Dressing out a squirrel

To do it methodically and to retrieve the most I can for the pot, I usually skin and dress out my squirrels as such:

1. After harvesting, I'll remove the head and feet. This can be done several ways, from continous cutting witha small bladed knife, to one chop with a larger "Rambo" knife (my preference, quick and easy), to using a set of pruning shears.

2. Once that's done, I start back up, belly down, usually on a log, from the point of the neck area. For ease of removing the skin, I leave the entrails "in" at this time.

[img width=600 height=450]http://i633.photobucket.com/albums/uu54/WALTERRO/dressing%20out%20a%20squirrel/DRESSINGOUTASQUIRREL1.jpg[/img]

3. I move down the backbone toward the tail, seperating the skin away from the cut:

[img width=600 height=450]http://i633.photobucket.com/albums/uu54/WALTERRO/dressing%20out%20a%20squirrel/DRESSINGOUTASQUIRREL2.jpg[/img]
[img width=600 height=450]http://i633.photobucket.com/albums/uu54/WALTERRO/dressing%20out%20a%20squirrel/DRESSINGOUTASQUIRREL3.jpg[/img]

4. I then start working the skin away from the body, usually behind the front legs / shoulder blades and at the point of my first cut at the neck:

[img width=600 height=450]http://i633.photobucket.com/albums/uu54/WALTERRO/dressing%20out%20a%20squirrel/DRESSINGOUTASQUIRREL4.jpg[/img]

5. I work it down the body, using my fingers to loosen and turn "inside out" the skin around the front legs:

[img width=600 height=450]http://i633.photobucket.com/albums/uu54/WALTERRO/dressing%20out%20a%20squirrel/DRESSINGOUTASQUIRREL5.jpg[/img]

6. Using the front legs for leverage, I hold it up and start pulling down:

[img width=600 height=450]http://i633.photobucket.com/albums/uu54/WALTERRO/dressing%20out%20a%20squirrel/DRESSINGOUTASQUIRREL6.jpg[/img]

7. I work the rear legs much like the front legs, getting the skin worked away with my fingers (like a finger in a glove) between the skin and legs, then pull and turn inside out:

[img width=600 height=450]http://i633.photobucket.com/albums/uu54/WALTERRO/dressing%20out%20a%20squirrel/DRESSINGOUTASQUIRREL7.jpg[/img]

8. Once clear of the legs, I'll pull past the base of the tail about 3/4", then remove tail the same method of removing the head / feet.

[img width=600 height=450]http://i633.photobucket.com/albums/uu54/WALTERRO/dressing%20out%20a%20squirrel/DRESSINGOUTASQUIRREL8.jpg[/img]

9. At this point I'll remove the entrails, finding the point on the ribcage that comes to a point:

[img width=600 height=450]http://i633.photobucket.com/albums/uu54/WALTERRO/dressing%20out%20a%20squirrel/DRESSINGOUTASQUIRREL9.jpg[/img]

10. I'll make an inscision there and work my way to the anus area. On males, i'll go to one side of the genitals, then using the front legs for leverage, pick the squirrel up, work my index and thumb into the chest cavity breaking the membrane there, and remove the heart, lungs, and gastro tract all at once:

[img width=600 height=450]http://i633.photobucket.com/albums/uu54/WALTERRO/dressing%20out%20a%20squirrel/DRESSINGOUTASQUIRREL10.jpg[/img]


(picture heavy, continued below)

(continued from above)


11. Once the entrails and anything deemed undedible is removed, I'll trim out the belly flaps:

[img width=600 height=450]http://i633.photobucket.com/albums/uu54/WALTERRO/dressing%20out%20a%20squirrel/DRESSINGOUTASQUIRREL11.jpg[/img]

12. I'll split the legs / hip to remove any other unwanted "inerds", and to set myself up to remove the legs:

[img width=600 height=450]http://i633.photobucket.com/albums/uu54/WALTERRO/dressing%20out%20a%20squirrel/DRESSINGOUTASQUIRREL12.jpg[/img]

13. I'll hold the squirrel upside down by the rear leg, and start a fillet near the backstrap to get the most meat off. I'll then trim around the leg socket, then a simple twist and pull to remove:

[img width=600 height=450]http://i633.photobucket.com/albums/uu54/WALTERRO/dressing%20out%20a%20squirrel/DRESSINGOUTASQUIRREL13.jpg[/img]

14. Moving back up the body once the legs are removed, I'll trim up both the sides of the rib cage, making an arrowhead look. A simple breaking, twist and pull of the vertabrae seperates the two:

[img width=600 height=450]http://i633.photobucket.com/albums/uu54/WALTERRO/dressing%20out%20a%20squirrel/DRESSINGOUTASQUIRREL14.jpg[/img]

15. I'll remove the front legs just as the back, starting a fillet from the meatiest part where attached to the rib cage, under the shoulder blade, them trim around the socket. I'll also make the breast meat a part of that fillet.

