Gutting and not gutting small animals

K

kr1

Joined
May 30, 2006
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I have skinned and gutted squirrels and have seen plenty of larger animals done. My question is when you start getting down to the size of a chipmunk, in a survival situation can you just cook them on coals without skinning or gutting? Is it possible to cook even a squirrel this way without skinning and gutting? I have always wondered about this and if anyone has actually tried it. Will the gut explode rendering the meat useless? Any information would be appreciated.

Thanks,
KR
 
My guess would be that you would be better off gutting anything you catch or kill. You can still eat the organs, just cook them separate.
 
One of your problems would be the bladder and the intestines busting, which would definately ruin the meat. Also some animals have glands that would have to be removed. If you didn't have a knife, you could still find a rock or stick sharp enough to puncture the abdomen, and rip it open from there.
 
My question is why would you not want to clean it? It is not that hard and doesn't take that long, I can't think of a single advantage of not skinning and gutting. Chris
 
Yes, if it's otherwise OK, you still need to gut and skin- it can be done without a knife, but it's messy. Eat it whole like on some TV and you risk the runs and vomit, which will just weaken you more. Raw is risky for internal parasites, but sometimes could be the only choice.:eek:ss.
 
Up north the common practice (among 'aboriginal peoples', to be politically correct), when roasting Richardson ground squirrels is just to jam a stick up their butt and roast them whole:barf:. Others with more discerning tastes peel out the hams and discard the rest:p.
 
Hey Guys..

Ron Hood shows a method of doing fowl by making a cut in back and shoving a hot rock up it's Arse then wrapping the bird in leaves to cook from the inside...

when I clean rabbits I generally don't even get into the guts..

Peel the back and front legs out of the skin, Lop them off and thats it..
Thats the quick and dirty method of doing them..

There isn't really much meat lost..A little back strap,, but thats about it...

ttyle

Eric
O/ST
 
Although I have never done it this way--yes you can just put your squirrel or chipmunk directly in the fire, cook it about 1hr or so depends, use your knife scrape the fur and eat the meat, I hear the meat has a nice smokey flavor to it not tasting like that when skinned. Also the brains of a squirrel is considered by many to be a tasty delicacy.
 
Diamond Dog said:
Although I have never done it this way--yes you can just put your squirrel or chipmunk directly in the fire, cook it about 1hr or so depends, use your knife scrape the fur and eat the meat, I hear the meat has a nice smokey flavor to it not tasting like that when skinned.
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Why would you want to? Maybe a survival situation when you don't have a knife? I can skin and gut rabbits and birds with my bare hands, I know I could find a piece of metal, glass, or sharp rock to gut something else. I really don't think it would ever be necessary to cook guts, hair and all. Chris
 
I know what you mean, like I said I never have done it that way, but it can be done. I did some looking on the net and some hunting web sites and there is truth to this. Some would ask why even eat a tree rat or a small chipmunk, but non the less.
 
When you clean shrimp you take the intestines out of them don't you? Chipmunks are way bigger than shrimp!
 
Diamond Dog said:
Some would ask why even eat a tree rat or a small chipmunk, but non the less.
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I eat my share of grey squirrels and then some, I am not sure about this "tree rat" thing you are talking about. Squirrels have been on my supper table for as far back as I can remember, I am sure that when I first started gumming solid food, bits of well cooked squirrel was some of what I gummed. Why would anyone not want to eat them, they taste good, their fun to hunt, their plentiful, and they are healthy, non processed meat. I would ten to one rather have a squirrel 22ed by myself, cleaned and cooked by myself, as some filthy yard bird fed steriods, raised in an overcrowded filthy tin building.
 
runningboar I agree squirrel is good meat. Plenty of people refer to the squirrel as a tree rat--let's not go P.C on the squirrel for heaven sakes. I hunt squirrel as well. You are lucky to grow up eating and doing as you have, alot of people never will or get to try to eat other meat besides the steroid invested livestock that is produced.
 
Another method of skinning.
Make a small cut thru the skin in the middle of the back. Grab hold of each side and pull. Much like the vid the skin just turns inside out.
next make a cut at the low end of the abdomin and grab the front legs and swing like barry bonds. Guts are gone and you've still got clean hands.
 
Diamond Dog said:
Also the brains of a squirrel is considered by many to be a tasty delicacy.
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One thing to keep in mind is that squirrels can carry a disease, similar to mad cow, that is transfered through eating the brains. This may be a rare occurance, but I wouldn't risk it.
 
runningboar said:
I eat my share of grey squirrels and then some, I am not sure about this "tree rat" thing you are talking about. Squirrels have been on my supper table for as far back as I can remember, I am sure that when I first started gumming solid food, bits of well cooked squirrel was some of what I gummed. Why would anyone not want to eat them, they taste good, their fun to hunt, their plentiful, and they are healthy, non processed meat. I would ten to one rather have a squirrel 22ed by myself, cleaned and cooked by myself, as some filthy yard bird fed steriods, raised in an overcrowded filthy tin building.
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Agreed 100%! Squirrel is one of my favorite animals to eat and hunt. Not to mention hunting squirrels allows me to do some deer scouting while getting back into my groove.

P.S. Don't forget to par boil it for about a hour and a half before frying.
 
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