Dealing with tree rats

[villiers]

.... making me really h u n g r y

[jmoore]

What troubles did you have concerning the steaming part. Maybe I can help you sort it out. Once you do I guarantee you'll like it.

Just did not note any marked degree of tenderizing over the control sample. Flavor was good and it removed some of the lard, which my Md. would like.

[vintage hunter]

It may be that the apparatus used in the steaming process affects the time required. This is what I use. Just a cheap collapsible thingy that fits in a regular pot with lots of vents to allow the steam to contact the critters. I have a triple steamer out in the cook shed but I haven't tried it out yet. Judging by the number and size of the vent holes it's possible I'll have to increase the time to maybe 15 minutes. It's a trial and error thing really but you'll know when they been in too long, over exposure to steam will take the flavor out.

[jmoore]

This is what I use.

Have something almost identical, but that's not what got used.

[A square 10]

"....I think squirrels get blamed for a lot of things they don't do. I live way out in the boonies and rarely do they cause any damage to my property...."


i agree , its the skunks and racoons that do the majority of damage on my property , but i have a secret weapon here ..

i live 8 blocks from the mississippi river on a small feeder river , some might call it a stream but here its called a river , every couple months the squirrel population explodes here and i get upward of 20+ in my yard alone , then the pair of great horned owls move up/down stream and spend a week culling ,
one year the nested over my wife's car in the drive and stayed a bit longer raising their two offspring and leaving small offerings on her windshield ,

so i don't get to shoot them , but i'm also in center of city so firing would be illegal , i do miss eating them tho , as a kid we did as related above in preparing them , very good eating ,

[browningautorifle]

I'd love to have an owl nest hereabouts. They're out in the forest across the road, I was listening to one this AM. They used to be on my yard but boycott me now...

[vintage hunter]

Beautiful scenery A square. I'd surely love to wet a hook in those waters. What kinds of fish do you have there abouts?
We have our fair share of ''hoot'' owls here too but the squirrels have gone to nest for the night before they become operational. There's several kinds of daytime birds of prey around that feed on squirrels though, one is the red tailed hawk and another is what I believe to be a member of the falcon family. The old folks call it a blue darter, it sure is fast and maneuverable. The fighter/interceptor of the bird species.

[A square 10]

thanks , its got its drawbacks - the straight line winds of 90mph did a number on a few large trees in the lawn , but i like where i am most of the time




but it does have its benefits , i awake and have coffee watching the blue heron fishing below my deck and the son caught large mouth and walleye just above the rapids to the left

[browningautorifle]

I got rid of all the large trees near me. They damaged my truck during one wind storm. Having them across the street is close enough.

[rayg]

Great and interesting thread! Have a lot of squirrels in my yard but don't have any problems with them. Maybe cause the trees are located a distant from the house. Ray