help dressing a rabbit
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I fasten one leg to a firm item so I can pull the skin off in one peice, 1st cut around the tied leg at the hock and across to the other leg, (like an inseam on a pair of pants) cut around the anus and through the tail bone and around the other hock then pull the skin like removing a tight sweater.
cut around tight parts as needed, cut off head and all legs except the tied one.
when you have the body clean, [wash with cold water if needed] then cut open the belly to remove the guts, becarefull of what you cut, and every thing will just about fall out.
wash again, your done
cut around tight parts as needed, cut off head and all legs except the tied one.
when you have the body clean, [wash with cold water if needed] then cut open the belly to remove the guts, becarefull of what you cut, and every thing will just about fall out.
wash again, your done
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why would you shoot em if you aint gonna eat em?
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I was thinking the same thing. 
big rockpile
big rockpile
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MAKE SURE YOU ONLY DO 1RABBIT ATR A TIME after, skinning make sure you cool it fast so put itin plastic bag in the icebox their alot of people that will shot animals just for their horns for their pelts they smell badWHAT EVER YOU DOPDONOT ET RID OF THE PELT FEET AND TAILS MAKE NICE LUCKY KEY CHAINS AND THE PELT CAN BE SALTED OR FROZENor WHAT EVER OR GIVEN TO SOMEONE TO USE BUT PLEASE LEARN CURE IT MY SORRY BUT GOT OFF THE TREACK
The first two times I had to do this, the rabbits were getting into school bus engine compartments and gnawing on the wiring harnesses. In an hour I shot 18 rabbits. Since rabbits are a game animal, and in this case a nuisance, I was technically allowed to exterminate them as long as I didn't use the meat! Just one of the catch 22 situations with wildlife. Like, I must kill a trapped skunk, but its illegal to let it die in the trap. The location was adjacent to the federal prison. The rabbit population in the fenced areas where foxes and coyotes could not go was exploding. I called the wildlife people for advice. I had one other rabbit encounter. Teachers let some domestic rabbits loose at the end of the school year. Over the course of summer and the next school year the rabbits reproduced like crazy. By the middle of the second summer there were more than a hundred rabbits (wild and domestic) grazing on the property. Kids caught one and brutalized it. The police were called and they found the rabbit was infested with fleas. The story got to the news papers and the school was told to solve both problems or the school would not be allowed to open. I set traps and monitored them daily for 6 weeks. We only got a dozen rabbits. They are not easy to trap. Some vigalante parent started coming to the property with a pellet gun and in quick order the problem was in control. The newspapers and authorities thought I had trapped them all, even though they never asked me. This time, the school stadium has so many rabbits they are invading the football field and doing extensive turf damage. (this is not regular grass) The area beneath the bleachers is fenced and predators cannot get to the rabbits. I suggested they get rid of the pallets and put up bulk shelving to eliminate most of the hiding places, but they would rather have me exterminate them now. So I figured I might try rabbit stew.
Take the bunny and cut its head off. cut the front feet off at the first joint....cut thru the rear feet tendons just above the first joint, bend the feet back and the bone will snap, cut the feet off. Pull up the fur and make a tiny slit in the belly fur between the back legs. Stick a finger in and wiggle the pelt loose a bit, enlarge your slit and pull the hind legs thru one at a time. If you slide your hand up and pull a bit the pelt will tear right at the tail. Turn the pelt inside out over the bunny as you yank it off. Cut thru the tailbone but not the anus....
Make a slit in the belly skin where the line is where the muscles join...Cut down to between the hind legs CAREFULLY....Cut thru muscles between hind legs and then slit cartilage at pelvic bone. Work anus, etc free of attachments. Pick up bunny over bucket and all the innards will slide into the bucket, leaving stomach and liver attached. Grab and pull at top of stomach, holding closed......and discard. Check liver if wild bunny...if spotty, don't eat!!!! otherwise, it's really good.
Salt down pelt and clean of all flesh/fat if tanning.
Sounds really hard....actually takes less than 5 minutes, but we've done a few....
Make a slit in the belly skin where the line is where the muscles join...Cut down to between the hind legs CAREFULLY....Cut thru muscles between hind legs and then slit cartilage at pelvic bone. Work anus, etc free of attachments. Pick up bunny over bucket and all the innards will slide into the bucket, leaving stomach and liver attached. Grab and pull at top of stomach, holding closed......and discard. Check liver if wild bunny...if spotty, don't eat!!!! otherwise, it's really good.
Salt down pelt and clean of all flesh/fat if tanning.
Sounds really hard....actually takes less than 5 minutes, but we've done a few....
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Angie:
We need another outfit....it might be a cross-dresser!
We need another outfit....it might be a cross-dresser!
LOL.. Jan... cross dresser... I must live a sheltered life. Was at huge store yesterday and some "dude" was trying on spiked black heels. :no: white socks bulging out of the heels and walking around. Thought it was a girl at first but bulges were in the wrong place... were we talking about wascally wabbits...
Was at huge store yesterday and some "dude" was trying on spiked black heels. :no: white socks bulging out of the heels and walking around. Thought it was a girl at first but bulges were in the wrong place... were we talking about wascally wabbits...
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It wouldn't hurt to wear surgical gloves while cleaning rabbits, especially if there are fleas. Tuleremia and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever come to mind.
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Also plague, but less likely.
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What a blessing in disquise! I'm also wandering if there are any elderly around that would love your excess bounty.gobug said:
But, remember that Rabbit is lean meat and it needs fat to cook in, or you need to boil it.
It makes awesome Rabbit and dumplings, Rabbit and gravy and noodles, Rabbit pot pie, Roast Rabbit with carrots and potatoes and onions, Rabbit hash, Ground Rabbit fried into patties, Rabbit sausage. You name it and you can do it with rabbit.
take a look... there are 8 pages of photos. Click on the pages at the lower left side of page.
http://www.rawdogranch.com/rabbit_butchering.htm
http://www.rawdogranch.com/rabbit_butchering.htm
Thank you, Westbrook. I really enjoyed the pictures and the careful step by step documentation. Although my post didn't mention it, I would like to raise rabbits on my future homestead, as well as chickens and ducks. Your site provided a lot of good information and great pics.
Thank you, but I can't take credit for the site...I ran across it looking for something else rabbit related and thought it would help the women in my womens homesteading group. Many times we end up doing the butchering for dinner and the old saying a pictures is worth a thousand words really does apply.
I am glad it helped. Don't forget to go to the "Raising Rabbits For Profit" further down the main page here. Look forward to seeing you down there!
I am glad it helped. Don't forget to go to the "Raising Rabbits For Profit" further down the main page here. Look forward to seeing you down there!
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