How to Remove Squirrel Skins

Squirrels are common targets of young hunters.

Although squirrel skin is not a sought-after item by tanners and furriers, well-prepared squirrel meat is quite tasty (albeit greasy), and you have to remove the skin prior to cooking. If the rule in your household is "If you shoot it, you must eat it," the ability to remove the skin from a squirrel is a handy skill to have; squirrels are easy and plentiful targets for young hunters.

Things You'll Need

• Sharp skinning knife

Instructions

1. Remove the tail. Place the squirrel carcass stomach down on a firm surface like a garage floor and scrape the fur from the underside of the base of the tail with the knife. Cut through most of the underside of the tail, but not all the way through. Remove a 1-inch wide and 2-inch long strip of skin from the squirrel's back with the tail attached. Do not cut this off.

2. Pull away most of the skin. Make two diagonal cuts at the front end of the rectangle of exposed squirrel meat on the back 2 inches long each. Flip the squirrel over and hold down the tail. Pull up the carcass and the skin will come off. Adjust your hold on the back skin to as close as the pulling area as possible so it does not tear off. Place a finger in the squirrel's elbow area to remove the skin from the front legs. Continue pulling until the skin is inside out and the animal's head is the only thing in the inverted skin.

3. Skin the back legs. Grab the remaining "V" near the back legs and loosen with the knife point. Cut and pull the skin away from the rear torso and back legs. Remove the head, skin and legs with the knife.

References

• "Bayou Bill" Scifres: How to Skin a Squirrel; 2002