Katy Lifestyles & Homes September 2009
Squirrel Stew for Supper?
By Carol Adams
Either you love them or you hate them. Squirrels are such cute rodents that some
folks feed and pamper them while their neighbors do all they can to eliminate
them.
The Houston squirrel population has increased tremendously in the last 100
years. In the 1930s, even the oldest areas of Houston did not have a big
squirrel population. Folks in the Houston Heights recall that seeing a squirrel
was an unusual treat. As neighborhoods have grown, most of the squirrel
’s natural predators have been eliminated. Of those that remain, raccoons and
opossum prefer the food humans make it easy to find. Other predators include
hawks and owls, and we do have those in Katy. But, a significant part of
squirrel population control used to be that they were hunted for sport and
food, which is no longer done.
More than a few older Katy citizens recall fond stories of hunting squirrels. It
was generally the first wild game a young boy would stalk. During a recent
visit at the City of Katy
’s Social Services office, one local senior citizen was overheard remembering
going squirrel hunting to
“kill the critters” almost every day after school.
February 1941 Outdoor Life magazine cover. v An article that ran in the February 1941 issue of Outdoor Life magazine about young boys going squirrel hunting for food and sport. v Magazine photos of a boy showing off the results of his successful hunt.
While most parents wouldn’t consider it today, until the mid-1900s it was common for fathers to put a
rifle into the hands of their pre-teen sons and let them roam local prairies
and woodlands in search of squirrels and rabbits to kill. They also gave the
boys very sharp knives to cut through the tough hide and field-dress the
animals.
It was also common for boys to
bring those squirrels home for their mother to cook. Old cookbooks, even early
copies of
The Joy of Cooking, include recipes for squirrel preparation. Squirrel pie was a favorite. There
are still some areas where squirrels are hunted and consumed. Once considered a
delicacy, the meat has fallen from favor in most of America. It has (I
’ve been told) a gamey taste and is high in cholesterol. For most of us, the idea
of eating squirrels is just unpleasant.
This time of year squirrels are busy. In some heavily wooded areas of Katy they
are feasting on nuts and pine cones. They seem to figure out how to get into
most supposedly squirrel-proof bird feeders. As the
weather gets cooler they will begin chewing through roofs and facia boards to
find winter shelter. If you
’ve ever had one in your attic, you know the damage they can do. They’ll eat through and collect your phone, alarm and cable wires to build their
nests. They are responsible for power outages, too.
Most parents today wouldn’t give their young sons guns and knives for afternoon diversion. The idea of
coming home from school and going for an afternoon squirrel hunt isn
’t an option today. In most of the Katy area it’s unlawful to fire a gun. But that doesn’t stop a lot of folks from hunting these furry pests. Some Katy residents openly
hunt squirrels today. Not for food, nor for sport, but because the little
rodents cause a lot of damage and make a big mess. Meanwhile,
the neighbors of these rodent hunters are putting out corn and peanuts to feed
the squirrels.
With so many humans sheltering and feeding them today, squirrels can live their
full 10 to12-year life span. A female can give birth to over 80
“kittens” in that time. Love them or hate them, this critter is here to stay.l
More than a few older citizens recall fond stories of hunting squirrels.
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Photos and historical facts courtest of the Katy Heritage Society
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