Squirrel hunting for a half-century and counting

Lana Wilson with a plate full of fried squirrels. (Photo Ken White/Special to the Daily Mail)

Now that the squirrel season has opened, Loel Wilson has his sights set on the tasty bushy tails. Often, he can be found in the woods with his Marlin bolt action .22 rifle.

Wilson who is from near Taberville, has been at it for more than 50 years and doesn't plan on stopping any time soon. As a a youngster, the veteran hunter started going after both gray and fox squirrels when he tagged along with his brothers.

"I learned a lot about hunting squirrels following my brothers," Wilson said. "They taught me where to look and what to expect from them. By the time I grew up, I would spend a lot of time hunting squirrels."

His love for hunting squirrels hasn't dimmed over the years. He said, "I always shoot a .22 rifle to get the squirrels because it doesn't hurt the meat like a shotgun would, and you won't find any pellets when you eat them."

As for places to hunt, Wilson doesn't have to go very far from home. He said, "There are a lot of nut trees close by and I can almost always find red squirrels. "I think there are more squirrels today than there were when I was a kid.

"I like to hunt squirrels for several reasons. First, they make for some very good eating. Then, there isn't much competition especially this early in the season. You can usually find plenty of targets as the number of squirrels is high in Missouri and you won't have to travel far to find them."

When he gets a chance, Wilson also hunts for waterfowl and deer as the firearms seasons change.

He said, "Squirrel is challenging in that when you shoot at a deer at 100 yards, it's nothing like shooting at a squirrel's head at 25 yards, and that is the challenge."

I know that when Wilson is out there hunting he must be thinking about how good it will be to have fried squirrel with biscuits, gravy and potatoes for breakfast. I found out first hand when his wile, Lana, invited me for breakfast, and I now know what they enjoy often for breakfast as harvested from field to table.

Lana's recipe for young squirrel

* Season with salt and pepper to taste.

* Dredge in flour.

* Fry in hot lard or oil using a heavy skillet on low heat until browned, approximately 10 minutes on each side.

Wilson has cleaned a lot of squirrels over the years and said, "I had a guy show me how to do it. That's one reason a lot of guys don't hunt squirrels, because they find it hard to clean them. I have found that once you get it down, it soon becomes second nature."

He recommends soaking the squirrels in cold water for awhile before you clean them to help eliminate getting fur on the meat. Also, he fries the young squirrels and pressure cooks the older ones.

Squirrel hunters agree that hunting the bushytails can be easy and laid back. Richard Blake, Springfield, is one of the hunters who doesn't mind the early season squirrel hunting in spite of heavy cover, ticks and mosquitoes for a chance to bring home some squirrels.

Just like Wilson, he said, "I enjoy hunting squirrels. It's unlike other game. You don't have to spend much time driving instead of hunting, and the chances of getting some squirrels is very good as well as the fact they make for some very good eating. It makes my taste buds pop just thinking about having a plate full of fried squirrel."

Squirrel season in Missouri has opened to a long running season now through Feb. 15, 2017, with a generous daily limit of 10 squirrels and a possession limit of 20.