#2761613 - 02/19/12 04:11 PM
Toughest squirrel I've ever skinned
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14 Point
Registered: 07/28/10
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Loc: Tennessee
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Was out rabbit hunting this morning in some bottomland. We sat down to eat some lunch on the edge of this marsh:
As we were getting up, my buddy spotted this big Fox Squirrel on the edge of the tree line. I think this is the 2nd largest squirrel I have ever killed and definitely the toughest -took me 25 minutes to skin her down. I tried the step on the tail method and the hide just would not give, So, I went to work on her with my knife. Getting the front shoulders clear was rediculouosly tough. I put a note on the vacuum bag "x tough, stew only"
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#2761655 - 02/19/12 05:05 PM
Re: Toughest squirrel I've ever skinned
[Re: Poser]
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Carlos Viagra
16 Point
Registered: 11/20/04
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Loc: Cumberland Plateau
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That's why I never shoot them anymore, like skinning a steel toed boot.
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#2761659 - 02/19/12 05:07 PM
Re: Toughest squirrel I've ever skinned
[Re: Carlos Viagra]
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easy45
18 Point
Registered: 11/06/07
Posts: 24139
Loc: Medon
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That marsh looks crazy familiar, where is that at
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#2761675 - 02/19/12 05:22 PM
Re: Toughest squirrel I've ever skinned
[Re: easy45]
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Poser
14 Point
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Loc: Tennessee
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That marsh looks crazy familiar, where is that at
Hatchie Refuge.
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#2761681 - 02/19/12 05:31 PM
Re: Toughest squirrel I've ever skinned
[Re: Carlos Viagra]
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Poser
14 Point
Registered: 07/28/10
Posts: 8399
Loc: Tennessee
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That's why I never shoot them anymore, like skinning a steel toed boot.
I'm usually pretty good with the step-on-the-tail method, though, some squirrels are so tough that you'll rip their bodies apart before the hide comes off. It is helpful if you skin them in the field while they are still warm. When they get cool, they get tougher. Unfortunately, I waited until I got home with this one.
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It doesn't have to be fun to be fun. Wild & crazy, can't be stopped. Only the strong will survive. Keep your knife sharp and your skillet greasy. http://www.GoCarnivore.com
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#2761688 - 02/19/12 05:39 PM
Re: Toughest squirrel I've ever skinned
[Re: Poser]
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timberjack86
12 Point
Registered: 06/20/11
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Loc: Grundy county
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I killed a couple like that earlier this year. I left the squirrels whole after the 30 min skinning job put them in a big bowel coverd them with water and left them in the fridge 4 days. Then quarterd them and fried them like a young squirrel. That old squirrel cam out as tender as the young squirell.
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#2761704 - 02/19/12 05:51 PM
Re: Toughest squirrel I've ever skinned
[Re: timberjack86]
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Poser
14 Point
Registered: 07/28/10
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Loc: Tennessee
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I killed a couple like that earlier this year. I left the squirrels whole after the 30 min skinning job put them in a big bowel coverd them with water and left them in the fridge 4 days. Then quarterd them and fried them like a young squirrel. That old squirrel cam out as tender as the young squirell.
My most common squirrel dish is to place a skewer through each set of legs to keep them butterflied and roast them whole on the grill. Before I do that, I brine them for a day and then marinade them for at least 8 hours. Regardless of what I do with a squirrel, I've found brining to be mandatory, though, I'm a little afraid of this tough ol' gal...
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It doesn't have to be fun to be fun. Wild & crazy, can't be stopped. Only the strong will survive. Keep your knife sharp and your skillet greasy. http://www.GoCarnivore.com
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#2761714 - 02/19/12 06:00 PM
Re: Toughest squirrel I've ever skinned
[Re: Poser]
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timberjack86
12 Point
Registered: 06/20/11
Posts: 5691
Loc: Grundy county
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I killed a couple like that earlier this year. I left the squirrels whole after the 30 min skinning job put them in a big bowel coverd them with water and left them in the fridge 4 days. Then quarterd them and fried them like a young squirrel. That old squirrel cam out as tender as the young squirell. My most common squirrel dish is to place a skewer through each set of legs to keep them butterflied and roast them whole on the grill. Before I do that, I brine them for a day and then marinade them for at least 8 hours. Regardless of what I do with a squirrel, I've found brining to be mandatory, though, I'm a little afraid of this tough ol' gal... 
