some very tender and tasty squrriel and gravy served over rice.........pretty much this is how real cajuns cook all meats/game....we call it "rice and gravy" .....frying them like chicken is awesome too..but i wouldnt waste them on frying when i can have rice and gravy

mako993 if squirrel is too gamey for ya...try marinating them with some seasoned viniger and garlic over night(dont drown them in it though..just enough vinger to keep them wet)...it will strip away any game taste from it...you can also marinate in italian dressing too..same effect as the viniger

 

[Mako993]

Thanks, fellas. If ever I take up squirrel and rabbit hunting again, I'll try it out. Right now, for whatever odd reason in my own mind, I've set myself to focus on hunting maybe six species - deer, turkey, bear, quail, coyote and goose. This Saturday morning is turkey, and maybe if they appear, snow geese, since they're now in season.

What is everyone here set to hunt this weekend, if at all?

 

[Albemarle24]

It is easy to clean them.

Just cut a slit in their back hide, put your fingers in the slit and pull. One hand toward the tail, one toward the head. Do this until the hide on one end it to the neck and the ankles and the other to the tail and the back leg ankles.
Cut the tail head and feet off and gut the animal.

This works on all small game.

Eric

 

[Mako993]

Thanks for the info - I need all the help I can get.