Squirrel hunting

[DaveS]

Tomorrow opens Tennessee's Squirrel (also known as "nut munchers" and "tree rats") season. I have my .36 flintlock Kentucky long Rifle ready to go. So how many of you will be going and taking "Giblets" out on a squirrel hunt? Taking all my little grandsons with me...I can't wait!

[memphismason]

I won't be going out tomorrow. Let us know if they still have wolves.

[Sidinman]

I may go early in the morn while it is still cool. I am not sure whether I want to fight the ticks or not, may just go fishin instead.

[Guest Jcochran88]

I might go at day break but after about 7 or so it is just to hot.

[ShaunM]

I won't be going out tomorrow. Let us know if they still have wolves.

Wolves are kinda like when your buddy sticks his finger in your school pizza and claims it as his, but you just eat around it.

[DaveS]

Hunting 101....++++++11111.....never seen any wolves around here....just a few yotes! LOL

[Rightwinger]

First frost...fixes wolves and hot days. A two fer

[whiskey]

I didn't hunt this morning. I had planned to, but a late evening of music on the deck of the neighborhood bar changed my plans.

I did get out in the woods this morning. I filled a couple feeders and did some drive by scouting. I managed to get about a dozen seed ticks despite spraying down good with Permanone. Oh well, I should have tucked my shirt in and put my pants legs inside my boots. Slow learner here.

[DaveS]

My 14 year old Daughter got 3 squirrels this morning and none had "wolves". I guess we seen about 20 all total!

[ShaunM]

My 14 year old Daughter got 3 squirrels this morning and none had "wolves". I guess we seen about 20 all total!

Congrats to her! Glad you got some good clean tree rats.

[DaveS]

Me too....gonna light the backyard campfire tomorrow and make a dutch oven full of "squirrel and dumplings"...

[Oh Shoot]

Wolves are kinda like when your buddy sticks his finger in your school pizza and claims it as his, but you just eat around it.

Myself, I just never ate the wolves.

No prob.

- OS

[DaveS]

+1

[memphismason]

I know, I have been told that you can still eat the tree rat if he has them, but I just can't bring myself to it. Maybe I just hadn't got hungry enough.

[Guest GunTroll]

What do they look like or rather how do you know if the tree rat has them. I'm from out west so you'll have to excuse my stupidity.

[Oh Shoot]

I know, I have been told that you can still eat the tree rat if he has them, but I just can't bring myself to it. Maybe I just hadn't got hungry enough.

They're only in the skin, I've never seen the meat affected.

- OS

[whiskey]

What do they look like or rather how do you know if the tree rat has them. I'm from out west so you'll have to excuse my stupidity.

It's a knot on the squirrel. Looks like a tumor. There is no missing them once you clean the squirrel. It's actually a fly larva.

[memphismason]

What do they look like or rather how do you know if the tree rat has them. I'm from out west so you'll have to excuse my stupidity.

Flies bite the squirrel's skin on the neck and lay their eggs. The squirrel acts as an "incubator". Wolves (AFAIK) are the larvae that is still under the skin. they will stay there until they become flies at which point they will bite through the skin and buzz away.

I was always told as a kid not to eat the squirrels with the "lumps in their backs" or "with open holes on the back", and now I just can't break myself.

As a kid we always waited until the first frost to go out squirrel hunting, but now that really isn't an option because the first frost is coming later and later each year.

[Guest GunTroll]

So when the frost comes the lava is killed? Or already hatched or something?

[memphismason]

So when the frost comes the lava is killed? Or already hatched or something?

Not real sure. That was just the rule.

[Oh Shoot]

... are the larvae that is still under the skin. they will stay there until they become flies at which point they will bite through the skin and buzz away....

Nah. They actually develop to a certain extent, crawl out still as larvae, drop off, burrow in the ground, and become flies the NEXT summer.

- OS

[DaveS]

The only "wolve" I have ever seen, came crawling out of a bucks nose that I got a couple years ago. I hear rabbits get them too, but have never seen them on the bunnies. Maybe because it's after a frost when I rabbit hunt. I guess I need to research these larva thingies!

[Guest GunTroll]

WD get my PM?

[Oh Shoot]

The only "wolve" I have ever seen, came crawling out of a bucks nose that I got a couple years ago. I hear rabbits get them too, but have never seen them on the bunnies. Maybe because it's after a frost when I rabbit hunt. I guess I need to research these larva thingies!

Nasal larvae in deer are pretty common, but not from the same thing as squirrel botfly.

And no, they aren't from deer flies, either. Matter of fact, deer flies don't use a mammalian host at all.

- OS

[I_Like_Pie]

First frost...fixes wolves and hot days. A two fer

Amen to that!!!!