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Way down yonder in the land of cotton...
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#2761735 - 02/19/12 06:12 PM
Re: Toughest squirrel I've ever skinned
[Re: timberjack86]
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Poser
14 Point
Registered: 07/28/10
Posts: 8399
Loc: Tennessee
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Timberjack, I don't understand how that process would tenderize the meat. You could age it in cool air or brine it, but sitting in cool water would, to my knowledge, not substantially break the meat down. It would absorb some moisture, but not near as much as in a brining process.
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It doesn't have to be fun to be fun. Wild & crazy, can't be stopped. Only the strong will survive. Keep your knife sharp and your skillet greasy. http://www.GoCarnivore.com
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#2761776 - 02/19/12 06:54 PM
Re: Toughest squirrel I've ever skinned
[Re: Poser]
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timberjack86
12 Point
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Loc: Grundy county
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If you age a squirrel in air for 4 days without the skin on you will have squirrel jerky. Belive me I have tried it. Putting the squirrel in water in the fridge will keep you from losing any moisture from the squirrel. Also allowing the squirrel to age in the fridge will tenderize the toughest of squirrels. It works the same way as adging big game. I almost use the same process with big game except I age quarterd big game in the fridge in a plastic tub with a 30 gallon garbage bag covering the meat to keep the meat from losing any moisture.Its not pretty but it works well. I never worry about the age of the animal I shoot.I have never tried brining . But I guarntee you this will tenderize the toughest game.
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#2761815 - 02/19/12 07:21 PM
Re: Toughest squirrel I've ever skinned
[Re: timberjack86]
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Poser
14 Point
Registered: 07/28/10
Posts: 8399
Loc: Tennessee
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I have no doubt that hanging squirrel will dry it out, but aging a big game animal covered to keep moisture in and aging a squirrel in water are two different things.
I'm not being intentionally argumentative, but aging, tenderizing, brining, and marinating are scientific processes, of which, many (unscientific) myths exists. I am unfamiliar with the science behind aging in (plain) water. What happens during these 4 days and what is superior about it compared to brining?
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It doesn't have to be fun to be fun. Wild & crazy, can't be stopped. Only the strong will survive. Keep your knife sharp and your skillet greasy. http://www.GoCarnivore.com
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#2761855 - 02/19/12 07:57 PM
Re: Toughest squirrel I've ever skinned
[Re: Poser]
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timberjack86
12 Point
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Loc: Grundy county
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All I can say is try it.I am no scientist just a country boy that eats alot of small game. I got tired of chewy tough squirrels and one day decided To age them in the fridge like my deer.I coverd them in water so they wouldnt dry out and in 4 days I had the old squirrel that was as tender as a young squirrel. Poser just try it once and let me know how it works for you. It might not work for you but I know if I dont age my old squirrels this way I have to use them in soup. I guarantee you wont be dissapointed. Do you let your squirrels cool before you cook them or do you cook them still kicking?lol
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#2761977 - 02/19/12 09:10 PM
Re: Toughest squirrel I've ever skinned
[Re: timberjack86]
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Poser
14 Point
Registered: 07/28/10
Posts: 8399
Loc: Tennessee
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I'll Try this sometime soon since I presently have quite a few squirrels in the freezer: I'll do one 4 days in water served next to one brined for 24 hours and compare tenderness.
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It doesn't have to be fun to be fun. Wild & crazy, can't be stopped. Only the strong will survive. Keep your knife sharp and your skillet greasy. http://www.GoCarnivore.com
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#2828778 - 05/14/12 03:27 PM
Re: Toughest squirrel I've ever skinned
[Re: sdavison]
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14 Point
Registered: 07/28/10
Posts: 8399
Loc: Tennessee
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Drop those squirrels in a bucket of warm water a few minutes before you skin them. It will loosen up the skin and make it a whole lot easier. Warm squirrels are much esier to clean.
From a bacteria standpoint, warm water is a bad idea.
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It doesn't have to be fun to be fun. Wild & crazy, can't be stopped. Only the strong will survive. Keep your knife sharp and your skillet greasy. http://www.GoCarnivore.com
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seriously, parboil it and then fry it.. good eatin! 
