Is there a trick way to clean a squirrel?

[Iukee]

My neighbor and I were talking the other day about all the squirrels around our neighborhood. He got to telling me about the old days and how he loved to eat squirrels. And was saying that someone he knew had a trick way of cleaning them. He said he had watched the guy before but couldn't tell me how the guy did it. Any ideas???

[Hillbilly]

Quickest way to clean them I've found is to split the skin across the back, stick your fingers in there, and pull in opposite directions. Then just cut off the head, tail and feet and gut it. Works well with rabbits, too. Don't know if that's the "trick" or not, but that's the way I've always done them.

[cowboy]

That's exactly what I was going to say Steve. Cut all the way around the middle, fingers under the hide, pull oposing direction's. Can't save the hide that way if your planning on using it though.

[billy]

yeah.  Cut the skin from the heel, to the butthole, then to the other heel (just like you're case skinning a larger animal).  STart peeling the skin toward the head, just like taking off a sock.  Get the skin free from the back legs, and when you get to the tail, cut the bones of the tail so the tail is still in the skin, but is no longer attached to the pelvis.  Then put your foot on the tail, grab the back legs, and pull.  It will pull the skin all the way off to the neck.  Then you cut off the head, get rid of the guts, and you have a nice clean squirrel that's ready for the stew pot!  YAY!

[Iukee]

Thanks guy, simple enough. I've clean rabbits before no big job, right? It was just that my neighbor was very impressed, of course I don't know that he has ever cleaned anything himself.

[hedgeapple]

This is how I do my first attempt at cleaning a squirrel.  It works about 80% of the time.  If it fails and I just pull the tail off then I cut a slit across it's back, work my fingers in under the skin a pull in opposite directions as sited earlier.

I cut the tail off at the base of the pelvic bone.  There's two very small tendons right under the skin that lead to the tail cut these without cuting the hide.  Now make about an inch cut down the back of both hind legs.  Put your foot on the tail as close to the squirrel's body as possible.  Grab a hind foot in each hand and pull up.  It will skin all the way down to it's head.  But, the skin will break leaving the squirrel looking like it's wearing pants.  Just grab the squirrel by the front legs and grab the little fur tab left on the belly side of the squirrel and pull back toward the hind feet.  It will peal off easily.  This method is the fastest and easiest I've found.  Occassionally the tail with break off and I have to go to plan B.

[RidgeRunner]

I clean my squirrels the same way Hedgeapple does.
It works well.  Most of the time.

We call it the "Tail Stomp Meathod."

David

[FlintWalker]

I've done it both ways and prefer Hedgeapple and Ridgerunners way.  I get less hair on the meat and strain less on them big red squirrels doing it that way.

[hedgeapple]

Sometimes with an old white-face fox squirrel you might have to use a knife to cut the belly band using the "tail stomp" method.  But, all in all I agree with Saw Filer about less hair.  And don't forget you can use the upper part of the hide and head as a hand puppet to amuse friends and torment the dogs.  Just don't let the dogs get close enough to chomp down on the puppet and your hand.  Does that sound like experience talking?  haha

[Justin Snyder]

Let someone else clean them for you. 

[recurve shooter]

I clean my squirrels the same way Hedgeapple does.
It works well.  Most of the time.

We call it the "Tail Stomp Meathod."

David

best way i have found.

[Iukee]

Hedgeapple-Just don't let the dogs get close enough to chomp down on the puppet and your hand. ha ha, never thought cleaning a squirrel could get dangerous.

[recurve shooter]

Sometimes with an old white-face fox squirrel you might have to use a knife to cut the belly band using the "tail stomp" method.  But, all in all I agree with Saw Filer about less hair.  And don't forget you can use the upper part of the hide and head as a hand puppet to amuse friends and torment the dogs.  Just don't let the dogs get close enough to chomp down on the puppet and your hand.  Does that sound like experience talking?  haha

are the blaze face fox skwirls common up there? i have only ever seen one. i killed it. it now lives on my wall. 

[billy]

OR.....

You can lay the squirrel flat on the driveway, then slowly roll your truck so the rear wheel is right in the middle of its body.  Then jam the gas pedal to the floor and when the engine reaches red-line and the rpm's are screaming for mercy, you drop that bad boy into Drive and you'll clean that squirrel in one millionth of a second! You'll have ground squirrel meat instantly!!   

[hedgeapple]

are the blaze face fox skwirls common up there? i have only ever seen one. i killed it. it now lives on my wall. 
[/quote]

Recurve, I believe the white/grey on the muzzle of these fox squirrels are from old age.  I see them quite often.  They are big and tough.  Even their gravy is tough.  haha