First, catch your rabbit
15 06 2005While 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.
The best way is to use a short knife, pinched between your fingers to leave only the point and a short piece of blade protruding.
With care, you can cut through the skin and leave the inner flesh exposed, then use your knife point to ease the skin from the body - this makes it easier when it comes to skinning the rabbit later.
Having exposed the flesh of the belly, carefully cut through it to expose the guts. Now, you can either hoik the gut out with your fingers or develop a technique that will really impress your less skilled mates.
With the rabbit’s belly facing down, take the front legs in one hand and the rear legs in the other and bend the rabbit up into a U-shape so that it’s belly hangs down.
Keep the chest cavity slightly higher and then, with an underarm motion, flick the rabbit down hard so all the insides fly out in a neat heap on the ground. If anything remains behind, finish off with your fingers (but this spoils the effect and it’s best to practice in private until you get the knack).
As well as reducing the weight of the rabbit, it’s also less mess to clean up and throw in the bin back home, and the guts will soon be found by scavengers.
I’d also advise that it’s best to avoid paunching near paths, livestock and waterholes frequented by livestock.
And if you really want to impress, learn how to stalk and catch rabbits with nothing but your hands.
It saves ammunition, amazes the missus and your kids tell everyone at school how “their cool dad is faster than greased lightning”. The teachers though are less than impressed.
Next, how to skin that rabbit…
Awsome,
Am glad you are teaching your kids how to shoot. More people should as starting at an early age is beter as they learn to aprciate the wildlife. I had the benfit of this, my friend on the other hand did not. He got his first rabit yesterday, it just about sat in his hand but hey… it’s a start.
We have both learned a lot from the site. Thanx.
Good egg!
Could you give me any tips on catching rabbits without a gun, particularly by stalking.. I have no problem with your use of a gun, but I live in a more urban area and possessing/transporting a firearm is impractical.