Skin a Squirrel , right away or wait?

[singlestacksig]

It has been years since I got to hunt squirrel, but this year I finally got out and got some..
but I did not do so well skinning.. I can't remember if I waited a bit after killing or skinned them right away.. today I tried to skin them right away and could not get the skin to peal off..

 

[Crashn2me1961]

I'm a St. Louis Cardinal's fan and I say don't kill any squirrels until after the playoffs are over.

 

[Brando]

I'm a St. Louis Cardinal's fan and I say don't kill any squirrels until after the playoffs are over.

Repped! Go Cardinals! Go squirrel!!

 

[Dargasonus]

I never intentionally wait. I just go out and hunt all morning or evening and when I get back and get all of my gear put up I'll go out to clean them. So I guess they all wait at least 30-45 minutes.

Did you shoot a big red squirrel or something? Those will be a paint regardless of how you do it lol. I only shoot greys or small reds because I hate fighting with a tough skin.

 

[hammer24]

Here's the best way to do it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=66AVwthXgMA
I know a guy who we've timed at 46 seconds in cleaning a squirrel!I don't have the knack. Personally I hate cleaning squirrels, I think skinning a deer is easier than skinning a squirrel. I've always just skinned them whenever I got home from hunting.

 

[GREEN607]

I am of the same mind as 'Crash'.. in that I only take squirrels after about 2/3 of the leaves are off the trees.

But, here's how I do it:

I carry old bread wrappers with me, in a game bag. When I take a squirrel, I don't run right over and snatch it up. That may frighten off other squacks, who are nearby, on the ground or low in the trees.... that I could also harvest. Whether I get any more (immediate) shots or not, I retrieve my squirrel(s), and I mark the individual 'bags' 1-2-3 etc...in the order I shot them. I carry a sharpie and mark the bread bags, but you can also just use your knife to make one slice, or two, etc on one of the feet.

If I get no subsequent action (chances to harvest more squirrel in the immediate vicinity).... then I take out the two steel "cup hooks" I brought w/ me, and screw them into a tree about chest high. I hang the squack by his hind feet (split the area between the lower leg tendons w/ my knife and hang him up). Then I skin them, first kill first, second kill second, and so on. I find it's easier to skin them after they've cooled a bit..... but easier then, than after 'rigor' sets in. Just my .... Lee

 

[singlestacksig]

yeah, it was fat reds.. I started to skin them within 5 min. of killing them..
the skin kind of torn arpart to much.. maybe they do need to cool a bit..

BTW, A Barnes Varmint genade will take the head clean off..

 

[hammer24]

yeah, it was fat reds.. I started to skin them within 5 min. of killing them..
the skin kind of torn arpart to much.. maybe they do need to cool a bit..

BTW, A Barnes Varmint genade will take the head clean off..

Are you shooting them with a centerfire?

 

[woodsie57]

My usual is to fetch the critter right away, sit on a log, skin, then gut, keeping an eye out for other squirrels curious as to what you're doing with their buddy- bagged quite a few "seconds" that way. And, yes, the skin is harder to get off the longer you wait,and it's easier[less messy] to skin them first, then clean them.

 

[Chefcook]

That's a pretty good method, not too far off the way pop taught me. Back in the day I could clean 8 or 10 and have them soaking in salt water in about 10 mins or so...

Here's the best way to do it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=66AVwthXgMA
I know a guy who we've timed at 46 seconds in cleaning a squirrel!I don't have the knack. Personally I hate cleaning squirrels, I think skinning a deer is easier than skinning a squirrel. I've always just skinned them whenever I got home from hunting.

 

[singlestacksig]

Are you shooting them with a centerfire?

yes, K hornet.

 

[singlestacksig]

My usual is to fetch the critter right away, sit on a log, skin, then gut, keeping an eye out for other squirrels curious as to what you're doing with their buddy- bagged quite a few "seconds" that way. And, yes, the skin is harder to get off the longer you wait,and it's easier[less messy] to skin them first, then clean them.

Yeah, I was wondering if the fat slides off easier if they cool a bit..

 

[PriestEG]

the way i always did it was go out hunting for a few hours ad when i returnd back to the truck i throw em into a plastic bad and put em in a cooler of ice for a bit. as the hide and subcutaneous layers of skin and fat get colder they become easier to remove and makes for a cleaner job. just my method