For a couple years now, I have filled our blog section with articles about big game animals. I have had a few reoccurring series on them (Big Game Basics, Arizona Animals and Africa’s Big Five) and through them have covered dozens of species. And now I think it is time to give the little guys some of their overdue credit! Small game has been keeping hunters out in the woods and dinner tables full for centuries. Most first hunting experiences are for small game after all. So to start off our newest series, Spotlight Small Game we will focus on one of the most classic quarries… the squirrel!
Squirrels are part of the mammal family and include dozens of different small to medium sized rodents. Their members include: ground squirrels, marmots, flying squirrels, chipmunks, prairie dogs and tree squirrels. They are native to Eurasia, Africa and both Americas. For this reason alone, they are probably one of our oldest food sources.
More often than not, when people think about squirrels the bushy-tailed inhabitants of the trees come to mind. This is what we have grown accustomed to, probably from popular culture references and commercials. The most common tree squirrels in North America are the fox squirrel, western gray squirrel and the American red squirrel. While their native habitat has been developed for decades now, these species have adapted quite well to living near humans.
The fox squirrel is the largest native tree squirrel in North America. They are omnivores and will consume plants and meats for sustenance. They are non-territorial but are known to be more solitary than other species. Despite being a tree squirrel, they actually spend most of their time on the ground. We have several that live in our parking lot here and I usually spot one scampering by when leaving in the afternoon.
The western gray squirrel have several common names (mostly based on what location they are in). They do visit the ground, mostly just to forage, but prefer moving in between the trees. They are known to have a much more plant and seed based diet as compared to the fox squirrel, but will consume insects. You may actually hear them before you see them as they will make an chirping alarm sound when a predator is in the area.
American red squirrels frequently live in conifer forests, as their diets consists heavily on conifer seeds. They are the most territorial of the three squirrel species listed. They are easier to identify due to their reddish coat with white underbelly and smaller size. These squirrels have one of the broadest distribution of range, mostly coinciding with conifer forests. They also have one of the highest mortality rates of any squirrel species.
As stated earlier, humans have been hunting squirrels for centuries. Hunting methods have ranged from traps to stalking these little guys. Nowadays the most common ways are through use of a rimfire rifle or smaller gauged shotgun. Because of their speed and agility they can be harder-to-hit targets and teach many shooters how to properly lead a shot. Some archers though take particular delight and pride in being able to hit one with a bow.
Now we have already taken a look at a couple recipes for squirrel (squirrelitos and fried squirrel) but these are only a couple ways to cook them. Talk to anyone who has eaten squirrel and they will tell you how delicious it is and what their favorite way to cook them is. You would be surprised how creative we have gotten with the culinary art of squirrel.
Got a cool story about your first squirrel hunt or delicious recipe to share? Post it below in the comments section. Until next time!
-Giddy-Up!!
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