You know you are getting old when:

[jamespowers]

In the early years of grade school (mid '50s) I lived on an Indiana farm for four years. We had a large garden each year of sweet corn..green beans, etc. All around us were either fields of corn for livestock or soybeans. On several occasions we tried cooking and eating field corn. It is certainly edible but not sweet or near as tender as sweetcorn grown in the garden...but it won't kill ya. However..these days with all the chemical spays and re-engineering, etc...don't really think I would want to try it...but just think..we do eat the meat that it goes into...
HD

Thanks! That explains it then. He was certainly too proud to be feeding us field corn. This wasn't nearly as bad as you describe it though. Then again, it was a long time ago.

 

[jamespowers]

A dog would do the trick for sure. Squirrels are the main pest around here with my neighbors apple tree.

I hate the furry tailed rats around my place too. The neighbor has a huge coastal live oak in his yard and it draws them like moths to a flame. :doh:

 

[Stearmen]

That is what you need a dog and a good bug spray for. I only have one apple tree. The neighbor just over the fence has two of the same variety---therefore---that makes three I have.

Unfortunately, our squirrels are a whole lot smarter then the dogs. They can jump from tree to tree, jump from the house, and do a high wire act that would put the The Flying Wallendas to shame!

 

[GHT]

Unfortunately, our squirrels are a whole lot smarter then the dogs!

We have a second home on the edge of The New Forest, where we hope to retire to soon. The squirrels gather up their winter store, during the plentiful time, then they neatly bury their stock in our lawn, carefully patting down the grass to ensure safe keeping. Come winter, when they are back to raid their larder, there's no tapping the earth back into place, just craters left all over the lawn. Think I might invest in one of those flintlock rifles that Frank spoke of in the vintage car thread.

I've just been slapped on the back of the head, Gibbs style: "Don't you dare!" I have just been told. Oops.

 

[sheeplady]

I've heard squirrel tastes good...

The pests we have are woodchucks. I have also heard they taste good, and whereas I have no plans to find out if squirrel is a delicacy, I do plan on finding out if woodchuck is. At this moment, about 12 times if I am a good enough shot. This year I am mowing the eight acres they are inhabiting so I can wage war in coming years with greater accuracy and less cost.

 

[dh66]

I would imagine woodchuck (or groundhog, as we call 'em down here) would be on par with squirrel or rabbit. They probably have a lot more meat on their bones than a squirrel, that's for sure.
Much like the other two, they're probably very lean. Try braising or slow cooking in the crock pot for best results.

 

[jamespowers]

Unfortunately, our squirrels are a whole lot smarter then the dogs. They can jump from tree to tree, jump from the house, and do a high wire act that would put the The Flying Wallendas to shame!

Squirrels aren't smarter than the dog here. Zeus hasn't caught one yet but as soon as they hit the ground; he is on them.

 

[jamespowers]

I would imagine woodchuck (or groundhog, as we call 'em down here) would be on par with squirrel or rabbit. They probably have a lot more meat on their bones than a squirrel, that's for sure.
Much like the other two, they're probably very lean. Try braising or slow cooking in the crock pot for best results.

:doh: Crock Pot Groundhog.

 

[green papaya]

I've heard squirrel tastes good...

The pests we have are woodchucks. I have also heard they taste good, and whereas I have no plans to find out if squirrel is a delicacy, I do plan on finding out if woodchuck is. At this moment, about 12 times if I am a good enough shot. This year I am mowing the eight acres they are inhabiting so I can wage war in coming years with greater accuracy and less cost.

Squirrels are excellent, tastes similar to chicken, Im sure the native americans must have eaten plenty of squirrels for meat, also rabbits, possums, racoons, etc, they are all good for eating.

 

[1mach1]

:doh: Crock Pot Groundhog.

Probably goes great with PBR.

 

[dnjan]

"field corn" (grown for feeding to livestock) tastes sweet if you pick it early enough. The window, however, is pretty short.

As far as eating self-seeded corn the following year, there was a major promotional campaign by the seed companies back when they were introducing hybrid corn that tried to discourage people from keeping some corn back and just re-planting it the following year rather than buying new seed. "They" claimed that because it was hybrid, the following year it wouldn't be any good.

On the topic of eating squirrel - done that. But it was mixed with raccoon and lots of seasoning in turkey stuffing, so I can't really comment on the flavor. One of the meats, however, was kind of stringy. I suspect the raccoon.

And you know you are getting old when you are willing to admit the above.

 

[jamespowers]

Squirrels are excellent, tastes similar to chicken, Im sure the native americans must have eaten plenty of squirrels for meat, also rabbits, possums, racoons, etc, they are all good for eating.

And skunk?

 

[jamespowers]

Probably goes great with PBR.

No doubt.

 

[GHT]

And skunk?

Are you not supposed to smoke that?

 

[2jakes]

I've heard squirrel tastes good...

The pests we have are woodchucks. I have also heard they taste good, and whereas I have no plans to find out if squirrel is a delicacy, I do plan on finding out if woodchuck is. At this moment, about 12 times if I am a good enough shot. This year I am mowing the eight acres they are inhabiting so I can wage war in coming years with greater accuracy and less cost.

I once tasted deer meat. The "wild or gamey" flavor was a bit challenging .
Good hunting on the woodchucks !

 

[jamespowers]

I once tasted deer meat. The "wild or gamey" flavor was a bit challenging .
Good hunting on the woodchucks !

Venison is not gamey---it just tastes like deer and not chicken.

 

[jamespowers]

Are you not supposed to smoke that?

I wouldn't go any where near it.

 

[2jakes]

As for myself...venison is not gamey---it just tastes like deer and not chicken.

I totally agree

 

[jamespowers]

I totally agree

You added too much there. Venison is not gamey. Skunk is gamey.

 

[HoosierDaddy]

Deer and their meat is in abundance here in Indiana. It's a yearly Autumn 'seriously dedicated hunt' for many. I don't care for the gamey wild taste either...although some know how to cook it better than others. The best I ever had was made in a crock pot like a stew and seasoned to tender mild perfection.
HD