Quebec couple wants to put squirrels in their sights and on their plates

CTV Montreal: Squirrel hunting petition A couple of Quebec hunters are seeking to change the rules around the hunting of live squirrels. Stephane Giroux reports.

It looks like Boris and Natasha aren’t the only ones out to hunt squirrel.

Martin Poirier and his girlfriend Andreanne Prevost are avid hunters but one animal the duo aren’t allowed to kill is the common squirrel.

“I looked it up and saw it was popular and that its meat is healthy,” said 21-year-old Poirier.

While most Canadian provinces permit hunting squirrels, the furry rodents are protected by law in Quebec.

“Why is it illegal in Quebec?” he asked. “It’s legal everywhere else.”

Jacques Dancosse, a veterinarian at the Biodome, said studies must be conducted on the impact to the environment before squirrels find themselves with a target on their backs.

“As far as the red squirrel goes, their population is stable now,” he said. “If you add another pressure on them, I don’t know what will happen to their population. They don’t reproduce like rats, they only have one litter a year and about four-to-five kids per litter.”

Poirier and Prevost said they aren’t out to hunt city squirrels and will restrict their hunting to the woods.

While it might sound nuts, squirrel has become somewhat of a delicacy, with their meat being described as similar to rabbit in taste. Local celebrity chef Martin Picard has taken to serving a dish called “squirrel sushi” at his restaurant.

“If it’s well-prepared, I don’t see the problem,” said Prevost. “I’ll taste anything.”

While the couple admit to facing backlash from animal rights activists, they haven’t gone squirrely. They have begun circulating a petition to try and get fellow hunters on their side.