Squirrel hunt nets a new recruit

[OldTime]

Hey guys, I wanted to share a little story about a squirrel hunt from last weekend.





Before we left, my friend I chatted for a few minutes.  I have been trying to get him into airgunning so I offered to leave the Crosman 1389.  He accepted enthusiastically!  We took a few practice shots so he could get familiarized with it.  He has experience hunting and in cleaning game, just not squirrels specifically so we went outside and I demonstrated how to clean them and then wrapped up the conversation with shot placement and timing the shot.

Look how clean the squirrel is. I need some lessons so I will not have to work so hard cleaning hair. 
Mike 

[nervoustrigger]

Hi Mike,

Here's a good video showing the technique I like to use:



The difference for me is that the gray squirrels here seem to have kevlar-reinforced coats.  I have to separate the skin around the belly with my fingers and then go ahead and cut through it before stepping on the tail and pulling.  If I don't do that, I end up with half a squirrel in my hand and the other half next to my shoe!

Also, if you soak the squirrel in water before cleaning, the fur does not tend to stick as badly.  However I still get some fur on the meat and have to pick it off under running water in the sink.

[Bicycleman]

That guy is good.

That is basically what I do with the Fox Squirrels I kill.  I do use the knife to go around the belly toward the neck and cut the "V" to about the center of the animal.  This helps much to skin toward the head.  And it give me a good starting point for completing the skinning of the rear end.

[OldTime]

Hi Mike,

Here's a good video showing the technique I like to use:



The difference for me is that the gray squirrels here seem to have kevlar-reinforced coats.  I have to separate the skin around the belly with my fingers and then go ahead and cut through it before stepping on the tail and pulling.  If I don't do that, I end up with half a squirrel in my hand and the other half next to my shoe!

Also, if you soak the squirrel in water before cleaning, the fur does not tend to stick as badly.  However I still get some fur on the meat and have to pick it off under running water in the sink.

Nice, thanks.
Mike

[ToRmEnToR]

Squirrels everywhere I looked.  This was heaven.  My mind quickly drew pictures of squirrels raining from the trees and a resulting mound of gray fur piled knee high.

 LMBO!!  Some of my best AG memories were times that I borrowed/sold AG's to friends.. Now most are avid hunters, let alone plinkers.. Only regret is selling My first gen Mrod .25.. Still all the guy that I sold it to can talk about now-a-days is AG'n, ahahahaaa... Good work to You and Your Son!!

[UCChris]

I have gotten two of my neighbors into airgunning. One is 15, the other is 38. We like to run back to the fields around our houses and shoot starlings when we have the time.

Nothing better than having shooting buddies!