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Post by bigjohn on May 4, 2012 11:21:02 GMT -5
Most years the mulberries aren't ripe until about the second or third week of the spring squirrel season around here.This year,I've noticed they are already getting ripe.Looks like the opening will have squirrels already visiting my favorite trees.Nothing better than a plate full of mulberry fattened young squirrels with a side of buscuits and gravy.Who's ready ?
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Post by mofotrapper on May 4, 2012 12:12:17 GMT -5
Dang that sounds good!!!  |
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Post by trappingfarva on May 4, 2012 14:19:07 GMT -5
Count me in. I've never been on opening day but I just might this year.
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Post by imadoebuster on May 4, 2012 14:53:33 GMT -5
def ready to take out the .22 and put a few on the table, gonna keep the hides for visual attractant this trapping season
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Post by trappingfarva on May 4, 2012 19:55:59 GMT -5
I'm keeping tails this year. Gonna bury em and leave a lil stick out
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Post by krank on May 4, 2012 20:08:08 GMT -5
OK....how do we all skin our squirrels? Them young ones and the greys peel easy when I step on the tails. The old fox getting pulled half and half. It is miserable ringinging their legs and skinning like a coon....
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Post by krank on May 4, 2012 20:09:59 GMT -5
My Dad used to look for mulberries hanging out over the water and fish under the tree. Kind of amazing catching bass on mulberries.
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Post by bigjohn on May 4, 2012 20:27:50 GMT -5
krank,on the Mo river,we set lines on the banks with mulberries.Channels,blues ,and even flatheads will feed up on them.The big flatheads come up there looking for the carp and other rough fish to feed on.If I'm just looking for some sport,I'll take my flyrod and catch the grass carp and common carp that are feeding on the falling fruit.Setting on the river bank early in the mornings,you'll see a host of wildlife that feed on the ripen fruit.I've seen beaver,muskrats ,coons ,wood ducks,orioles,squirrels,and several other birds and mammials.
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Post by krank on May 4, 2012 20:36:04 GMT -5
When I was a kid, I saw kids feeding under the mulberry tree too.
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Post by mofotrapper on May 4, 2012 20:40:12 GMT -5
When I was a kid, I saw kids feeding under the mulberry tree too. So thats whats wrong with you...  |
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Post by bigjohn on May 4, 2012 21:22:29 GMT -5
When I was a kid, I saw kids feeding under the mulberry tree too. Yup,seen a many of purple faced youngun under them trees.I might have been guilty of eating a few myself,from time to time. |
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Post by trappingfarva on May 5, 2012 6:55:35 GMT -5
Krank I skin mine like a rabbit. Cut the back and pull then some side cutters takes the feet for me.
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Post by krank on May 5, 2012 11:36:09 GMT -5
Yup....cut across the back midway and pull both directions. I also dunk in water before I start to keep hair off meat. Like to hunt them and love to eat them but they can be a bugger to peel.
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Post by bigjohn on May 5, 2012 12:08:57 GMT -5
I always got too much hair on them cutting across the back.I cut through the base of the tail from underneith and up both hips.Stand on the tail,grab the back feet and pull the hide to the head.Slip your fingers into the skin left on the hips and pull to the back feet.Cut the head and feet loose,gut,and quarter.I can do a limit in about 15 minutes and have very little hair on the meat this way.If all are head shot with a 22,there'll be little blood also. www.dropshots.com/videolink.php?userid=36149&cdate=20051017&... |
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Post by tylercraiglow on May 5, 2012 12:19:18 GMT -5
Dipping in water defiantly helps with the hair issue. Never had mulberries before. Was over at my Dad's place yesterday and noticed he had a few trees that where LOADED with ripe berries! I may have to take a little trip over there today.
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Post by redeagle on May 5, 2012 12:26:51 GMT -5
When bears used to roam Missouri before they were killed off, they fed heavily on mulberries. This first berry crop of the spring season was an important food source for hungry bears foraging for an abundant food source after hibernation.
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Post by krank on May 5, 2012 12:59:34 GMT -5
John-I can step on the tail sometimes but others (old ones) I cut across the back.
Redeagle- I wonder just how much a bear hibernated in MO.? I would imagine they would be out in March if the did.
I'll tell you this- I rarely ever shoot a squirrel or a rabbit with a shot gun. Never shoot a squirrel over water in the head. He will sink like a rock. Chest shot and he'll float and head for the shore. Coons are a little different. They dont sink with a headshot.
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Post by bigjohn on May 5, 2012 14:16:18 GMT -5
Couple of years ago,I had a ol boy call me up saying groundhogs were getting his tomatoes.I drove out there with a couple of 220s and my granddaughter in tow.I had called my GW and told him the deal and he okayed the use of the 220s in the den entrances.Anyway,the first thing I noticed was 2 big mulberry trees at the edge of his garden.Most of the berries were gone by now and I told my granddaughter that I bet it was squirrels in the tomatoes.The squirrels had been crossing the pasture to get those mulberries and when they started getting low,they switched to the tomatoes.The next two days,my granddaughter and I killed like 14 squirrels out of that garden and trapped one old boar groundhog.I had set my shooting bench up and my granddaughter was shooting a little 15y Marlin off the bags.Every squirrel she killed was a head shot at about 35 yards.After the squirrels crossed the pasture,they'd clinb thru the fence and stand up at the garden's edge.The only misses she had is if they dropped down just as she shot,but that was okay as she usually got them with the next shot lol.That little gal is a regular Annie Oakly with a rifle.
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Post by ozarkmountainman on May 5, 2012 21:37:45 GMT -5
Yep, we're already munchin' Mulberries at the Verts Ranch and so are the squirrels.
My son Remington shot his first squirrel from a Mullberry tree several years ago. Betcha his sisters will do the same this year.
Dale
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Post by krank on May 6, 2012 11:05:35 GMT -5
All this talk has inspired me to get out my Kentucky flintlock and get it ready. It has a 40" barrel and weights 12 pounds. 39 caliber ball and double set triggers. The original squirrel rifle......
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people have been busy it sounds like.