First, catch your rabbit

While I now live in Scotland, I grew up in Australia and spent many happy times rabbit shooting with my dad and his dad.

I’ve now been taking our boys out to shoot the rabbits on the croft and thought people might like to know how to paunch and skin a rabbit.

To paunch a rabbit in the field, carefully make a slit from between the rabbit’s back legs right up to the breast bone, being careful not to cut too deeply or you’ll pierce the innards.

How to skin a rabbit

First, trap, shoot or otherwise kill your rabbit.

Lay the rabbit on its back on a flat surface and pinch the skin at the loose part in lower belly. Cut a small hole in the skin with a sharp knife, being careful not to puncture the stomach lining.

Pull apart the skin and tear all the way around the rabbit. If you haven’t the strength, then cut right around. (If you’ve paunched the rabbit in the field, simply extend the opening you’ve already made.)