Hunting Washington Forum

Other Hunting => Coyote, Small Game, Varmints => Topic started by: MC37493 on October 08, 2013, 06:30:52 PM

Title: Backyard Gray Squirrels
Post by: MC37493 on October 08, 2013, 06:30:52 PM: Have heard that grey squirrels taste great just never gave much though to eating a backyard squirrel,

I have been thinking about it and it seems all they eat is nuts i have never seen one eating garbage or anything like that, i have tons in my yard and wouldnt mind some extra protein for the freezer

What are your guys thoughts on eating backyard squirrels?
Title: Re: Backyard Gray Squirrels
Post by: BOWHUNTER45 on October 08, 2013, 06:38:19 PM: Same as any squirrel ...they eat nothing bad :dunno: Especially the ones in my yard ...I go threw a lot of Walnuts that my wife uses for cooking in the winter ...they are fat ....I have killed so many squirrels in my childhood days that I could not kill my pet squirrels ...unless one of those black faze ones show up , then I may need to take him out :tup:
Title: Re: Backyard Gray Squirrels
Post by: Kola16 on October 08, 2013, 06:39:18 PM: You won't truly know till you try it. Go for it...
Title: Re: Backyard Gray Squirrels
Post by: dkecoleman on October 09, 2013, 05:21:56 PM: I grew up hunting squirrels in Kentucky. They taste great, especially with gravy and a biscuit. However, grandma said it was bad luck to shoot one in the yard. You've been warned.
Title: Re: Backyard Gray Squirrels
Post by: Jonathan_S on October 09, 2013, 05:37:39 PM: Quote from: dkecoleman on October 09, 2013, 05:21:56 PM
I grew up hunting squirrels in Kentucky. They taste great, especially with gravy and a biscuit. However, grandma said it was bad luck to shoot one in the yard. You've been warned.

Yeah well my wife's grandma said that picking huckleberries ruins the bushes and that's about as dumb as it gets. I'd poke a clean hole in those squirrels with an airgun and stew 'em up.
Title: Re: Backyard Gray Squirrels
Post by: hillbilli on October 09, 2013, 05:44:58 PM: grays are good.. you can fry the young ones, older squirrels will be tough and will need to be cooked longer. They absorb pepper and spice more than most meats. for baking or grilling try a soy sauce and mustard mix. another option if you like spicy is to boil them in medium or hot salsa until tender- then either just eat them, or fry them once they are cooked through and starting to get tender.. by the way did they change the rules on squirrels in WA? I thought you couldnt hun t them at all?
Title: Re: Backyard Gray Squirrels
Post by: littlemac on October 09, 2013, 06:04:51 PM: Here is the scoop on squirrels from WDFW:

http://wdfw.wa.gov/conservation/gray_squirrel/ (http://wdfw.wa.gov/conservation/gray_squirrel/)
Title: Re: Backyard Gray Squirrels
Post by: Natures Way on October 09, 2013, 06:10:58 PM: :tup:
Title: Re: Backyard Gray Squirrels
Post by: Alpinist on October 10, 2013, 11:19:22 AM: Here's another page from the WDFW with more scoop on squirrels, including the legal status of the various species: http://wdfw.wa.gov/living/tree_squirrels.html (http://wdfw.wa.gov/living/tree_squirrels.html)
Title: Re: Backyard Gray Squirrels
Post by: Varmint_hunter on October 10, 2013, 12:55:47 PM: Quote from: Alpinist on October 10, 2013, 11:19:22 AM
Here's another page from the WDFW with more scoop on squirrels, including the legal status of the various species: http://wdfw.wa.gov/living/tree_squirrels.html (http://wdfw.wa.gov/living/tree_squirrels.html)

"The Western gray squirrel is classified as a threatened species and cannot be hunted, trapped, or killed (WAC 232-12-007). The red squirrel, Douglas squirrel, and Northern flying squirrel are protected species and can be trapped or killed only in emergency situations when they are damaging crops or domestic animals (RCW 77.36.030). A special permit is required in such situations"

:bdid: :bdid: :bdid: :bdid: :bdid: :bdid:
Title: Re: Backyard Gray Squirrels
Post by: Fl0und3rz on October 10, 2013, 01:36:48 PM: If you are on the wet side and/or near a suburban area, you are likely seeking eastern grey squirrels or fox squirrels. Game on. There are other threads here that dealt with this, exhaustively.
Title: Re: Backyard Gray Squirrels
Post by: Alpinist on October 11, 2013, 03:14:58 AM: Varmint_hunter failed to quote the important next paragraph from the page:

"The Eastern gray squirrel and Eastern fox squirrel are unclassified and may be trapped or killed year-round as long as you have a hunting license. In such cases, no special trapping permit is necessary for the use of live traps. However, a special trapping permit is required for the use of all traps other than live traps (RCW 77.15.192, 77.15.194; WAC 232-12-142)."
Title: Re: Backyard Gray Squirrels
Post by: AspenBud on October 15, 2013, 03:14:32 PM: One thing to hold in mind is that they can carry plague, something that I believe is endemic to this part of the country.
Title: Re: Backyard Gray Squirrels
Post by: Gobble Doc on October 19, 2013, 04:16:52 PM: Our backyard squirrels are gone. I don't know where they all went? We used to have them running all over but now never see any.
Title: Re: Backyard Gray Squirrels
Post by: runamuk on October 19, 2013, 04:29:28 PM: Quote from: AspenBud on October 15, 2013, 03:14:32 PM
One thing to hold in mind is that they can carry plague, something that I believe is endemic to this part of the country.

typically its rats and there is info on the cdc these areas are where its endemic

Northern New Mexico, northern Arizona, and southern Colorado
California, southern Oregon, and far western Nevada

http://www.cdc.gov/plague/maps/ (http://www.cdc.gov/plague/maps/)
Title: Re: Backyard Gray Squirrels
Post by: Savage.06Shot on October 26, 2013, 05:06:21 PM: Anyone know of a good spot near yakima county to hunt squirrles I wanna take my nephew?
Title: Re: Backyard Gray Squirrels
Post by: MC37493 on October 26, 2013, 05:34:13 PM: Savage i dont know about gray squirrels around there but there are tons of California ground squirrels around in that area i shot tons while hunting down by Goldendale in the wildlife area