squirrels the hard way

18 May 2018, 04:23

Larry Matherne

Three years ago I acquired a fusil de chasse flintlock smoothbore. This would be the firearm my ancestors would have brought to New France. It is a 20ga./.62cal shotgun sort of. The first year I killed one squirrel and the next year I killed three. I had great difficulty finding the right components to make it kill beyond 10 yds. Finally Spanish moss as wadding seemed to hold the shot together and I could reach out maybe twenty yards or so. This past year I killed 33 squirrels with this combination.

Mike

What I have learned on AR, since 2001:
1. The proper answer to: Where is the best place in town to get a steak dinner? is…You should go to Mel's Diner and get the fried chicken.
2. Big game animals can tell the difference between .015 of an inch in diameter, 15 grains of bullet weight, and 150 fps.
3. There is a difference in the performance of two identical projectiles launched at the same velocity if they came from different cartridges.
4. While a double rifle is the perfect DGR, every 375HH bolt gun needs to be modified to carry at least 5 down.
5. While a floor plate and detachable box magazine both use a mechanical latch, only the floor plate latch is reliable. Disregard the fact that every modern military rifle uses a detachable box magazine.
6. The Remington 700 is unreliable regardless of the fact it is the basis of the USMC M40 sniper rifle for 40+ years with no changes to the receiver or extractor and is the choice of more military and law enforcement sniper units than any other rifle.
7. PF actions are not suitable for a DGR and it is irrelevant that the M1, M14, M16, & AK47 which were designed for hunting men that can shoot back are all PF actions.
8. 95 deg F in Africa is different than 95 deg F in TX or CA and that is why you must worry about ammunition temperature in Africa (even though most safaris take place in winter) but not in TX or in CA.
9. The size of a ding in a gun's finish doesn't matter, what matters is whether it’s a safe ding or not.
10. 1 in a row is a trend, 2 in a row is statistically significant, and 3 in a row is an irrefutable fact.
11. Never buy a WSM or RCM cartridge for a safari rifle or your go to rifle in the USA because if they lose your ammo you can't find replacement ammo but don't worry 280 Rem, 338-06, 35 Whelen, and all Weatherby cartridges abound in Africa and back country stores.
12. A well hit animal can run 75 yds. in the open and suddenly drop with no initial blood trail, but the one I shot from 200 yds. away that ran 10 yds. and disappeared into a thicket and was not found was lost because the bullet penciled thru. I am 100% certain of this even though I have no physical evidence.
13. A 300 Win Mag is a 500 yard elk cartridge but a 308 Win is not a 300 yard elk cartridge even though the same bullet is travelling at the same velocity at those respective distances.

22 July 2018, 00:25

packrattusnongratus

I have a recipe. Remove the entrails and head as you shoot them. Keep the meat cool. Bring to kitchen skinned. Put one 15 oz bottle of Worcestershire and same size bottle of Soy sauce in a large bowl. Put squirrel in bowl with marinade and soak for 20 minutes or more. Start smoker and place marinated squirrel on racks. Smoke until done, to taste. Time always varies with each smoker. A hot one will cook faster. Enjoy. This usually works with tough old boar squirrels and tenderizes them well. I used to start the smoker then butcher some domestic rabbits, rinse in salty vineagar water to remove hairs, marinate and place on smoker with a hot fire. It spoiled me on wild rabbit because I produced rabbits with no wild taste and larger size. Good luck with your efforts.

24 July 2018, 04:09

Bobster

Pan fried squirrel with gravy

1. Skin, quarter and wash meat. Soak covered in the refrigerator for 24 hrs with a half cup of salt and quarter cup of sugar. Enough water to cover.
2. Put quarters in a 4-6 qt pressure cooker
3. Add 2 cups chicken broth, salt & pepper
4. Cook on 15 psi for 10 minutes
5. Cool and remove meat, reserve liquid
6. Flour meat and season with salt pepper and paprika with some garlic powder if you like
7. Fry at 350 F in a skillet using fat of choice until browned on both sides. Beef suet is the best.
8. Remove meat and make gravy.
9. Add flour to fat and make a roux. About medium color.
10. Add reserved liquid and whisk to make gravy.
11. Add squirrel meat back, cover and simmer for 30 min.
12. Serve with rice or biscuits.

26 July 2018, 21:09

Gatogordo

We've cooked a lot of squirrels over the years, but the problem was many of them were tough as whang leather. So, starting with my grandmother, we "par-boiled" them before frying. One could do this in a sauce pot or the best method is to use a pressure cooker, then fry them as above. Yummy.

OTOH, if I had to use a flintlock for squirrels, I'd give up. My hat is way off to someone who is determined enough to hunt them that way. My favorite method used to be a scoped Python with .38 wadcutters. Now I mostly use a scoped .22.

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When considering US based operations of guides/outfitters, check and see if they are NRA members. If not, why support someone who doesn't support us? Consider spending your money elsewhere.

NEVER, EVER book a hunt with BLAIR WORLDWIDE HUNTING or JEFF BLAIR.

I have come to understand that in hunting, the goal is not the goal but the process.

20 August 2018, 18:01

wildcat junkie

When I lived in Southern Indiana in the 1980s/'90s killing a limit of squirrels with a scope sighted .22lr became so routine I would be disappointed if I didn't "limit out".

I built an iron mounted .36 flintlock "Tennessee" rifle. On the occasions that I managed to bring 2 grays to bag, I felt like I had really accomplished something.

Given my eyesight, stalking to within 20yds or less with a sapling for an improvised rest was necessary for consistent head shots.

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07 September 2018, 17:39

wildcat junkie

quote:
Originally posted by packrattusnongratus:
WJ I think flint is the way to go. I have always used caplocks as I am too lazy to learn the longer follow through of the flint. Those are some beautiful rifles. I still have a Douglass XX octagon barrel in .32 waiting for the right stock style. I think a Bedford County style in .32 flint would be a marvelous squirrel rifle.

Going smaller than .36 can offer challenges with a flintlock. Not saying it isn't practical, but you must pay attention to the location of the pan/touchhole and keep charges stout enough to blow the touchhole/pan clean.

Also, smaller calibers should have a fast twist. My .36 has 1 in 48" twist and I can load "subsonic" loads that still provide tack driving accuracy. The 1st barrel was 1 in 66" and I had to load it up so much to get sufficient accuracy that it was too damaging to the meat.

I used a 20gr load of fffg behind a .350 rb. It sounded a lot like 22 SV when shooting. No loud crack and it left a neat hole in the squirrel's neck/head instead of blowing it off.