rabbit

[rapidboy]

Pumbaa's recent thread about PCP airgun's got me in the mood for a spot of hunting.
I shoot almost every day but i haven't had time for any hunting in ages so i grabbed my rifle yesterday and went for a wander around the fields.

I was only out for about an hour and had 4 rabbits quite quickly at around 45 -55 yards.
I usually only take 1 or 2 to eat but the farmer was complaining that they are back in numbers so i took a couple extra to keep him happy.
I normally roast rabbit whole but when i have a few the easiest thing to do is take a strip of meat from each side of the spine.
You don't have to gut them and if your not worried about saving the skins then removing the meat like this only takes about a minute per rabbit.

Start by pinching the skin in the middle of the back and push your knife through and cut up.

Then you just grab either side of this cut and pull the skin in opposite
directions ,it will come away very easily.

Just cut down each side of the spine and you get a nice strip of meat.

They are great for kebab's.

rb

 

[jim_w]

Magnificent! That's a really good method, and some lovely pics. What knife is that? Looks good.

A+

 

[Hoodoo]

Good hunting rapidboy! Bunnies are nearly as good eatin' as squirrels.

Is there a season on rabbits there or can you hunt them year round? At the moment, they are out of season here.

 

[Moonraker]

Really excellent guide and well illustrated too. Thanks rb

 

[bushman762]

Hi RB,

I took a rabbit (a few years back) and skined & gutted it just to say I'd done that...but the meat stank to high heaven, I bagged it and put it in the freezer but it stank everything in there...was there something wrong with this young grazer or perhaps it was the season? It was never ate. but your kebabs sure look the part!

Best Regards,

 

[rapidboy]

Magnificent! That's a really good method, and some lovely pics. What knife is that? Looks good.

A+

The knife is a ToolLogic SL3 ,it's not the knife i would normally use for this but i was offered a few at a really good price (see my post in the Members Classified section) and as with any new knife i like to give it a good trial before it earns a place in my kit.
I have been carrying it all week and it's actually quite good ,i even lit the BBQ with the built in firesteel .

 

[rapidboy]

Good hunting rapidboy! Bunnies are nearly as good eatin' as squirrels.

Is there a season on rabbits there or can you hunt them year round? At the moment, they are out of season here.

Not many Squirrels around here but i have eaten them and i'd rather have them than rabbit.
No season but i try not to take more than i need.
The land i shot these on is rented out and the land owner would have me kill every last rabbit on it.
When i first went to that ground i was able to shoot 20 - 30 rabbits in an evening ,they had no fear and the ground was like honeycomb and unsafe to graze cattle in.
I reduced the numbers in one summer and they have been maintained reasonably well since ,but this year i haven't had as much time so they are back in force.

 

[rapidboy]

Hi RB,

I took a rabbit (a few years back) and skined & gutted it just to say I'd done that...but the meat stank to high heaven, I bagged it and put it in the freezer but it stank everything in there...was there something wrong with this young grazer or perhaps it was the season? It was never ate. but your kebabs sure look the part!

Best Regards,

You have to make sure and empty the bladder asap and clean them pretty quickly as well.
You dont want to contaminate the meat and also get it in the fridge quickly.
I have never had a problem with a strong smell from rabbit but i tend to shoot them when i need them rather than freezing them.
At most they stay in the fridge over night.
Some people say freezing them and defrosting them tenderises the meat but i never bother.

 

[Buckshot]

Good technique RB
I've heard of this method but never seen it.
Have to try when I next get some small furries...

Cheers

Mark

 

[BorderReiver]

Nice one thankyou.Good pictures too.

 

[odin13]

good tutorial, great pics aswell.
cheers,
alex

 

[clive moggridge]

nice one the the finished product looks great got the taste buds working

 

[Graham_S]

mmmmmmmmmm......
bunny stew, dribble.......

 

[leon-1]

Good post rb

 

[morch]

Great post RB, cheers mate.

 

[pumbaa]

Like the look of those rabbit kebabs , any chance you can share the sauce recipe ? It looks right tasty !
Its strange but since i decided to get an air rifle again , i have been asking if anyone localy has some land with a high rabbit population that wouldnt mind me bagging a ew every so often . The problem i am having is that most people want all the rabbit done on their land . I might be out there to shoot me some tea , but i still enjoy just watching them .
Pumbaa

 

[Marts]

When I was 18 I had a job as ground crew on a local grass airfield. I got permission to shoot rabbits as the place was covered in them. Problem was that after a couple of weeks the airport director wanted to know why he could still see rabbits on the airfield. It clearly wasn't going to be a sustainable resource for me and I refused to wipe them out (Even if it was possible).

 

[rapidboy]

Like the look of those rabbit kebabs , any chance you can share the sauce recipe ? It looks right tasty !
Its strange but since i decided to get an air rifle again , i have been asking if anyone localy has some land with a high rabbit population that wouldnt mind me bagging a ew every so often . The problem i am having is that most people want all the rabbit done on their land . I might be out there to shoot me some tea , but i still enjoy just watching them .
Pumbaa

Nothing very bushcarfty about the marinade ,it's my local butchers home made honey and dijon ,delicious.

The land owner who's land i shot these on had a real problem when i first went to him about 3 years ago.
He rents the land out and the rabbits had made such a mess that no one would take it.
The ground was like honeycomb and unsafe to graze cattle in.
I shot about about 200 rabbits that first summer ,it wasn't sport just a total clean up job.
I don't like doing that sort of thing but it was really bad.
As a result i am now the only one who has permission to shoot the land and as long as i keep the numbers down to an acceptable level then everyone is happy.
I have no interest in wiping them out and i like to take only what i need.
I still enjoy just being out and many times im just using my rifle scope to watch.
I have fields in front and behind my house but i hardly ever see rabbits here and i wouldn't dream of shooting them when i do see them.
There are quite a few hares here and recently i have been putting my camo gear on and stalking them.
Not to shoot them but just to see how close i can get.
I arranged a bulk buy of camo gear for the guy's in my gun club ,some of the guy's are target shooters who don't like hunting but they still took some suit's because you can enjoy a stalk without shooting.
My girlfriend doesn't like hunting but i took her out lamping recently with just a lamp and no rifle.
She couldn't believe how close we got to rabbit's ,fox's and badgers and how much activity there was at night.

rb

 

[quarterstaff]

You have to make sure and empty the bladder asap and clean them pretty quickly as well

any tips on empting the bladder mate or am i ok paunching asap.
cheers

 

[dtalbot]

any tips on empting the bladder mate or am i ok paunching asap.
cheers

Gutting pretty much the second you pick them up is the best way to be sure and getting nice bunny meat.
Like the method RB, its the same sort of way I do phesants when we have a load but never thought of using it on bunnies