Squirrel Repellent

I've shot tree rats... but I eat them. Tree squirrel is delicious.

OmManiPadmeOmelet wrote:> I've shot tree rats... but I eat them.

Andy comments:

Yeah, but I got tired of skinning them... I had to do it all when the

wife went to town shopping...... I found the meat fairly tough, and not as good as chicken, so I figure it's not worth the trouble for me....

They are fun to watch as they go about THEIR business. It's when they go about MY business that I lose patience....If killing one or two a year is what it takes to keep , literally , dozens, away from the

garden, then it is a small price to pay....

I just want them to be afraid to go in my garden... it seems to work...

Andy in Eureka, Texas

Really? I'm surprised...

As I was advised, I wetted them before skinning them to prevent fur shedding on the meat. I then gutted and quartered them with a pair of poultry shears. I cooked them hot and fast in a bit of butter and olive oil with some lemon pepper, and found the meat to be surprisingly tender and succulent, so much so that I now go after them whenever I can. ;-) They have learned this so are now harder to hunt......

How did you cook them?

I used to think so too. I used to get mad at folks that shot them, until they started chewing holes in my siding, and getting generally destructive and costly!

so do hotwires if you really don't want to kill them......

OmManiPadmeOmelet wrote:>

**** The last one I skinned with a pocket knife. That was a bad choice. It can be done, but it takes a while and makes a mess..... I didn't know how to cook it, so I rolled it in corn meal and baked it.. That was probably my problem.... I have since looked up recipes on the internet, and may try again someday..... After a little research, I learned that they carry the same tularemia (sp?) disease as rabbits, aka rabbit fever..... I should have worn rubber gloves..... Anyway, if I took all the "reccommended" precautions in cleaning them, it would be more trouble than it is worth..... ****** Yeah.. One of the little bastards go into the engine compartment of my motorhome and chewed up a LOT of the wires and vacuum hoses. It took me a whole afternoon to fix the mess, and I acquainted the neighborhood with the color and diversity of the English language in the process....... I think that most of the homes with small children had "For Sale" signs in their yard the next day .. :>)))))))

g> --

***** Tell me what you mean here ... Are you talking about an electric fence ? If so, what have you tried and how well did it work......

Andy in Eureka, Texas

I use a small fillet' knife, but that's my choice if skinning blades, even for deer.

Watch for pustules. If you find them, discard the meat. Also check the condition of the liver. Dad taught me that at an early age. :-) Healthy liver usually = healthy critter but still look for other signs.

I never bothered. So far, the ones around here have been very healthy. Eating wild meat, hell, even eating processed meat, always incurs some risk. Just cook until done.

The ol' "100 cuss word job" eh? My dad applies that to plumbing work! I think the cursing helps with stress control.

Heck, they shoulda paid you for the education!

I made a scarecrow out of AOL disks once. It worked well on everything but college students. It vanished one night during a keg party next door.

Penelope

Want more? ;-) I get at least a dozen a year......