cut the tails off of them to use for my jigs, how would you guys go about curing them,so they dont stink and all that stuff?Attachment 126555Attachment 126556
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cut the tails off of them to use for my jigs, how would you guys go about curing them,so they dont stink and all that stuff?Attachment 126555Attachment 126556
cut the bone out then scrape out the meat and fat then pin to a piece of wood and salt for about a week or so changing the salt every 12 to 14 hrs use plenty of salt about a half an inch on the inside where you cleaned the meat and fat from, keep them in a dry warm area also
Pretty much the same except after getting the bone out I'd wash it and put hair conditioner on it, rinse well then shake th heck out of it. Take an old brush and brush it real good which straightens the hair out, I personally would use borax to do the curing but again that's me!! While you're at it do the same thing to the skin!!! you can make some nice flies and jigs with squirrel.
If you live in a wooded area like I, put that pinned tail on your roof!
Squirrels in season? :biggrin
Got to admit I don't even take the bone out of a squirrel, but do deer and other animals. I just cut it so there is not much meat and if any I need to I scrape it off, salt and Borax it and let it dry in the garage. Have never had any trouble doing this and have some that are several years old.
http://www.crappie.com/crappie/custo...atar7356_1.gif Micropterus salmoides they always in season in my back yard, they eat our tomaters and stuff. so i let them eat lead pellets!
I have the same problem in my back yard. They eat into my attic and my wife's plants and anything else they can destroy including my plastic boards on my boat trailer. I shot 32 one year and they just keep coming.
Most store bought squirrel tails still have the bone in and they aren't rotting or anything, its really in how you dry it. What I would do with tails of anything is wash them in soapy water, wring them out/dry the water off with paper towels or something, and then stick the stump end in borax until it is all dry, probably sprinkle some borax on the fur too. The danger of using salt is that is can more easily attract moisture back into the flesh later on if conditions are right.
I just whack the tail off, sprinkle some salt on it or borax, and call it good. Coloring them, now thats the hard part.
I put mine in a zip lock bag with salt. Get the air out and let it sit for a week. Never had any smell or problems with moisture causing ill effects.
We sell squirrel tails to mepps and also tye squirrel tail jigs(trout,smallmouth and crappie).We cut the tails off and then cut again about an inch up from end of tail dip in tablespoon of salt/water in a quart jar.Dip end of tail (cut section) into quart jar of salt water(brin water).We use old window screens place in between screens store in cool dry place where flies cannot get to them and let dry(keep the tails straight) in the screens!!!They will cure in about 24-48 hrs.They cure better in the fall from sept till march when the fur is prime (winter coat) This time of year they may shed or loose their hair(put on summer coat)!!!
shame on you guys picking on those poor innocent squirrels.
shame on you guys picking on those poor innocent squirrels!!!! We will send you some Innocent Squirrels!!! We are over ran with them eat our garden's even get in our houses!!!! and now we cannot buy 22 shells at wal-mart to harvest them with had to switch to a pellet rifle(cheeper ammo)!!!
I would just giving you guys a bad time you don't have any squirrels there you should come here we gray squirrels we have red tail squirrels and we Chipmunks and we have like a pine squirrel so we're definitely, squirreling around here the bad part of this is I cannot shoot them anyway you guys can send all the tails you want to me.Quote:
Originally Posted by jackie53
I use borax for small critters and also purchase the 50lb bags of table salt super cheap at the local ag farm feed store for coons and deer. Then only difference after skinning I place hide in the freezer for 48hrs to kill all bugs then start the entire process explained by Fatman.
I just put them in the freezer and then take them out to use, and them put them back in the freezer, same with deer tails eliminates all that deboning and curing
Jackie, witch end do you cut, the small or the large end. I found a long needle for an air pump. Converted it to a syringe. I then put brine water in syringe and inject two or three places on the tail.
[QUOTE=Fatman;2341263]Pretty much the same except after getting the bone out I'd wash it and put hair conditioner on it, rinse well then shake th heck out of it. Take an old brush and brush it real good which straightens the hair out, I personally would use borax to do the curing but again that's me!! While you're at it do the same thing to the skin!!! you can make some nice flies and jigs with squirrel.[/QUOTE
I used to use borax too my friend. That was about 10 years ago though.
[QUOTE=snake River;2344846]shame on you guys picking on those poor innocent squirrels.[/QUOTE
Innocent my sheeskalambooskarearend. They have stole more tomatoes, beans and Bell peppers from my garden every year. I can sit on my deck and kill at least eight a day.
With as many as get hit right near the house and are fresh I need to find a way to tan the skins so I can cut em up for zonker strips. BIL bought a bunch of .22 LR from Sportsmans Guide, to tink with and it was pretty good and no problems, good enough for squirrels and rabbits.
Have the nephews pellet gun right now have a dead tree with a nest of red squirrels, mom and about 7 babies all over they're toast!!!!
We can't shoot them here, any of them. Not that many like you guys have out that way though. I have to trade with y'all to get them.
But if had to shoot them I would use a pellet gun, CO2 or good pump style. Works great with a small scope on starling for me. Too bad starling aren't more sought after for tying.
For curing I use borax on everything. Did and entire rooster cape last year and it turned out great and no bugs survived. Drying some trukey wings in it right now. Probably done drying and were frozen for a long time by the one I got them from so no bugs hopefully. When I dried the skin I have the entire thing covered in borax
Fish - if you tied flies starling are widely used for soft hackle patterns.
Have one question for you on the turkey wings - before you used the borax on them did you get the meat out of the wing??? If not I'd get a sharp knife open that area up and make sure it's not really greasy!! If it is clean it out really good and pack it with borax to dry it out.
Have a buddy who has BIG money in materials as he ties authentic Salmon flies - he'll tell anyone that freezing doesn't really do a thing!!! They survive the winter and the cold, and bugs don't die what is your freezer going to do???
Like to see a pic of the whole skin dried!!!! Your gonna need a really big Ziploc bag for it!! They have them at WalMart - I'll post a pic tonight.
That's why I packed them in borax, I think I will bury them in it to make sure that the bugs die now. The guy I got the wings form had them in the freezer for a long time but no reason to take any chance.
I do tie flies and I have a lot of feathers form starling. Just not many people who use them so no trade value.
I cut up the skin to bag it but have a decent sizes piece still in tact. It is in one of those large zip lock bags. I will dig it out and get a picture along with all the toher parts as soon as I find them all.