Author Topic: FOR THE BIRDS. (Read 1667 times)

powderman · « **on:** May 12, 2007, 05:04:53 PM »

We feed birds year round. Keeping them around also keeps the bugs in check. We've always had different critters around besides the birds, rabbits, squirrels, even chipmunks. We really enjoy watching them. A while back I noticed the lid open on my feeder, figured the grand kids did it. WRONG. A squirrel had opened it, so I tied it shut. The lid stayed shut, but the squirrel chewed a hole clear through the roof, plastic, big enough to crawl into the feeder. He also told his friends, now theres 3 or more at a time. THEY AREN'T CUTE ANYMORE. They are going to end up on my grill. One thing I noticed is that when a rabbit shows up, the squirrels leave, they act like they are afraid of the rabbit, go figger. A few years ago several chipmunks were storing corn for the winter. I saw dirt flying from my wifes flower bed, then a head poked up looking around. These munks would fill their cheeks so full it was comical. We had clumps of corn popping up all over, yard, flower beds, etc. The birds can't feed when the squirrels are there. The only bright spot I can see is that they will be fattened up by the time they hit my grill. POWDERMAN.

jh45gun · « **Reply #1 on:** May 12, 2007, 05:28:43 PM »

Yep Squirrels can be real pest and do a lot of damage to buildings.

williamlayton · « **Reply #2 on:** May 12, 2007, 11:12:26 PM »

Furry rats.
Blessings

jhm · « **Reply #3 on:** May 13, 2007, 04:02:33 AM »

I had a deer corn feeder distroyed by them, they chewed a hole in the Lid (plastic) and also the container also plastic and had a feast, I went to large galvanized metal trash cans after that. JIM

rockbilly · « **Reply #4 on:** May 13, 2007, 06:12:36 AM »

Did you check to see if they are resident, or illegals? This is exactly what many of the illegals do, show up, get a free meal, then invite all their relatives over for someone else to feed, educate and provide medical care.

jh45gun · « **Reply #5 on:** May 13, 2007, 08:07:32 AM »

Quote from: rockbilly on May 13, 2007, 06:12:36 AM

Did you check to see if they are resident, or illegals? This is exactly what many of the illegals do, show up, get a free meal, then invite all their relatives over for someone else to feed, educate and provide medical care.

Skunk · « **Reply #6 on:** May 13, 2007, 08:39:01 AM »

Quote from: powderman on May 12, 2007, 05:04:53 PM

They are going to end up on my grill. The only bright spot I can see is that they will be fattened up by the time they hit my grill. POWDERMAN.

Call me a wimp if you want, but how could anyone even consider eating one of these tree rats? I'd rather resort to cannibalism than eat a friggin rat. You might as well just go to your local landfill and shoot a few skinny tailed rats and eat them. For God's sakes they are rodents - nothing more than rats with bushy tails. EEEEEEEWWWWW you must be starving....

Just my opinion.

Skunk

rockbilly · « **Reply #7 on:** May 13, 2007, 10:36:31 AM »

Skunk, Don't knock them till you have tried 'em. I am one that is truly thankful for the ole bushy tails. Growing up during WW II, that and rabbit were about the only meat that went on the table. Meat was rationed, you were only allowed so much per month, not enough to have it each meal, so we ate what we killed, and never wasted anything. I don't know how it developed, but eating kinda got to be a habit, the squirrel and dumplings for supper were always a treat, and the fried squirrel, gravy, and hot biscuits for breakfast worked wonders to keep the belly button from rubbing on the backbone.

Having spent 24 years in the military, and required to attend survival schools at several different locations around the world I learned to eat many things a lot worst than the ole bush tail. How about a little Philippine style rice and dog, or maybe a little monkey? Perhaps you could go for roasted grubs, or maybe a little snake.

Most Americans have never been exposed to the hardships of life and turn their noses up at the things that keep a large portion of the world alive. I am sure if you had walked in my shoes, you would not be so fast to comment on the delicacies some of have enjoyed.

powderman · « **Reply #8 on:** May 13, 2007, 10:51:41 AM »

SKUNK. HEH, I was raised eating wild game. They are very tasty fried, baked, or cooked covered in sour kraut. They also make great dumplings. I reckon city folk just naturally shy away from a lot of wild game. I grew up in ILL, my folks raised 5 of us kids and kept grandma too. We ate a lot of rabbit, squirrel, deer, quail, dove, fish, snapping turtles, even young groundhog. We never went hungry, and by todays standards would have been thought of as poor, but we didn't know it. We also had beef, pork, and chicken, but wild game was a big part of our meals. I used to freeze rabbits and squirrels whole, dressed of course, they were later cooked over an open fire on a spit. Used to take some to the river and let them cook as we fished. And no, I don't consider you a wimp because you couldn't eat a squirrel. We were just raised differently. POWDERMAN.

