Warning: Limit Intake Of N.J. Squirrel Meat

[opme]

TRENTON, N.J. Squirrel is off the menu. New Jersey officials are warning residents near a toxic waste dump in the northern part of the state to restrict how much squirrel they eat, two months after a lead-contaminated animal was found in the area.

A letter sent to Ringwood residents, many of whom hunt, advised them that children should not eat squirrel more than once a month, pregnant women should limit their intake to twice a month, and adults should not eat squirrel more than twice a week.

“We’ve known for a long time something was wrong here, we just didn’t know what it was,” resident Myrtle Van Dunk told The Record of Bergen County for Thursday’s newspapers.

Residents and many environmental activists believe the lead comes from toxic waste, including paint sludge, dumped in the area by the Ford Motor Co. during the 1960s and early 1970s, from its now-closed car manufacturing plant in Mahwah.

http://cbs3.com/topstories/local_story_025150010.html

I had no idea that folks did this near such large metropolitan areas..

 

[Opie]

They wouldn't have to worry about me. Blech. I feed the little critters, not the other way around.

 

[reb]

oh, that's just great. now we not only have generations of children growing up in america who are brain damaged and retarded from eating lead paint, but they they are also getting lead poisoning from squirrels. who'da thunk it??

 

[Peter Hamilton]

Who in their right mind would eat a squirrel? --i don't even think granny from the Beverly Hillbillies would even touch those things--lol--I know granny would be cookin' up possum gizzards and hog jowls....but squirrels?---Any posters here ever eat weird things like squirrels, aardvarks,possum??

 

[barb0301]

Well gee-willy-gosh-durnit, guess I'm gonna have to cancel my backyard barbecue this weekend. :slap:

 

[LionRun]

Well gee-willy-gosh-durnit, guess I'm gonna have to cancel my backyard barbecue this weekend. :slap:

LOL barb!

I lived in Northern Central New Jersey for years, and I hardly ever met a hunter let alone a squirrel hunter. Where were they hiding?

On a serious note, it is disturbing to learn of yet another toxic situation involving animals, humans, and our environment. Perhaps Ford should go back and tidy up the mess they made. Legalities aside, it would be the right thing to do.

Lion

 

[BhamMama]

Squirrel is a viable meal if you are in the rural areas. Free, easy to catch, taste good, good source of protein.

Possum is nasty...very greasy. Never eaten aardvark since it lives in Africa, but I have had armadillo. Pretty good. During the depression lots of people ate them. Called them Hoover Hogs...named after the then president of course.

When you are poor and have a gun, most anything in the woods is yours to eat. That's along with dandelions, tubers, pine nuts, berries and lots of herbs.

There are a lot of more nasty things to eat out there than squirrel. Heck, there's restaurants that sell Mountain Oysters (bull testicles) for goodness sake. And yes, I've had those too...on a dare. Won't ever be doing that again lol

 

[poco]

Who in their right mind would eat a squirrel? --i don't even think granny from the Beverly Hillbillies would even touch those things--lol--I know granny would be cookin' up possum gizzards and hog jowls....but squirrels?---Any posters here ever eat weird things like squirrels, aardvarks,possum??

No, but a lot of people in New Jersey apparently do ---- YUCK!

 

[mjak]

No, but a lot of people in New Jersey apparently do ---- YUCK!

I live in NJ and I can tell you I have never heard of anyone eating squarrel. I have never seen it on a restraunt menu or in a supermarket or anywhere here.
I have heard of people who hunt in NJ who eat dear and Rabbit but never squarrel. Very strange.

mjak

 

[Peter Hamilton]

Squirrel is a viable meal if you are in the rural areas. Free, easy to catch, taste good, good source of protein.

Possum is nasty...very greasy. Never eaten aardvark since it lives in Africa, but I have had armadillo. Pretty good. During the depression lots of people ate them. Called them Hoover Hogs...named after the then president of course.

When you are poor and have a gun, most anything in the woods is yours to eat. That's along with dandelions, tubers, pine nuts, berries and lots of herbs.

---Bahamam--sorry I meant armadillos not aardvarks lol--btw what are "tubers"?

 

[Kymistry35]

My backwoods family (not me:sick: ) kills and eats squirrel, rabbit, frog,deer, possum and other nasty stuff like that. I just cannot see myself doing that. I would be scared they had worms or rabies or something. YUCK

 

[luthersmama]

Although I havn't had any in decades, I love fried squirrel. It is sweet and tasty. The biggest problem is that you need alot of squirrels to feed a family because the only meat is really the back legs and thighs.

It tastes similar to rabbit, but more tender.

 

[BhamMama]

---Bahamam--sorry I meant armadillos not aardvarks lol--btw what are "tubers"?

Tubers are the root of a plant. Some are used for food, some for medicine and you can even get soap from them.

I guess you could say my folks were naturalist if you were being kind. My father 'went back to his roots' and went Native when being Native wasn't cool, even though he didn't want to live on the reservation, and took us along for the adventure. That's a whole other story. We lived off the land for many, many years. Believe me, when you are hungry enough, food is food.

Like luthersmama, I like squirrel. Esp fried.