Keeping squirrels cool in early season?

[livinoutdoors]

I was just thinking, i normally hunt squirrels early in the day for an hour or two, or i go on a long walkabout looking for hogs for a few miles. Usually if im gonna stay out for a bit i dont shoot any squirrels because im worried about them staying too warm in the heat. So how long is too long to haul a dead squirrel around? Any tips on keepin em cool? Thanks just wondering

 

[Hillbilly stalker]

You can get you one of them small soft shell coolers that hold about a 6 pack of drinks. Freeze you a plastic Pepsi bottle overnight and put it in the cooler when you go, skin the squirrels as soon as they hit the ground. The tend to have alot of fleas on them in the summer time anyway. Zip them up in a ziplock baggie. If you will quarter up the squirrel there too, you can fit a limit in the cooler easily. Them little coolers have a shoulder strap and don't weigh nothing. You might carry a wet wash rag in a baggie for your hands too.

 

[livinoutdoors]

That sound like it right there! Thanks @Hillbilly stalker

 

[Railroader]

HBS has presented a great idea, for sure.

I've killed, carried, and eaten a pickup load of squirrels in my days. Always skin em and put em in a cooler once back at the truck, or camp.

Never had any issue carrying them for a few hours in the back of a game vest.

Unless it's about 105° while you are hunting, Ol' Rat is technically cooling himself till he reaches ambient...

 

[Hillbilly stalker]

Two things

They taste better if they don’t marinate in busted intestines and bladder For a couple hours.
When they start to cool off...the fleas will jump off them and get on you.

 

[Railroader]

Two things

They taste better if they don’t marinate in busted intestines and bladder For a couple hours.
When they start to cool off...the fleas will jump off them and get on you.

Very good points.

Might just skin em as we go next time, and do a taste test.

Wonder if we could get funding for...

The Official Rail-Billy Double Blind Squirrel Taste Quality Test...

#rat taste matters

 

[JustUs4All]

Thank you @Hillbilly stalker. Great post that I have already shared with a hunting buddy.

 

[jrickman]

I have a little satchel/messenger bag thing I use for birds and squirrels. The inside main pocket carries a wad of ziplocks, one of those hard plastic ice packs, and a little pack of wet wipes. Whatever gets killed gets cleaned on the spot (unless the doves are coming in hot and heavy), bagged, and tossed in with the ice pack. Walk the same trail back out nice and quiet and you might get some yote or hog action on the way out.