You might’ve heard one of your friends swear by the taste of squirrel meat. Or maybe you tasted it once while you were on a vacation and the flavor stayed with you. Then, one day you notice a whole lot of squirrels parading around your garden.
So can you eat squirrel from your backyard? Read on to find out all the juicy details!
First of All, Check the Regulations
Before you can hunt the squirrels jumping about in your backyard, you’d need to check the regulations in your area.
The variation in the legality of catching these animals is quite diverse. Thus, you should reach out to the relevant organizations, both governmental and non-governmental to stay out of trouble.
Here are some points to consider:
The Country and State Laws
Every country has its own laws regarding hunting practices and environmental practices. Some places allow hunting squirrels all year round, while others ban it strictly. More often, countries or states specify a hunting season and regulate the hunting methods and scope within its duration.
In Canada, even live-trapping the squirrels in your backyard and moving them to the wild isn’t allowed. That’s because it can distress the little animal, subject it to exposure, leave it starving, or separate it from its young ones. All of which are considered acts of animal cruelty.
The state of Washington shares these sentiments and advises keeping the squirrels away from your home where they could be a nuisance, as opposed to killing them.
The Time of the Year
Hunting seasons are specified to make sure that the natural balance of animals in a certain area isn’t disturbed. It’s not uncommon to see greedy and excessive hunting practices that drive whole species to the point of extinction.
This happened to chinchillas in Chile, South America before. And in the span of a few decades from 1895 to 1921, they were believed to be extinct. Much later in 1971, a small colony was found, and the animal populations were recovered to non-endangered status. There were several strict laws against hunting and trading in chinchillas for that reason.
In the countries or states that allow hunting squirrels at specific times, there are usually permits and hunting method regulations. So you’d need to check these out as well.
The Type of Squirrel
Some types of squirrels are endangered, or have a national value to a certain country. For example, the native Douglas squirrels hold a special status in Canada, and they’re generally protected.
That’s not the case for the Gray and Fox squirrels, where they could be hunted from mid-September to the end of December. The daily limit for hunting them, as small game, should not exceed five squirrels in total.
Specific Natural Events
Sometimes the squirrel populations increase excessively, to the point that they destroy farms, gardens, or overwhelm the natural balance of a certain area.
During these instances, hunting squirrels would probably be okayed, and the regulations loosened up a bit. The proper hunting methods should be followed, of course, and animal cruelty should be avoided at all times.
The Hunting Method Is Also Among the Regulations
In South Carolina catching small game without weapons is permitted, while using rifles isn’t. Bow and arrow hunting during the open season is also allowed in some states, and again rifle or trap hunting isn’t.
Some states aren’t particular about the hunting method but stress the importance of refraining from animal cruelty. In the UK, drowning, electrocuting, or shooting squirrels with a shotgun could result in the hunter being fined or arrested.
Safety Matters
Food safety is a serious matter, and that’s why we read the labels on anything we buy from the markets. With game animals, there’s no such service, and you’d need to count on your common sense and good judgment.
The following are the main concerns we have as we hunt squirrels for food.
- Squirrels act a lot like rodents, and they often collect similar ticks, flees, and other bugs.
- Some people spread poisons around their properties to ward off rats, and squirrels could accidentally ingest them.
- Pesticides are a similar risk since squirrels could feed on crops sprayed with pesticides or herbicides.
- Squirrels are known to carry certain diseases like Lyme disease, Encephalitis, ringworms, and Rocky Mountain spotted fever.
- Parasites and insects are more abundant in summer, so a winter catch might be a better idea.
Does It Taste Good?
There’s a wide agreement, close to a consensus, that squirrel tastes good!
Its meat is rather lean, and it’s flavorful without being overwhelming. It’s a lot like poultry and if you’re familiar with the taste of rabbit, you’d see some similarities with it as well.
The main thing is to keep the meat moist, well-seasoned, and never ever let it become stiff. Also, the squirrel is rather small, just about the size of a small hen, so make sure to present it with generous side dishes.
How To Cook Squirrel
All the good poultry or rabbit recipes apply just as well to squirrel meat. However, there are some that bring out the uniqueness of its taste. Here are some of them:
- Deep-fried squirrel meat pieces
- Squirrel stew
- Squirrel pie
- Slow-cooked seasoned squirrel
- Squirrel soup
- Seared squirrel with rosemary potatoes
The side dishes that go best with squirrel meat range from the very basic to the festive. Depending on the occasion and the materials you have at home, you can serve some delish foods that go perfectly with the squirrel.
- Garlic bread with cheese
- Bakes potatoes and carrots
- Sweet and sour green beans
- French fries
- Risotto
- Polenta
In Conclusion
Squirrel meat is considered a variety of game meat. And you might see it on the menu of some restaurants. Some people are squeamish at the idea though, and consider it a bit like eating a pet.
The excessive regulations surrounding the matter, as well a s the legit safety concerns, are also good reasons that make several folks rather hesitant about eating squirrels. Even the ones that jump up and down their backyards!
However, if hunting squirrels is allowed in your area, and you follow the correct methods of hunting, then it should be alright. And you can enjoy a gourmet squirrel for dinner.