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December 21, 2004
Save dem tails
There's a PSA the Nebraska Game & Parks Commission has been running for the last couple of months that I find quite amusing, and like many radio ads, it's indelibly etched into my brainium. Basically, it's an ad for a fishing lure company that buys squirrel tails for use in making lures.
The folksy old fella in the spot says: "Obviously there are a lot of hunters out there that like to make up a tasty stew and just throw the tails out. We don't want them to do that."
You can get a good bounty for each tail or, if you trade them for fishing gear, you can double the value of each tail. I now think of my front yard with the two giant maple trees in it as an untapped gold mine.
I don't ever remember anyone making squirrel stew when I was growing up. My hometown has 80 people in it and most of my friends growing up were farm kids and everyone hunted. Never, ever, ever did we eat bushy-tailed tree rat stew.
Maybe I'm missing something, but if red rodent stew is so popular surely I should be able to stop into any of the small-town taverns and diners that dot the landscape and order up a big bowl. Except I've never seen it offered. Pig balls, yes. Squirrel stew sans tail, no.
Posted by Half-Cocked at December 21, 2004 01:07 AM
Comments
yeah, squirrel was for the great depression. after that the only rodents they came close to eating were rabbits.
who wants a red ryder bb gun for christmas?
Posted by: julee at December 21, 2004 03:42 PM
People are hunting squirrels? They're too cute to hunt
I can't access your site from work since it has a bad word in its domain name. It's considered "adult content". And that sucks.
Posted by: stag at December 21, 2004 08:32 PM
Stag, what's with those people? Finance doesn't invite you to their Christmas party, and now they won't let you look at web pages with "cocked" in the URL? I guess everyone at your job is level-headed and no one ever goes off half-cocked.
Posted by: Steve at December 21, 2004 10:11 PM
I only want a BB gun for Christmas if it has a compass in the stock and this thing which tells time. Ace Hardware has Red Ryders without the cool stuff for $12.99.
Posted by: Steve at December 21, 2004 10:12 PM
Squirrel stew is pretty tasty and I use the tails to make trout flies. Orvis and other companies charge about $5.00 per tail, so it seems like the Nebraska squirrel hunters could do quite well on those bounties.
The problem with getting squirrel stew at a restaurant is that you'd need dozens of squirrels to make enough stew to feed a restaurant full of folks.
Posted by: Fitz-Hume at December 22, 2004 10:53 AM
Huh...no kiddin, Fitz. What does squirrel taste like? Chicken?
I suppose a single squirrel would only be enough to arouse my appetite without bedding her back down.
Posted by: Steve at December 22, 2004 01:30 PM
Yep, kinda like gopher.
Posted by: Fitz-Hume at December 22, 2004 01:58 PM
They're all Catholic. So they don't like me (I'm the unreligious auditor). I don't have any idea why they don't go for the work "cock".
Posted by: stag at December 22, 2004 11:08 PM
I meant the "word" cock...
Posted by: stag at December 22, 2004 11:09 PM
Maybe it's the "word" "cock" you soul-less auditor. They'll like you better when you get a diamond stud in your nose.
FH: I knew you'd get the reference.
Posted by: Steve at December 23, 2004 09:33 AM
I LOVE squirrel stew. I also like squirrel fricassee.
It tastes a lot like rabbit, really. Kind of a gamey chiken flavor.
Posted by: Soupie at December 23, 2004 10:57 AM