Squirrel trap
Here at Eat-A-Squirrel we only recommend one trap, the Squirrelinator.
It is quite pricey ($66 on Amazon at last check) but is the only trap that is repeatedly effective.
Work gloves
These are used to transport the squirrel trap without getting your scent on the trap. Some squirrels, especially in more rural areas, will avoid traps if they detect the slightest trace of human scent.
These gloves are not for handling live squirrels; read on through the next section for that.
A cheap pair of work gloves will be more than enough to prevent your palm sweat from getting on the trap. If you do gardening, construction, or other heavy-duty work, then consider getting gloves for that primary purpose.
Animal control gloves
This is the most important piece of protective equipment when it comes to handling squirrels. A squirrel that is trapped will usually be very angry and ready to bite or scratch without warning. This is natural behavior and part of their defense mechanism against predators, which means you need to prepare in advance!
It is essential to get gloves that cover the entire length of your forearm. The leather gloves in your trunk probably won’t do.
I recommend RAPICCA Animal handling gloves, they are great for clearing sticker bushes as well thanks to their thick leather!
Hunting knife
You can use a regular kitchen knife but I like to use a dedicated knife in order to avoid cross contamination.
Your knife should be as sharp as possible. Squirrel skin is very tough to cut especially with a dull knife.
I personally use the RUKO RUK0165, but there are many models and you may want to get one that suits other purposes as well. The point is that you want a sharp knife that can slice through skin and meat easily!
Game shears
Although experienced squirrel hunters can skin and field-dress a squirrel with just a knife, I like to use game shears to cut through bone. Slicing through bone is the quickest way to dull a knife so I switch to using shears for this task.
I’m especially fond of the Outdoor Edge shears – they are comfortable to hold and have a divot in the scissor blade that wraps nicely around the squirrel’s limbs and head for easier cutting.
Optional but nice to have
- Container with screw-in lid, large enough to hold squirrel. I fill this with warm water and submerge the squirrel after dispatch, to kill any fleas that are riding in its fur
- Knife sharpener. Keeps the knife sharp. Duh!
- Latex or nitrile gloves. For those who want to be extra safe when handling dead wildlife.