powderman · « **Reply #9 on:** May 13, 2007, 01:02:25 PM »

ROCKBILLY. I checked their credentials and they are as illegal as I will be when I shoot them out of season. I believe in the game laws, but I can't wait til August, they gotta go soon and I'm not going to waste the meat.
I can't fault anyone who won't eat wild game, but the same folks will eat pork and chicken which are 2 that have very dirty eating habits. Never tried snake but always wanted to. We killed a rattler in Ill one year while hunting. We made the mistake of teasing it first, couldn't get past the smell. I'm told that they must be killed before they get riled or the meat will stink. POWDERMAN.

Almtnman · « **Reply #10 on:** May 13, 2007, 01:23:42 PM »

I'm with rockbilly on this one. I also went through some survival training during my military time and those tree rats were mighty tasty when that's all there was to eat. Then on my tour in Korea, I ate some things there that I never did figure out what it was.

Skunk · « **Reply #11 on:** May 13, 2007, 01:48:02 PM »

Powderman & Rockbilly,

I don't have anything against eating wild game. You know, like venison, partridge, ducks, fish, etc... And I am the furthest thing in the world from being city folk. I've lived in rural (actually back woods America) for my entire life. I have friends that will occasionally dress out a porky and feast on it. I won't join them in that either.

Now, rabbit or turtle, I'd eat in a heartbeat, and have done so many times. But the entire rodent scene is literally just too much for me to stomach. There is just something about eating a rat that grosses me out. If you guys like them, then more power to you. I'm not putting you guys down for your tastes. If you enjoy them, then you enjoy them.

I'll make you guys a deal. I'll come help you shoot those bushy tail little rats until the cows come home. But when its dinner time, please just pass me the venison.

And Rockbilly, my mom and dad both grew up during the depression, and they both told me of the virtues of eating fine cuisine like squirrels, especially when you are very hungry. They couldn't get me to eat them either. You are probably correct in saying that if I'd have walked in your shoes, I'd probably feel different. Sorry if I offended you by not wanting any part (even the back strap) of them.

Skunk

Almtnman · « **Reply #12 on:** May 13, 2007, 02:38:52 PM »

Quote from: Skunk on May 13, 2007, 01:48:02 PM

Now, rabbit or turtle, I'd eat in a heartbeat, and have done so many times.

Isn't a rabbit also a rodent?

Skunk · « **Reply #13 on:** May 13, 2007, 04:48:21 PM »

Ah no Almtnmam, rabbits are Leporids, thank God.

Skunk

powderman · « **Reply #14 on:** May 13, 2007, 05:00:50 PM »

Rabbits, squirrels, groundhog, all vegetarian, and clean living animals. rats, pigs, and chickens will eat lots of things, including DEAD things. Anybody ever catch a snake and throw it in the pig pen??? The hogs will fight to see who gets to kill it and eat it. Skunk, I never meant to demean or offend you and hope I haven't. I know of only one other person who hates squirrels. Tell ya a story. My cousin in ILlL worked in the city and often took leftovers to work for lunch, or dinner to me. One day he was eating some leftover squirrel and was asked what it was, he told them. He got a lot of yuuuuuuck, gross, HOW COULD YOU??? Those city folks were grossed out. Next weekend he went hunting again. The next week he took more squirrel, the heads. He skinned the heads and ate them right in front of the others, he said he virtually had the lunch room to himself as he gnawed on those heads, he did remove the eyes first, they really were taken aback as he removed the brains with his knife and ate them. I had an uncle who would lend me his rifle and shells, just don't shoot em in the head, his favorite part of the squirrel. POWDERMAN.

Skunk · « **Reply #15 on:** May 13, 2007, 06:50:17 PM »

Powderman, no offense at all. In fact, I was hoping you didn't feel I was being demeaning to you. You have every right in the world to enjoy the food you find edible without judgment from anyone. And I have to admit that you are not the first person I've met that likes to eat squirrel. Many people I know claim it is a real delicacy. I just can't do it.

I almost laughed myself right out of my chair when I read your story about your cousin. He got it over on his lunch pals to say the least.

Great story. I can't wait to tell my wife the story, just to see her face, hehehe. Hope she doesn't turn green.

