Northman999
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Southern Yukon
I always clean everything in the field if I can.
Rabbits - gut in the field or when you get home?
- Thread starter bluemike807
- Start date
- Location
- California (formerly from BC)
Great video. Similar process to how my dad showed me... We would use a small hatchet instead of a cleaver. Now I am craving Rabbit and dumplings.
I never cut the bone anymore, I run a knife through the joints so there are no sharp edges going into my Ziploc bags. The only exception is the pelvis.
I will be setting some snares this weekend so I better get practiced up and stock up on allergy meds.
I will be setting some snares this weekend so I better get practiced up and stock up on allergy meds.
I never gut them. I do all my rabbits in the field this way:
Pinch and pull the skin around each ankle and pull down (no knife needed).
Continue pulling skin toward hips on BOTH legs until you can work your fingers under it and break the connection of the belly skin. Work it over the back and pinch off the tail.
Pull skin towards head like removing a sweater. Stop at shoulders.
Using you fingers work under elbow joint and simply pull the front legs out. Do not cut just pull. The skin will break where it needs to.
Pull skin up to head and leave inverted. DO NOT cut off head.
Using your knife for the first time, remove front legs by slicing between shoulder blade and rib cage. No bones here so it should glide right through.
Locate spine and fillet off the back straps on either side.
Remove the back legs by cutting down to the ball joint of the hip on all sides and then twisting the leg off.
To clean up reinvert skin back over the remaining carcass and dispose of. Cut the feet off the front and back legs now.
Pinch and pull the skin around each ankle and pull down (no knife needed).
Continue pulling skin toward hips on BOTH legs until you can work your fingers under it and break the connection of the belly skin. Work it over the back and pinch off the tail.
Pull skin towards head like removing a sweater. Stop at shoulders.
Using you fingers work under elbow joint and simply pull the front legs out. Do not cut just pull. The skin will break where it needs to.
Pull skin up to head and leave inverted. DO NOT cut off head.
Using your knife for the first time, remove front legs by slicing between shoulder blade and rib cage. No bones here so it should glide right through.
Locate spine and fillet off the back straps on either side.
Remove the back legs by cutting down to the ball joint of the hip on all sides and then twisting the leg off.
To clean up reinvert skin back over the remaining carcass and dispose of. Cut the feet off the front and back legs now.
Brutus
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Try out a German hassenpepper recipe for jackrabbits.
Some advice though, lay off the recipe's vinegar by about one half or one third of what they say, for the overnight marinaide.
Use the difference for more salted cold water instead.
Most of us North Americans are not used to that much vinegar in one recipe.
Another good use of jackrabbit meat, was to cut the long leg muscles into long thin strips and use it in a Chinese/Japanese stir fry.
You could not tell what the meat was in these recipes either. No pun intended here folks.
- Location
- Hillbilly shack in the boonies
Mike Oxbig
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Scarborough Ontario
Sjemec, that was interesting thanks
I have only cleaned one bunny that my dog smoked this spring. Found 6 bunnies in its belly. I couldn't eat it after that. lol
I have only cleaned one bunny that my dog smoked this spring. Found 6 bunnies in its belly. I couldn't eat it after that. lol
You take your patio table to the field with you??
I do mine in a similiar way except for the back, which I take out whole as there is a bit of meat on the inside. I'll have to look closer next time as that bit of meat might not be worth the hassle.
I do mine in a similiar way except for the back, which I take out whole as there is a bit of meat on the inside. I'll have to look closer next time as that bit of meat might not be worth the hassle.
I never gut them. I do all my rabbits in the field this way:
well i hunt a lot of rabbits and it is so easy to clean them in the feild that it only makes scence to do it right away .if you havce ever shot one and laid it in the car you will see the flees start to jump off the thing as soon as it starts to cool .makes a nice mess in the car or truck .i carry a bag and a small knive it only takes about 1 minute to clean and gut a rabbit in the bush DUTCH
- Location
- Sudbury, On
As much as I'll want to do it inside, I think my family would be rather "eeked" by the bare-butchering of a rabbit. Too much Disney, me thinks.
So bunnies will be field-dressed to the carcass in the field.
So bunnies will be field-dressed to the carcass in the field.
- Location
- On the Rock
Lots of good info on this thread.
Personally I would worry about being charged if bunny is transported sans hide for ID. I live in Ontario. Also leaving behind the back strap removed rib cage might be considered letting meat spoil - even if only a mouthful left. Seems like the MNR can be very zealous to bust hunters for this kind of minor thing these days - though most would consider it an OK field practice as it's miniscle amount of meat. I gather (?) we can't just breast our grouse anymore either. Evidentally there is enough meat left behind to spoil on the rear legs to require some splaining to a judge how little there is. I could be just paranoid but I'd be careful about alot of field processing beyond gutting. I don't like it but "you could be charged" is the MNR mantra regarding such practises I believe. Or I could be wrong.
Regards all.
Personally I would worry about being charged if bunny is transported sans hide for ID. I live in Ontario. Also leaving behind the back strap removed rib cage might be considered letting meat spoil - even if only a mouthful left. Seems like the MNR can be very zealous to bust hunters for this kind of minor thing these days - though most would consider it an OK field practice as it's miniscle amount of meat. I gather (?) we can't just breast our grouse anymore either. Evidentally there is enough meat left behind to spoil on the rear legs to require some splaining to a judge how little there is. I could be just paranoid but I'd be careful about alot of field processing beyond gutting. I don't like it but "you could be charged" is the MNR mantra regarding such practises I believe. Or I could be wrong.
Regards all.
Mike Oxbig
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Scarborough Ontario
I don't know anyone who takes more than the breast. Those things are freakin tiny! Where are you getting all this info from anyway?
I think you're wrong but not being from Ontario, I can't positively say. In AB we have no closed season and no limit on rabbits and hares so we really don't have any regulations on their transport or useable meat either. I think a CO would have a hard time charging anyone for spoilage based on the ribcage of a rabbit. You might get a teaspoon of meat off of one and if he charges you for wasting it it's probably because he caught you shagging his wife.
What you are talking about is called corprophagia. Rabbits have two kinds of 'poop'. One is a black, moist pellet made in a special part of their intestine that is meant to be eaten and is NOT feces. The other kind is feces and they won't eat it. This is totally natural and actually important to the health of the rabbit. Corprophagia being why rabbit meat smells is news to me though.
This thread has me thinking about setting a bunch of snares!
I'll likely set some tomorrow and through the weekend. I won't be working until early January so lots of time.
