The eradication of the grey squirrel in the UK is long overdue.
Shooting 2.7m would be too time-consuming and expensive so I hope that population control works … and soon … 
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I rather like squirrels, except when the eat my nuts…in the bird feeders that is. 
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Ah, that’s interesting thanks.
I enjoy watching the squirrels in my garden as well…I think I’ll be leaving food out for them in the winter 
Here you go Percy -
Grey squirrels have limited legal protection and can be controlled all year round by a variety of methods including shooting and trapping. It is an offence under section 14 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act (1981) to introduce and release grey squirrels into the wild.
Whoops! Sorry Percy, I missed where you just said this! 
Yes, that is interesting! So I guess you have to kill it and bury it … or eat it? 
Eat it:
With consumers becoming more conscious about sustainability, and chefs seeking out more exciting ingredients, squirrel has been attracting a lot of attention lately. Gordon Ramsey and Jamie Oliver are fans, and squirrel dishes can now regularly be seen on a growing number of restaurant menus, including Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s River Cottage Canteen.
Squirrel tastes like a subtler version of rabbit, with some saying the flavour resembles a cross between rabbit and chicken – with a hint of nuts. The meat is sweet, light in colour and finely textured.
Casseroling or slow-cooking at a low temperature is our favourite way of cooking squirrel. Brown the meat before transferring it to a casserole dish with vegetables, stock, wine and/or tomatoes. Cook in a gentle oven (between 100ºC and 150ºC) for 4–8 hours, according to your recipe.
Squirrel is also delicious roasted but, as with most game meats, make sure you baste it well with oil or fat to prevent the lean meat from drying out. Allow 45–60 minutes in an oven at 190°C (375°F/gas mark 5).
To pan fry the meat with the haunches, we recommend parboiling the carcass to help remove the meat from the bones. We then love it Southern fried in crispy breadcrumbs.
Spatchcocked squirrel, meanwhile, is great for the barbecue. Marinating overnight helps tenderise the meat, and squirrel is a perfect match for a syrupy barbecue sauce.
Former National Chef of the Year Kevin Viner has also created a recipe for Cornish squirrel pasty, which proved a hit in his home county. You can find the recipe below if you want to try it at home.
I’ll have a pasty, please … 
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I’ve had casseroled squirrel and I really liked it - the meat had a lot of flavour … 
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Ewww, please no! 
So wrong 
The little creatures deserve better than this. Its not their fault they are so prolific! 
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Really? It does sound tempting, actually. Not sure if I’d be brave enough to try it though - I have enough trouble with my insides as it is 
. My son would definitely eat it; he always tries anything new on the menu - kangaroo, snake and, I think, crocodile have all been served to him on his various jaunts around the world.
Course it is - far too much rumpy pumpy, they need to learn to control themselves 
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Despite my angst at this conversation…I have to confess to trying an Ostrich burger many years ago. It wasn’t anything special though.
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Well thanks for the heads up PK! I shan’t bother to try that then 
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Squirrels are fun…they like to have fun 
and there’s nobody around to stop them really…apart from nasty folk who want them for pie!
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Well you could say the same about lots of animals - lambs, calves, chicks, ducklings. I’m sure they’d all prefer gamboling in the fields/ponds/farmyards instead of being cooked.
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This is very true. I’m just glad I play very little part in their demise. 
Although…I must say, I’m not a purist. I would eat a squirrel if there was nothing else, and I was starving. (I would complain bitterly though and be terribly upset and apologetic!)
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Absolutely! This is such a beautiful photo. I had a red squirrel model when I was a child, quite small, but so lifelike. I adored it.
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Gorgeous photo! (Noticing that there is no squirrel emoji…)