On Thu, 18 Sep 2014 08:35:35 -0400, Ed Huntress
wrote:

On Thu, 18 Sep 2014 18:25:12 +0700, John B. Slocomb
wrote:

On Thu, 18 Sep 2014 06:39:07 -0400, Ed Huntress
wrote:

On Wed, 17 Sep 2014 23:34:58 -0400, wrote:

On Wed, 17 Sep 2014 23:11:14 -0400, Ed Huntress
wrote:

On Wed, 17 Sep 2014 21:34:38 -0500, Martin Eastburn
wrote:

On 9/17/2014 3:50 PM, Ed Huntress wrote:
On Wed, 17 Sep 2014 10:49:43 -0700, "Bob La Londe"
wrote:


"Ed Huntress" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 17 Sep 2014 09:56:17 -0700 (PDT), Gerry
wrote:

I have trapped hundreds of squirrels using a Hav-a-hart squirrel trap.
Traps probably 8X8X24 and has two doors, although I lock the back one
closed.

I only have one, and it's one of the big ones intended for raccoons.
However, it works fine for squirrels, too.

This summer: One raccoon, two 'possums, two squirrels, and one cat.
g


Peanut butter on toast worked the best for me. Dump the trap in a garbage
can of water, occupant included, then clean for supper.

Aw, I couldn't do that. But I'd shoot 'em or club 'em.

Careful. The anti's take particular exception to clubbing even though you
can kill an animal with a club just as quickly as with a gun.


They're tougher to skin than a rabbit, but I can dress one out and
have him quartered in about three or four minutes.

How is cleaning the pelvic cavity? That always seems to be the toughest
part for me with a rabbit.

Hmm. I don't remember any particular problems with that. I dress them
before skinning, to keep any glorp off of the flesh.

Squirrel skin doesn't peel off as easily as it does with a rabbit.
I've read it's because squirrels don't have the layer of fat that
rabbits have, nut I never saw a layer of fact under the skin of a
rabbit, either. I can skin a rabbit with two hands but I usually make
a string noose for squirrelts, and tie it to my dressing board.

Skin from feet to head. Here in ET they have hangers for the feet and
pull the skin off.

I think the idea - almost no meat skins easier. Direction makes a
difference. Squirrel hunters here from a young age.

Somebody told me that once but I never got the hang of it. I've cased
a lot of muskrats, and I tried doing the squirrels the same way. But
working the skin over the hind legs just didn't work the same. I just
tore the skin.

I'll probably not try it again. We have to hunt squirrels with a
shotgun in NJ (except for a short mid-winter muzzleloading rifle
season). I hate shooting squirrels with a shotgun and I'm not going
out in mid-winter with a rifle just to shoot a couple of them.


Mom & Dad are gone now but I recall Dad saying Mom shot flying squirrels
while gliding down towards the garden.

Now *that* might make it worthwhile to shoot squirrels with a shotgun.
g


She and Dad often went to the arcade to shoot at bottles and such while
courting. Moved to N.C. during WWII making Ship Radar and we bought the
polo club house when they moved further out of town. Nice place.
Moved after the war - and after Dad returned from Europe to the west
coast Radar on B-36's.

Martin
Friend used to pop them out of trees with a .177 co2 pellet gun by
shooting the tree just under their belly. The flying bark took them
out.

I asssume that he told you this, and that you're not saying you
actually saw it happen. d8-)

"Barking" squirrels is an old legend. It can be done -- with a
high-powered rifle, but not with a .22 or an air gun.

I actually did it once with a 36 cal. muzzle loading rifle. Just like
all them old fellows used to.... I think the chances of doing it twice
is similar to Robin Hood splitting a competitor's arrow in the target
with his next arrow.

Yeah. That's one of those things that you should just do once. g

Apparently it grew up around Daniel Boone legands. Decades ago, a
writer for one of the hunting magazines tried it with a variety of
guns, and finally got it to work a couple of times - with a .30/06.

It's a messy way to prune trees.

Speaking of pruning trees, I did some of that when I was in college. I
hunted grouse ("pats") in a Christmas tree stand in northern Michigan.
The pat would take off straight between the rows, and then do a sharp
turn left or right. I'd snap-shoot at the pat, often managing to shoot
the top off of one of the Christmas trees, but rarely hitting the pat.
The house I grew up in had a bg spruce tree out front about 100 feet
from the house. this tree started growing a spindly leader that Dad
wanted to get cut off. We were having lunch with the wood cutting gang
when one chap suggested that since Dad was such a good shot, he should
shoot it off. First couple attempts were not successfull with the
twelve gauge and the originator of the idea told him to use his .303
Savage (open sights). First shot two feet of leader parted company
with the tree. I have also seen him take the head off a partridge at
fifty paces with that rifle.
---

Gerry :-)}
London,Canada