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[Jim Bennett]

If not we eat squirrel instead of poutine.

[dfandrews]

Originally Posted by Jim Bennett

If not we eat squirrel instead of poutine.

That works!


Topic tangent: we're seeing, and hearing reports of, a lot of wildlife in larger numbers that ever before, within city boundaries. The speculation is that the Thomas fire (CA's largest ever, until surpassed last week) has driven critters to new environments where food and water are available.
[Edit: we have no poutine, so we'll have to feed them animal fries.]

so, John in S.C., get ready. they may be coming your way.

[Iowa Dave]

I have had a lifelong fascination with squirrels. Since most of my life has been spent in the upper Midwest, my experience has been with the northern fox squirrel, and the grey squirrel. We do have some red squirrels in northern Iowa but they are not harvested as wild game. There are color phases of most squirrels ranging from albino to jet black. Differences in size due to genetics and nutrition can make offhand identification shakey at times. If you’re in Iowa in the fall and would like to try a good squirrel b que sandwich let me know and you can stop by and I’ll make you one. As far as poutine, I’ve never observed squirrels eating any, but the greys can eat mushrooms that would kill people. So poutine would not be a threat to their health, just their good judgement. Bump up Tennessee Ernie Ford doing “Shotgun Boogie”, It will make you feel country. Against you’re better judgement.
Iowa Dave

[cpaharley2008]

We always knew you were a little squirrelly, Dave......now what do they eat, oh yes, nuts....

[Iowa Dave]

I’m a native nut fancier too. Hickories, butternuts, Black walnuts, hazelnuts, and the Hickory offshoot, pecans. The pecans grow about as far north as where we camped at Scott County Park two years ago next month. Asian chestnuts will grow here but alas, the dang squirrels beat me to them. Nothing like black walnut infused cookies at Christmas to get me misty about my misspent youth.
Iowa Dave

[rbryan4]

Originally Posted by Iowa Dave

I’m a native nut fancier too. Hickories, butternuts, Black walnuts, hazelnuts, and the Hickory offshoot, pecans. The pecans grow about as far north as where we camped at Scott County Park two years ago next month. Asian chestnuts will grow here but alas, the dang squirrels beat me to them. Nothing like black walnut infused cookies at Christmas to get me misty about my misspent youth.
Iowa Dave

Best Pecans you've ever tasted just fall to the ground around here Dave. Just get a sack and collect them. And Pecan wood is great for BBQ.

[Snuffy2]

I hate to burst anyones bubble but my blue heeler, Suzy just chased the squirrel down and ate it!

In reality she really does show up with one about every 1to 2 weeks.

[Fox hunt]

my standard schnauzer got so excited he jumped into a tree from our deck ran up a limb then realized he was in a tree and fell out. didn't get even get close to the squirrel !

[escape artist]

Hi: All... Getting back to square one, I'd call the Co. "Escape foot". Ready to travel!!! Just pack some nuts and bolts and light beer and you're all set. Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

[Iowa Dave]

Originally Posted by escape artist

Hi: All... Getting back to square one, I'd call the Co. "Escape foot". Ready to travel!!! Just pack some nuts and bolts and light beer and you're all set. Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

I like it Alf. I can’t say it would be an improvement but how about “Big Escape Afoot”?
At Teresa’s this week, watchin the young’n. Getting him ready for a September road trip.
Saw three Casitas in 400 miles coming out on 80.
Iowa Dave

[Ron in BC]

Ok, after reading this thread it's obvious that we need an award for "most derailed thread" A suitable award could be a bronzed bowl of poutine with a squirrel topping. I nominate Dave.

Ron

[gbaglo]

Oh no. Not trains now.

[escape artist]

Originally Posted by gbaglo

Oh no. Not trains now.

Hi: gbaglo... We need a quick shunt back on track. I know you can do it!!!
"What's wrong with this picture"? Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

[Iowa Dave]

There’s only a few things I’m not interested in. I’ve had a wide range of experiences and met a lot of good folks in my day. Maybe it was shortsighted on my part but I did not expect to make new friends after I retired. I thought it would just be watching my old friends die off. However the Escape owners I’ve met and camped with and former acquaintenances from my career, have kept me engaged and saved my marriage and family from story repetitive overload. kinda
The minor Escape maintenance I have to do is rewarding to me because cars are so complex now they’ve far exceeded my skill set.
Iowa Dave

[sclifrickson]

Originally Posted by ColoradoSwany

I like EscapeBigly.

I second the motion.

As regards squirrels, I just had my own “Look! Squirrel!” moment literally 20 minutes ago while headed south on I-5 down somewhere below Tacoma, when we passed...wait for it...a shiny Bonair Oxygen! Purty! Never seen one in person before. Tried to catch the driver’s attention to give a friendly smile/wave/thumbs-up, but he dutifully had his eyes on the road instead of the gawker driving next to him. He probably gets it all the time.

[Jim Bennett]

Originally Posted by escape artist

Hi: gbaglo... We need a quick shunt back on track. I know you can do it!!!
"What's wrong with this picture"? Alf
escape artist N.S. of Lake Erie

You are referring to a negative shunt used to measure current and power consumption, right Alf?

[steve dunham]

I would be willing to bet that Iowa Dave has some great recipes for snowshoe bunny and ruffed grouse
When I lived in Northern Minnesota back in the 70’s we lived off squirrel , fish , grouse , deer and rabbits . I still long for a good meal of fried grouse and rabbit with some wild mushrooms

[Iowa Dave]

I collected wild game cookbooks/ recipes for quite a few years. We do not have snowshoe hares in Iowa just cottontails and our ruffed grouse are in NE Iowa. We ate mostly pheasant and quail growing up as the local game birds. One of the best friends and park foreman I ever had has now retired and moved to Embarrass, Minnesota. Coldest overall average temp in the continental US. He’s been sending me pictures of the wildlife up there. He’s got power on the yard light pole so I’m going up with the Escape probably next summer and camp a few days.
I was afflicted with a near terminal case of castironitis when I was Scoutmaster, and there’s a lot of crossover with Dutch ovens and Wild game recipes. I have 16, 14, 12, 10, 8, and 6 inch lodge Dutch ovens as well as a couple bean pots and 6 or 8 skillets. I always enjoy a Dutch oven dish at a rally potluck and had a taco soup Dutch oven style at the Rocky Mountain Rendezvous last month. Tonny made about as good a peach cobbler as I’ve ever had at the Mississippi in his 10 inch Lodge two years ago.
Classic Brunswick stew with biscuits on top is hard to beat too. ( made with young of the year northern fox squirrels raised on shagbark hickories) very sweet.
Iowa Dave

[steve dunham]

Embarrass , Babbit , Ely and Tower are all great places to visit and camp but remember Winter is coming . International Falls had 34 deg F a few weeks ago and Embarrass supposedly had its first frost so even in summer bring warm clothes
Hope you enjoy your trip to Embarrass Minnesota , there is some great fishing in the area for walleyes , Northern , small mouth bass and tulibees .
Don’t forget the bug spray , 100% DEET works the best

[emers382]

Steve it may have been 34F or less in Embarrass a while ago but tomorrow its calling for 32C quite a bit warmer and at our home by the NW corner of MN its calling for 38C on Sunday.