15 replies to this topic

[hornet_rn]

which small game are safe to eat?i heard all kinds of stories about some squirrels containing viruses and even bubonic plague. i heard about rabbits having worms and parasites.should i even consider eating them at all despite those risks? how do you handle your quarry after you've harvested them off the field?ehh...i just don't want to get sick but i feel like i have some kind of moral obligation to do something with the carcass after they've been hunted.thanks

[Brant]

Same problem with fresh pork or chicken you buy at the grocery store. Cook it thoroughly and separate the raw food from other food washiing your hands frequently and you'll be fine. Use gloves to clean them.

[Camoghost]

I wouldn't eat ground squirrel!! Tree squirrels are great (the gray ones where you live) Cottontail rabbits are also good to go. I have heard of people eating jackrabbits but I don't.

[Old timer]

Just feed them to the coyotes and bobcats, help increase the population

[Thumper Dunker]

As long as its cooked you can eat any thing thats out there.

[Marino]

Doesn't everything "taste like chicken"?

[chinny33]

I want to eat wild game, such as squirrel & rabbit, but I am also very sketched out from the thought of the possible "wild diseases" they have. But then again, has anyone ever been to a slaughter house before? They are filthy and stinky.Go to your local Chinatown and buy a fresh live chicken, and you'll wonder how in the world they are not dead from disease and pestilence. People eat them every day and dont die or get sick (that we are aware of anyways). People eat wild hogs, they cant possibly be any cleaner right? I mean, God had it right in the Old Testament saying they were an "unclean" animal. Clearly they are. MMMmmmMMM bacon and spam MMMmmmMMMmmm. YUMMY!

[Karl]

If you want to eat ground squirrel you put a stick in the critter and hold it over a fire rotating it like you would a marshmallow. When they pop they are good to go. Hmong do it, it must be good!

[CHIN SQUIRREL]

You got that right about them chickens, they're damned disgusting. Dad had us raise chickens as kids as a learning experience, and boy was it ever! They will eat food out of their own poop. Then we ate them. We had to pull some gnarly stuff out of their insides. I think that they were tumors. It was pretty gross. The first few chickens were tough to chew, probably because I didn't take their heads off with the first swing of the hatchet. The rest of them were tender enough which tells me that I eventually got the swing of things. It was definitely a learning experience. I learned to never take things for granted. Meat doesn't come from the local grocery store or burger joint. They're just middle men. Somebody's got to go out there and do the dirty work. Sometimes that somebody is you. Never take anything for granted!

[Karl]

When I was in Florida my brother was cleaning a rabbit and got poked by a bone. He ended up in the emergency room with rabbit fever. He got pretty sick but antibiotics took care of it. Wear gloves while cleaning and if you have any open wounds be extra careful. Karl

[Woodie]

Just kill it & grill itSquirrel in Crock Pot 4-6 dressed Squirrels cut into serving size pieces 1/4 cup soy sauce 1/4 cup water 1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar 3 tbsp. lemon or lime juice1/4 tsp. garlic powder 1/4 tsp. ground ginger Place squirrel halves or Squirrel pieces in crock pot. Mix all ingredients in a small bowl and pour over meat. Cover and cook on low heat for 7-8 hours. To thicken gravy, use either flour or cornstarch mixed with water. Cook on high until thickened. Squirrel Casserole 4 cups squirrel or chicken - cooked, boned, cut up 1 pkg. Pepperidge Farms dressing 1 can cream of mushroom soup + 1 cup of water 1 can cream of chicken soup 1 stick butter cut up on top Layer ingredients in casserole dish with butter on top and cook 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Squirrel Pot Pie 2 dressed squirrels (2 - 2 1/2 lbs.) 2 cups water or chicken stock 2 celery stalks 8 small carrots 1 chopped onion 1 1/2 tsp. Salt 2 tbsp. butter Dash of black pepper Rolled dumplings oregano This is an excellent way to cook old squirrels which are too tough for frying. Wipe thoroughly with a damp cloth and remove all hair. Remove any shot and scent glands. Wash well inside and out with warm water. Cut into serving pieces. Put squirrel into a kettle; add vegetables, oregano, water or stock, salt, pepper and butter; heat to boiling. Reduce heat; cover tightly and simmer until very tender (2-3 hours depending on age of animal). The meat should be almost ready to fall from the bones. Add water as needed. Remove and blend vegetables on high. Return to pot. Increase the heat until liquid boils. Lay the rolled dumplings over the top of squirrel; cover tightly and cook for 12-15 minutes. Do not lift cover during cooking. Place squirrel in a hot serving dish and arrange dumplings around the edge. Cooking the dumplings in the liquid should thicken the gravy to just the right consistency. Pour gravy over squirrel and dumplings. Add quartered apples or other fresh fruit for decoration. Dutch Oven Rabbit 2 dressed Rabbits, cut in pieces 1/4 cup soy sauce 1/4 tsp. garlic powder 1/4 tsp. ground ginger 1/4 tsp sage one onion 2-3 stalks celery 6-7 small carrots 1 tsp sugar Add all ingredients to a large pot or dutch oven. Cover with water and cook on low heat for 3 hours. Remove Rabbits. Blend vegetables to thicken gravy. Add Rabbits and gravey back to pot. Simmer for 2-3 minutes. Serve. Sweet and Sour Rabbit Rabbit (2 1/2 lbs.), ready to cook 2 tbsp. cooking fat or oil 1 cup pineapple juice 1/4 cup vinegar 1/2 tsp. salt 1 cup pineapple pieces 1 med. green pepper, thin half slices 1 1/2 tbsp. Cornstarch 1/4 cup sugar 1/2 cup water Flour, salt, and pepper Cut rabbit into serving pieces. Roll in mixture of flour, salt, and pepper. Heat fat or oil in a heavy pan; brown rabbit pieces on all sides over moderate heat. Add pineapple juice, vinegar, and salt. Cover pan; cook over low heat 40 minutes or until meat is tender. Add pineapple and green pepper; cook a few minutes longer. Mix cornstarch and sugar and stir into water. Stir this mixture gradually into liquid in pan and cook slowly about 5 minutes. Serves 6.

[Stan]

Some nice recipes!

[daveinwoodland]

Doesn't everything "taste like chicken"?

No, it tastes more like....Cat

[Woodie]

The other white meat

[fishandhunt4ever]

Rabbit is really good split open and grilled on the bbq. Season them to your taste, and then with about 10 minutes left, brush them with teriyaki sauce. SOOOOOOOO good and rich and good in protein.

[Thumper Dunker]

Rabbit is really good split open and grilled on the bbq. Season them to your taste, and then with about 10 minutes left, brush them with teriyaki sauce. SOOOOOOOO good and rich and good in protein.

That is good .