Rabbits and what you do with them

[subwoofer]

Hello All

 

apologies if this is something that has been covered before, but I have not yet found any information on it.

 

I have been involved in shooting for 20 years, but in all that time it has been target shooting and small vermin such as rat, pigeon and squirrel. All of these vermin are just disposed of as I am not intending to eat any of them. I have been asked to help out with rabbit clearance and am now likely to be dealing with large numbers of the fwuffy bunnies.

 

Once they have been dispatched, do you leave them whole, bleed them, gut them, or even go as far as skinning? Do you give them to friends, butchers, pubs and if so do you give then whole or bled, or gutted?

 

Thanks for you input.

[BSA-airgunner]

if i can stop lucky-shot eating them i give them to a guy who keep birds of prey

[Hezbear]

I normally gut and skin them, then give them to my friends and family if i'm not eating them

[George1990]

Should gut them as soon as possible, and squeeze out their wee after shooting them. Doesn't matter if you leave the skin on for a while. I imagine a butcher will be more prepared to take them if they were skinned as well.

Edited July 13, 2009 by George1990

[Lucky-shot]

if i can stop lucky-shot eating them i give them to a guy who keep birds of prey

my needs are more than them birds :look: you don't get to look like me by not eating

Edited September 4, 2009 by Lucky-shot

[vole]

Gut in the field and skin and portion at home. I lop off the joints and fillet the lovely meat off each side of the spine so get six bits for a casserole or stew.

[Lucky-shot]

Gut in the field and skin and portion at home. I lop off the joints and fillet the lovely meat off each side of the spine so get six bits for a casserole or stew.

a man after my own heart :look:

[Frenchieboy]

If you are thinking about giving them to people who have birds of prey please use non-toxic ammunition. Birds of prey are very succeptible to lead poisoning.

I find it best to empty the bladder as soon as shot and then gut them in the field when you have finished shooting. You can then take them home for skinning etc. (If you are planning on keeping them over night beware of blow flies.) I am lucky in the fact that I have a game dealer who will pay £1.00 each for adult head shot rabbits, gutted but still in the skin, which is why I do my "bunny bashing" with a .22 semi auto and moderator, it's a great way to pay for your ammunition! :look:

[happyhunt]

local zoo takes mine, .22 rimmy head shot only , no shotgun ,to many pellets, £ .75p each with guts knocked out

[asap]

All mine go to the local zoo park, 50p each for rifle shot with the guts in so no messing about

[Tommo]

Mine all go (no mixy ones though) to a local butcher. I gut them which l now have down to a fine art (15 seconds tops) - they have to go straight to the dealer / or early the next morning after being sat in my chiller overnight. £1 each no matter what size...

 

T

[samw]

a man after my own heart

 

 

[hants rifle]

Dee-Wee them, gut them in the field. Get em home and take off head and legs and then skin them. I cook them or use them as cat food

[KillerChef92]

 

40K views..nice

 

Anyways gut them and do this

Edited September 4, 2009 by KillerChef92

[townsend819]

Once shot, sqeeeeeze all the wee out, then gut while still warm in the field. Then go to butchers at a pound a wabbit in the skin, they will take as many as I have. I always offer a couple, my usual bag to the horse trainer who kindly lets me control his rather large rabbit population, and some are kept for myself, and family where they are prepared and ate.

[kentishsteve]

First off stop disposing of your squirrels and pigeons and start cooking those secondly dee wee the rabbit in the field and gut then once at home skin, next cut off the front and back leges i find cutting the meat around the shoulder joint then twisting the legs off the best way then i run my nice sharp knife down either side of the spine and pull off the meat, after this i boil a pan of water and add an onion chopped into quaters and some salt and in goes the rabbit let it simmer for and hour and add 2 clothes of garlic and my chopped potatoes and also sometimes i'll put in a chicken stock depends on how the mood takes me then 20 minutes later i add the rest of my vegtables cook for a further 20 - 30 mins and serve with a slice of bread oh and also sometimes i pour in some of those dries lentil and pee things you get from sainsbury's

[Frenchieboy]

Kentishsteve, can I suggest that instead of using Chicken Stoch next time you try a glass of cider. You will be surprised at the difference it makes mate! Apart form that you are spot on

[shoughton]

I normally prepare faily much as described so far - then soak overnight in salted water. This removes blood and leaves the meat looking far more appetising to fussier members of the family.

 

Boiling in stock and vegetables is great - essentially a stew; I also use that as a basis for pies - the rabbit is then tender without burning the pastry.

 

My personal favourite is casseroled young rabbits. Just season with salt, pepper and plain flour. Brown the joints off and then put to one side. Add carrots, celery and onion to the pan and brown off with a large **** butter. Then add 3 or 4 nice rashers worth of chopped bacon and half a bottle of white wine. Add the rabbit back and then cook on a low temp (140/150 ish) or in your slow cooker for approx 4 hours. That's our current favourite.

 

good luck

 

Steve

[mikee]

a local butcher will take some but they need to be skinned and gutted, he pays £1, the rest apart from a few i eat go to the game dealer, he pays 60p gutted, all must be hand killed or head shot

 

mikee