16. You are now left with 5 pieces:

[img width=600 height=450]http://i633.photobucket.com/albums/uu54/WALTERRO/dressing%20out%20a%20squirrel/DRESSINGOUTASQUIRREL15.jpg[/img]

17. This is a total of 6 squirrels on 2 platters. Platters are slightly larger than a standard dinner plate. Unfortunately a few of the quarters had to be discarded due to too much damage from an off shot.

[img width=600 height=447]http://i633.photobucket.com/albums/uu54/WALTERRO/dressing%20out%20a%20squirrel/SQUIRRELONAPLATE.jpg[/img]

Very nicely done! Thank you very much for sharing!

If there's one thing I hate skinning, it's a squirrel!!! Love eatin' 'em, just hate cleaning the darn things.

Gonna have to copy and save this!

Thanks again

TP

My Dad taught me to cut through the tail and make small cuts toward the legs. Then you stand on the tail while holding the hind legs. This removes 90% of the skin. Then pulling the small strip of skin at the belly removes the skin from the hind legs.

Terry

Terry,

I've done it that way as well. It works real well except when you accidentally cut all the way through the tail!!!! ;D

Nice detailed instruction.

I have skinned mine a bit differently as well, but have also tried it your way(or close).

-My grandfather and I used to cut a ring all the way around the midsection, just deep enough to cut the skin into two halves(front and back if you will).
-Then work each way with a knife till you get enough to grab hold of.
-Then work each side back seperately, pulling with your fingers while trimming with the knife.(You can also at this point just grab the two sides and pull it apart by hand so it peels the skin off, but depending on the damage from the shot you could rip the squirrel in half. This makes a big mess...Ask me how I know! ::))
- The front half will pull till it goes up to the base of the head, which will also allow you to pull the front legs about halfway out. Leave alone for now and move to other section.
- The rear half will pull till you get down to the start of the tail, which will also allow you to pull the back legs about halfway out.
- Now you can just take your knife and cut the head off, and then also cut off the four legs right where the skin starts(you could also use side-cutters for the legs like my Grandfather and I used to do... ;D ;)).

You end up with the same result, just lots of ways to skin a squirrel I guess.

Thanks again for the detailed thread, and just this topic in general. Brings me back alot of memories of my first hunting partner...My late Grandfather who passed on about 6 months ago. While describing our way I could still picture us in back of his house skinnin them :) :'(.

I do similar to pdog,

I make one cut across the back, through the skin perpendicular to the spine. I then grab both sides of the cut skin and just pull apart. It works best when they're still warm. I stop pulling when the hide gets to the neck, feet and tail, and just cut them off there. I also skin before I open them up.

The same skinning method works great on rabbits as well.

I did top half a couple squirrels last season that I'd attempted head shots with my 223 Stevens, and pulled the shot. That was a bit of a mess.

:D

Are you eating Prairie Dogs?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Terry Balding

Are you eating Prairie Dogs?

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there all from the rodent family

Heres a video that was emailed to me by "bythebook(Gordon)".

http://s158.photobucket.com/albums/t...elskinning.mp4

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Terry Balding

Are you eating Prairie Dogs?

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Sorry, just came back to this thread.

LOL

I hope (ahem), you know I meant I do the same proceedure as pdog06.

I'm sure you were just being a wise-n-heimer

I'd have to be pretty darn hungry to eat a prairie dog.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Terry Balding

TP

My Dad taught me to cut through the tail and make small cuts toward the legs. Then you stand on the tail while holding the hind legs. This removes 90% of the skin. Then pulling the small strip of skin at the belly removes the skin from the hind legs.

Terry

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This is also how my dad taught me, and I always do it this way unless its hindquarters are shot to hell then I will get as far as I can until the tail brakes off and then I do the same thing as you do with the tail on except I just use my hands. This doesn't work as good as when you can use the tail all the way down but it is still much better than splitting the hide in the middle of the back and just trying to pull it apart.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Slowpoke Slim

I do similar to pdog,

I make one cut across the back, through the skin perpendicular to the spine. I then grab both sides of the cut skin and just pull apart. It works best when they're still warm. I stop pulling when the hide gets to the neck, feet and tail, and just cut them off there. I also skin before I open them up.

The same skinning method works great on rabbits as well.

I did top half a couple squirrels last season that I'd attempted head shots with my 223 Stevens, and pulled the shot. That was a bit of a mess.

:D

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This is exactly how I was taught to skin a squirrel or rabbit.

Wow

You know what they say, there is more than one way to skin a squirrel.