kennym Posted November 8, 2013 Report Share Posted November 8, 2013 So I'm not new to rabbit shooting having done it for over 30 years but it doesn't hurt to see what others think I'm a bit funny about how long I lleave them before gutting & skinning I like to get them done within half an hour consiquently I'm stopping to clean & dress quite often & it's getting tiresome There for meat so the question is what is your routeen & how long can you leave head shot rabbits befor tainting the meat? Thanks ken Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garden gun Posted November 8, 2013 Report Share Posted November 8, 2013 Chill kenny. You get no meat taint for 24 - 48 hours no problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
team tractor Posted November 8, 2013 Report Share Posted November 8, 2013 I normally gut at the end of my shooting . This could be hours but always wee them straight after . I skin them at home or next day Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KFC Posted November 8, 2013 Report Share Posted November 8, 2013 I paunch them all at the end of the session and skin them later at home, even as long as a week if they're in the fridge. For paunching cut a 1" slot in the belly between the thighs. Grab the Rabbit round the rib cage, use your knee to push against and squeeze hard down towards the belly. Everything will come out through the slit. Swing the bunny to throw that in the hedge. It doesn't matter if the heart, lungs or kidneys stay in. This method means you don't have to touch the guts and it keeps the majority of the carcass closed so free from flies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frenchieboy Posted November 8, 2013 Report Share Posted November 8, 2013 (edited) I always empty their bladders straight away and then I tend to paunch mine "pretty soon" after shooting them, maybe as soon as I have shot three or four. This is really for no other reason than it makes them lighter to carry if you are on your own and on foot! If however I am going out specifically to get just one or two for a neighbour or friend as a "special favour" then I will hang them for a few hours to allow the fat around the kidneys solidifiy and turn yellow - I don't think this does anything to improve the flavour of the rabbit or anything like that but I do think that looks much nicer in a rabbit that is "ready for the pot"! Edit for spelling - The fingers aren't being too co-operative this morning and also to say that this is asuming that the rabbits are rifle/head shot so the gut is in tact and not punctured/ruptured so as to contaminate the meat! Any that have had the gut punctured go for pet food or fox/mink bait. Edited November 8, 2013 by Frenchieboy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davyo Posted November 8, 2013 Report Share Posted November 8, 2013 (edited) On average we shoot between 10/30 rabbits on an outing so we tend to empty the bladder immediatly.We pauch as we shoot every field.As we use NV (we usualy take a quite a few from one field),we have 1 man on the rifle,1 retreiving and 1 man static who digs a hole (we carry one of those foldable shovels)The shooter does nothing but shoot.The carrier (gofa) brings back rabbits to the paucher who then burries the guts and we move on to the next field.The main reason we do this as its a lot easier carrying 30/40 adult rabbits minus their guts. We call the carrier the gofa because his job is too, 'go for this,go for that' LOL Edited November 8, 2013 by Davyo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kennym Posted November 8, 2013 Author Report Share Posted November 8, 2013 Thanks fella"s that's all pretty useful stuff I've saw the guts out the bumm video on u tube but never tried it the slit to start things off seams a good way to start things off Time for some experimenting ..... Sounds like I'm gonna get covered in **** & guts lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
filzee Posted November 8, 2013 Report Share Posted November 8, 2013 When we go out we "wee" them straight after picking them up then they go in a big tub in the back of the truck. At the end of the night the mucky bit starts. They then go in a cool place till morning when i deliver them to who ever is having them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim85 Posted November 8, 2013 Report Share Posted November 8, 2013 I would Paunch them same night if possible and then the rest next day. However I had a long night with Topgunners a couple of weeks ago and didn't get back till 6am so went to bed with out doing anything but a "wee" and sorted it about lunch time the next day and they were fine. In fact they were the best rabbits i have had! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kent Posted November 8, 2013 Report Share Posted November 8, 2013 As soon as shot I thumb them out, to remove the pee. If I am shooting a few I drop the guts and stomachs out once there is a brace and continue after that, legging them together at the same time. I leave kidneys, liver, heart / lungs in place as it then gets messy and bloody. You will get quicker cut the hole and hold the front and rear legs and flip out the guts with a quick Speed up and abrupt stop, inertia does the rest ( its seconds of a job). Easy to show than tell Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shropshire_Lad Posted November 8, 2013 Report Share Posted November 8, 2013 I have tried every combination but for me and how I gut them the sooner the better, while hot/warm no fear of nicking the gut as it is easily mobile. As Kent really. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malkiserow Posted November 8, 2013 Report Share Posted November 8, 2013 Don't waste the liver...... It's the best bit!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
