22 replies to this topic

[YotePill]

Here's a pic of one of the nicest tree rats I have ever taken. Very healthy and it tasted even better. This is a pine squirrel..pretty common in the mountains of CO. The rifle is a JC Higgins / Sears and Roebuck .22LR with a Bushnell SV 3-9x32. The shot was made at about 60 yds with a Rem Sub Sonic.



So let's see some more tree rat pics...........

[Chris Miller]

Pine squirrel eh? Never did see any of those when I was out in CO. Only the Aberts Squirrels....

Here is my best pose with one... lol

[bones44]

I've seen the pine squirrels before. Mean little buggers. Had them go after me while deer hunting up north. Nice shot on such a small target. Nice old gun too. The Abert's squirrel I've never seen. Pretty neat looking animal.

[MountainCoyotes]

Awesome pics guys i love to shoot squirrels because they are fun to hunt

[Stonegod]

Nice pics!! Are pine squirrels the same as red squirrels or are they a subspecies, they look alot like what we call red squirrels here in Ohio.

[YotePill]

I've seen the pine squirrels before. Mean little buggers. Had them go after me while deer hunting up north. Nice shot on such a small target. Nice old gun too. The Abert's squirrel I've never seen. Pretty neat looking animal.

That old .22 was my dad's. It still shoots accurate out to 150yds easy. Best darn rifle he's ever given me.

[bones44]

Nice pics!! Are pine squirrels the same as red squirrels or are they a subspecies, they look alot like what we call red squirrels here in Ohio.

I believe they're one in the same. Up north they call them pine squirrels. Here they're called reds. 40GR my neighbor has an old Remington .22lr that we shoot varmints out of his Mom's barn down the road from me. Amazingly accurate even though it's old and beat up. I just like the feel of an older gun sometimes.

[Stonegod]

I believe they're one in the same. Up north they call them pine squirrels. Here they're called reds. 40GR my neighbor has an old Remington .22lr that we shoot varmints out of his Mom's barn down the road from me. Amazingly accurate even though it's old and beat up. I just like the feel of an older gun sometimes.

thanks bones44, it looked like a red but when he said it was tasty I was thinking that it was a different type. Around here we eat gray and fox squirrels but reds stay where they fall.

[glenway]

"...it looked like a red but when he said it was tasty I was thinking that it was a different type. Around here we eat gray and fox squirrels but reds stay where they fall."

Nothing wrong with red squirrels on the table, as long as they are prepared properly - same as any othe squirrel. Although there is little meat on the front end, the hind quarters and back meat are delicious. Just par-boil them first and put them in a rice mix and I guarantee you'll not be able to tell them from any other nut cracker.

In Michigan there is no closed season and no limit on the varmints. It' s good to take them whenever you can, because they are quite destructive and will run off the bigger squirrels.

[Stonegod]

"...it looked like a red but when he said it was tasty I was thinking that it was a different type. Around here we eat gray and fox squirrels but reds stay where they fall."

Nothing wrong with red squirrels on the table, as long as they are prepared properly - same as any othe squirrel. Although there is little meat on the front end, the hind quarters and back meat are delicious. Just par-boil them first and put them in a rice mix and I guarantee you'll not be able to tell them from any other nut cracker.

In Michigan there is no closed season and no limit on the varmints. It' s good to take them whenever you can, because they are quite destructive and will run off the bigger squirrels.

Well I've never eaten one simply because I was told that they tend to include more meat I their diet than fox squirrels and the old timer squirrel hunters say that they have a strong unpleasant taste because of that fact. But live and learn I say!!........next time I bag some I'll give them a try!!! Thanks for the advice glenway.

[MountainCoyotes]

Nice pics!! Are pine squirrels the same as red squirrels or are they a subspecies, they look alot like what we call red squirrels here in Ohio.

We have red and grey. ONCE in a while youll find a black but its rare around here. I know Ohio have black Ive seen a lot up there.

[bones44]

We have black,grey,fox and red squirrels. I don't usually eat the blacks or the reds as they are usually tough and gamey. I have thought about using marinades for them though. Might try it next fall.

[fr3db3ar]

I haven't found the blacks ( they are just a black phase grey) to taste any different.

I prefer fox squirrels. Just more meat per shot

[bones44]

Yea Fred. The blacks are a color phase but also leaner and much more aggressive than their counterparts. Fox squirrels make the best eating in my book.

[Stonegod]

We have red and grey. ONCE in a while youll find a black but its rare around here. I know Ohio have black Ive seen a lot up there.

we get some freaking looking grays around here, got some out back with gray bodies and white tails and one last year that at first I thought was a skunk, it was black with a white tail, but the grays around here seem to be in small pockets.The fox squirrel is king around here, when deer hunting there can be 7-8 fox squirrels at a time at the corn feeder.

[glenway]

For sure, it's fox squirrels for the best. As far as gamey tasting on the reds, remember to remove the glands under the "arm" pits front and rear legs. And, that goes for any squirrels. It feels like a small, hard BB right in the webbing. Get them out for clean eating.

[BondCoCoyote]

About an hour East of where I live there's a little town called Olney and it is the home of the "white" squirrel. From what I hear they are running around everywhere. I also heard if you kill one, even if its an accident they will right you a ticket.

[glenway]

White squirrels and where they are...here

[youngdon]

Next week on Dr.Phil...."White squirrels and the people who love them" .

[glenway]

I'm sure I'd love them, too. Just not too much salt, thank you.