Anyone ever eat woodchuck?

[David LaPell]

My wife's aunt who passed away three years ago at the ripe old age of 96 used to tell me when she was younger how much her and her family used to love eating woodchuck and it was nothing for them to get a few during the spring and summer. She said the taste was something like beef. Has anyone ever tried it? Also, she said when you clean them you have to get the "kernels" under the front legs, I assume she meant a gland of some sort. I have never really looked at a woodchuck and thought of food before, but what the heck someday you never know what we will be eating.

 

[ogilvyspecial]

I have, but wouldn't say it tasted like beef. Very "gamey."

 

[StatesRightist]

I have not eaten one, but being a country boy, I know someone who has. My understanding is the gamey taste is in the glands AND in the fat. You have to get all of it off for it to taste decent. Then you stew it, of course.

 

[Kinman]

Most of them slow moving rodent types are pretty greasy after they've had time to fatten up, I ran over a rock marmot once while turning a corner in my truck...damned thing was so greasy the front tires lost traction enough to damn near put me in the ditch. First time I actually seen something reduced to a grease stain on the road.
I've been plenty hungry before and eaten my share of squirrels and such. I prefer them in a stew and if you use turnips they'll allow you to cook it longer and not fall apart or turn to mush like a spud, lots of onion, it ain't too bad.
My cousin and I used nearly a whole box of .22 shorts shooting a porky-pine out of a treetop. Grandpa came down to see what all the fuss was and pulled out his old pocket knife showed us how to properly skin a porky-pine, same way a coyote does. Then after explaining how to kill one with a stick by smacking it right on the end of its nose took us up to the house where grandma cooked up the hindquarters, grandpa explaining that "we don't kill something we intend to eat." It wasn't bad tasting, grandma could cook a chair leg and it would be pretty good.

 

[bricker]

I thought they were for chuckin wood, not eating...

 

[ogilvyspecial]

I thought they were for chuckin wood, not eating...

The one my friend & I ate, we killed with clubs, well stout
sticks we picked up in the woods while chasing it down.

Now that I think about it, that seemed kinda fittin'

 

[Bib]

I had some at a wild game dinner at a gun club that I used to belong to. It was made into a marinara/meat sauce over rigatoni. It wasn't bad.

 

[CAJUNLAWYER]

I've eaten lots of furry things in my day-some tasted better than others-but by and large it was all pretty good.

 

[pownal55]

Not a woodchuck but had racoon once at a game dinner. I went back for more.

 

[kamloops67]

when i was a boy i killed some squirrels, my MOM explained that it was wrong to kill for fun. Mom said that if i shot anything else, i was to eat it! i dont think my feet even touched the stairs on my way back out the house! she roasted a squirrel for me that night butter and parsley wrapped in tinfoil ,everyone thought i was gonna learn a lesson. well ... i did, squirrels are delicious.
i hate my neighbors' cat ,anyone ever eat a cat?

 

[29aholic]

I've eaten groundhog, about the same.

 

[David LaPell]

i hate my neighbors' cat ,anyone ever eat a cat?

I think I had some at a Chinese Restaurant once. Not kidding the state shut it down for serving cats not longer after I ate there.

 

[Texas Star]

The one my friend & I ate, we killed with clubs, well stout
sticks we picked up in the woods while chasing it down.

Now that I think about it, that seemed kinda fittin'

I've read that if you stress animals by running them, it affects the flavor of the meat, and not for the better.

This doesn't bother wolves or African wild dogs, but humans may be more discerning.

I'm really interested in learning about these wild meats.
Good question, David!

 

[browningcollector]

Woodchuck stew

Folks

My grandmother and her family survived the depression by eating young woodchucks(only meat they had) and potatoes. My grandfather and i hunted these in southeastern ohio before the coyotes decimated them. I killed a young one one summer and had my grandmother fix it for me. Cooked with lots of potatoes and onions. It was not bad. Brings back good memories of the greatest generation, grandmother and grandfather knew how to survive on very little money. God rest their souls.

Kelly

 

[29aholic]

I've read that if you stress animals by running them, it affects the flavor of the meat, and not for the better.

This doesn't bother wolves or African wild dogs, but humans may be more discerning.

I'm really interested in learning about these wild meats.
Good question, David!

I've been told if you run an Antelope after shooting it, they are unfit to eat.

 

[LazyKB]

Speaking of glands, are there any in a squirrel that needs to come out? If so where are they?

 

[LazyKB]

I've eaten lots of furry things in my day-some tasted better than others-but by and large it was all pretty good.

Caj you walk a fine line son.

 

[Sebago Son]

Did you shoot them first?

I've eaten lots of furry things in my day-some tasted better than others-but by and large it was all pretty good.

Here we go....

 

[mc5aw]

Ain't none of you city fellers ever heard of "ground chuck"?

 

[W.E.G.]

I think I had some at a Chinese Restaurant once. Not kidding the state shut it down for serving cats not longer after I ate there.