Rabbit cleaning for newbs.(No fuss/no muss)pics and steps

[sjemac]

All the threads from newbs wanting to get into hunting and not knowing how to clean their game got me to put together this little photo montage. Most new guys seem to be interested in starting on rabbits so here is a no-gutting method of cleaning that is remarkably low mess.

Maybe the mods want to Stick this in a folder for future reference for new hunters trying to figure things out on thier own.

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.

 

[bill c68]

Neat technique, I will have to try it.

Our technique is pretty simple as well.

1. Grab one of the front feet and loosely grab the skin on the ankles and pull(this will peel off the skin) then pull a little harder and the front leg will come right out of the socket.
2. Repeat with other front leg.
3. Grab the skin on the back and tear open like a bag of chips (sometime requires a small cut. Then you pull the hide off of either end. At this point, you will have no fur except on the feet and head.
4. Hang the bunny upsidedown by the ankles (a samll slit between the bone and tendon) with legs spread about6" apart.
5. Carefully with your knife cut out the belly and all contents. Then with your knife separate the rabbit at the rib cage and dispose of everything past the ribs (including ribs)

 

[bill c68]

And a really neat technique i saw once... takes 2 people and a pair of work gloves.

1. See steps 1 and 2 above.
2. peel the skin off of the hind legs.
3. (This is so cool) a strong buddy holds the hind legs if not shot up. And the other guy wearing gloves, grabs the rabbit under the ribs and with one solid tug try to pull the rabbit away from your friend. If it works as it shoudl he will be left holding a rabbits hind end with a little bit of fur on the tail. Guts and everything ahead of the ribs should be gone. You may have a little bit of lower intestine left... just snip the pelvis and try not to get poop all over the meat.

 

[gregisthegreatest]

This is an excellent post. This is what I call sticky material.

 

[Mumptia]

nice set up.

great pics and explanations

Now I'm hungry

 

[Huntsman]

Awesome, I'll have to try that technique this next wknd
Thanks sjemac,

 

[Doug]

YOU ARE THROWING OUT THE TENDERLOINS!!!!! HORRORS!!!!

Very neat indeed, and a new one for me after forty plus years of bunny hunting. If that rabbit was shot, and not snared, the hunter has my sincerest admiration for a fabulously clean kill.

I do keep the whole carcass, including the rib and flank meat which this method does not, but I do not get all that many rabbits so I like to maximize the meat I get (most of it goes into stew).

Doug

 

[John Y Cannuck]

Don't you use head shots Doug?

 

[fogducker]

awesome thread thanks for sharing

 

[Doug]

back to JYC, yes indeed I take head shots......

....but I use a 28 gauge shotgun!!!! ;-)

Doug

 

[Colin]

I have learned something new today, thanks

 

[mommabear]

Excellent thread!

Doug, I do admire you

 

[Doug]

back to mommabear...........oops, what did I do now??????

We can't be having the CGN Personality of the Year Winner sending cryptic messages that old farts don't understand......

Doug

 

[mommabear]

back to mommabear...........oops, what did I do now??????

We can't be having the CGN Personality of the Year Winner sending cryptic messages that old farts don't understand......

Doug

Doug! I admire the fact that you are so into hunting, and you know so much , and you own "Doug Mart"

Hugggsssss

 

[thebuckhunter]

Great stuff!! Much simpler and neater method than I currently use. Thanks for the info.

-Jason

 

[MHUNT]

No fuss, no muss. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Huey3543]

I'm sure I'm not the first person to hear this one, but I hear....If you cut out the bung hole and slice bunny's throat, then swing the whole deal between your legs all the messy comes out. I've never tried this for fear of getting bunny guts down my back and neck, but does this work and has anyone tried. Perhaps with an amusing word of advice?

 

[Doug]

back to Huey3543..................

OK, here is some amusing advice: Yes that works fabulously well. I recommend you use your fingers instead of a knife to rip out the arsehole and the throat. Then, holding the bunny by the front legs, and starting over top of your head, swing it down with extreme prejudice to a point just below your own butt. And make sure you have somebody capture it on film, the expression when the bunny hits you in your jewels will be great.

But the guts will still be in the rabbit..........

Doug

 

[PaulT]

All the threads from newbs wanting to get into hunting and not knowing how to clean their game got me to put together this little photo montage. Most new guys seem to be interested in starting on rabbits so here is a no-gutting method of cleaning that is remarkably low mess.

Maybe the mods want to Stick this in a folder for future reference for new hunters trying to figure things out on thier own.

Thanks for taking the time to explain, very well done, nice pics an excellent method indeed.

 

[stanway]

Great thread. Excellent descriptions and pictures.

Now I want to go rabbit hunting...