Skunk

williamlayton · « **Reply #16 on:** May 13, 2007, 11:58:07 PM »

WELL, now.
Possum, Armadillo, Squirrel, Nutria (talk about a big rat), Coon, Snake---everything is almost edible or almost anything can be eaten.
Culture defines or food habits or, more importantly, what is available.
It does not have too be big, have horns or such---it just has too be available in a pinch.
Blessings

Questor · « **Reply #17 on:** May 14, 2007, 04:11:04 AM »

There's no question that birds too can be pests too. I had a terrible problem with getting rid of birds that were infested with lice that then infested my apartment. They were very difficult to get rid of once established. The lice remained after the birds had finished nesting and were gone. I should have gotten rid of the birds as soon as they started nesting on my wall air conditioner.

jh45gun · « **Reply #18 on:** May 14, 2007, 07:13:14 AM »

Skunk if you can get past eating turtle ( Which I think taste great by the way

) I cannot see why you would not mind squirrel. I never pass up a squirrel in the fall during bird season if I can get a shot at one.

powderman · « **Reply #19 on:** May 14, 2007, 07:50:44 AM »

One down, it's in the frig in a bowl of salt water. POWDERMAN.

powderman · « **Reply #20 on:** May 14, 2007, 04:17:08 PM »

Got 5 total, hope thats the last of em. I had that bird feeder 17 years and was very fond of it, it's ruined now. The last one actually crawled down into the feeder through the hole they had made in the top. POWDERMAN.

Brett · « **Reply #21 on:** May 15, 2007, 01:42:37 AM »

Mmmm... squirrel gravy n' biscuits. Or maybe breaded and fried up like chicken with a big ol, heap of mashed taters.

powderman · « **Reply #22 on:** May 15, 2007, 03:18:08 AM »

I really thought I was rid of em. This morning there are 2 more out there and I'm headed to work. POWDERMAN.

Almtnman · « **Reply #23 on:** May 15, 2007, 11:08:25 AM »

powderman, I can see that your grocery bill is gonna be lower this month with all that extra squirrel meat being harvested.

I don't have many around my place, the Red Tail hawks and owls eat them faster than they can produce around here.

powderman · « **Reply #24 on:** May 15, 2007, 04:06:10 PM »

Tomorrow night supper will be squirrel covered with sour kraut, mashed potatoes, and peas. The kraut really goes through the meat, we cook it til it falls off the bone, or close to that. POWDERMAN.

Brett · « **Reply #25 on:** May 16, 2007, 01:49:33 AM »

Powdwerman, Do you cook the squirrel and kraut together in a slow cooker or in a dutch oven on the stove?

panhandle · « **Reply #26 on:** May 16, 2007, 10:09:28 AM »

The folks next door started feeding the squirrels a couple of years ago and then my wife joined in and has been feeding them also, kind of fun to watch. Saw him Monday while I was mowing the lawn, told me he was done feeding them d##m things.
Guess the squirrels liked the little nozzles on his drip system and have been chewing them off. He said water has been spraying all over the place and it cost him almost $300 to have a guy come out and fix everything. I checked mine and they are all ok so I guess he must have made one them mad.

deltecs · « **Reply #27 on:** May 16, 2007, 10:48:07 AM »

I don't know about many of you, but in my youth did some muskrat trapping. Muskrat is definitely a rodent and it sure is good eating. Have you tried beaver tail? It is good too, cooked right. Another rodent. Porcupine anyone? Another rodent, I think. Just because they are part of the rodent family, do not presume these animals to taste bad or be unclean.

powderman · « **Reply #28 on:** May 16, 2007, 03:25:12 PM »

BRETT. She cooked the squirrel in the crock pot, deboned it, them put the kraut in with the meat. We have also just put the meat in first and put kraut on top and let it cook. Supper was delicious. POWDERMAN.

papajohn428 · « **Reply #29 on:** May 27, 2007, 06:02:05 AM »

Now you guys got me reminiscing about the "Good/Bad Old Days"......Back in the 70's I was working at my first radio job in a little podunk berg in Missouri. I lived several miles out of town, surrounded by woods and fields, next to my landlady's house. She was the ugliest woman I've ever seen, but man, she could cook anything and make it into a feast. She saw me walking down to the creek with a 22 rifle one day, and told me if I shot rabbits or squirrels, she's be happy to cook them, as long as I had enough for everyone. It was right after the first frost, so I started getting up early and going hunting for bunnies in the sun, or squirrels in the oaks. I was a decent rifle shot back when I could use the open sights, and I'd bring back all I could carry most days, then go to work. When I got off the air, I'd go home to a meal fit for a king, we ate like royalty until I'd thinned their numbers down hard. It got so good there for awhile she actually started buying me 22 ammo, just to make sure I had enough.

After a few weeks of good eating, I figured I was in pretty good graces with the family, so I made a move on the cute little 17-year old daughter while she was outside. She wordlessly folded me into a wad and threw me OVER the pigpen, right into a steaming pile of......(

Them little country girls are STRONG! Apparently all that good wild protein makes for good muscle growth!

Papajohn