magman Posted November 8, 2013 Report Share Posted November 8, 2013 Head shot in the winter no problem next day as long as you pee them , gut shot = fox bait imho Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shinybum Posted November 8, 2013 Report Share Posted November 8, 2013 I paunch them all at the end of the session and skin them later at home, even as long as a week if they're in the fridge. For paunching cut a 1" slot in the belly between the thighs. Grab the Rabbit round the rib cage, use your knee to push against and squeeze hard down towards the belly. Everything will come out through the slit. Swing the bunny to throw that in the hedge. It doesn't matter if the heart, lungs or kidneys stay in. This method means you don't have to touch the guts and it keeps the majority of the carcass closed so free from flies. does this method of paunching leave cross contamination in side of rabbit from the gut,? i have not tried it but think it can not be as clean as traditional paunching. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KFC Posted November 8, 2013 Report Share Posted November 8, 2013 (edited) does this method of paunching leave cross contamination in side of rabbit from the gut,? i have not tried it but think it can not be as clean as traditional paunching. No, everything comes out clean. In fact I believe it is cleaner because the majority of the skin stays closed so that stops flies contaminating the insides. It's a variation on this method. I'm not strong enough to push the lot out so I use a small incision to get the process started. Edited November 8, 2013 by KFC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gimlet Posted November 8, 2013 Report Share Posted November 8, 2013 Empty bladder, paunch and leg each one as soon as they're picked up. No point lugging them around with half a pound of guts inside. When the guts have dropped out pinch the anal canal free as its often left behind. I always leave the red offal inside, far too good to waste and dead easy to tweak the stomach free of the liver. As Malkiserow says the livers are very good. (Garlic-rubbed bread fried in olive oil with fried liver and mushrooms on top with parsley and plenty of pepper.) If I don't eat the offal the ferrets will, they love it. When I've got a pregnant doe with well developed foetuses inside I keep them for the ferrets as well. And the whole heads of juveniles. They usually vanish completely, just the odd ear or set of front teeth turning up in the bedding. Night or evening shots are hung up in the fur and skinned next morning. If feasible, tough old bucks are much easier to skin when warm, but otherwise as long as they're kept cool they can stay in the fur if necessary until used. Protects the meat and stops it drying out. An unskinned ferret food carcase placed in the fridge overnight will kill fleas and ticks but don't tell your wife. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FalconFN Posted November 8, 2013 Report Share Posted November 8, 2013 (edited) Pretty much as most have said, I paunch at the end of the session, unless there are loads, then I do it when they get too heavy. Its probably wrong but give the liver to the dog their and then. Edited November 8, 2013 by FalconFN Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dekers Posted November 9, 2013 Report Share Posted November 9, 2013 (edited) Chill kenny. You get no meat taint for 24 - 48 hours no problem. Cleaning! Even with head shot I would not be easy with that, and shot anywhere else I'd say no chance! Perhaps our taste buds are different! Skinning! No great problem on time scales. Edited November 9, 2013 by Dekers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kenj Posted November 16, 2013 Report Share Posted November 16, 2013 I always wee them and paunch them in the field ready for the butcher's next day. If I'm taking them for myself, I skin and halve them in the field. The foxes and kites do the rest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vampire Posted November 16, 2013 Report Share Posted November 16, 2013 We will wee them as soon as they are picked up,then all get chucked in the box till end of evening and its then that we have to gut/dress or leave whole all depending on where they are going. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luckyshot Posted November 18, 2013 Report Share Posted November 18, 2013 I gut mine as Im shooting, walking around with rifle/nv it gets pretty heavy when they have there guts in. I can carry 20 rabbits plus rifle when walking. Gutting a rabbit should take seconds literaly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bewsher500 Posted November 20, 2013 Report Share Posted November 20, 2013 Cleaning! Even with head shot I would not be easy with that, and shot anywhere else I'd say no chance! Perhaps our taste buds are different! Skinning! No great problem on time scales. +1 rabbit left with guts in for a day is not for me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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