Is it this hard for EVERYONE?

[CocoNUT]

Oh that is horrible Genipher! I had an experience very similar to that... I will only shoot them now. My DH does the broomstick thing, and it works well for him, I just don't trust myself to have enough force to pull up. When I tried it I stepped on the bar and pulled up, but didn't pull hard enough and I just crushed the throat. I felt horrible and was glad I had the gun there to finish it quickly. I have grown up with firearms, and am very comfortable with them and know where to place my shot and in a safe direction. I use a .22 because that is what I have. I know a lot of people frown on that method, but it works for me and the rabbit is dead instantly. I would like to invest in a Rabbit Wringer tho... one of these days.....

Do you use .22 short or .22 "regular"?

 

[CocoNUT]

Genipher...

I TOTALLY get what you went through! I just processed MY first rabbit this Saturday as well. The whole "broomstick" method didn't seem like a good idea for me...so we agreed on the .22 - hubby wanted the .22 short. Like you...I had no problems being 'matter of fact' about harvesting a rabbit. I figured I've done fish and boar...so a rabbit shouldn't be too bad right? I even had the candidate already picked....and informed her REPEATEDLY she was headed for 'freezer camp' unless she got UN-MEAN PRONTO! Well...she didn't...and even my 7 year old kept asking when I was going to "off" the "mean doe" already!

Saturday afternoon...I was doing my feeding rounds and just said..."yup...today's the day". Went upstairs...got the handgun...the skinning knife, the hanging twine, the cooler, the trash bag-lined bucket...then went to grab the doe. (Hubby said he wouldn't dispatch them...) Asked him to help hold her down (HUGE NZW) with the 'broomstick' while I was going to shoot her in the head. I spoke with her and thanked her...the put her on the ground, pinned her down with the stick (hubby was holding that for me) and I placed the gun against her head...I THOUGHT aimed appropriately...and pop! (Because I had made up my mind...the pulling of the trigger wasn't 'hard'...I knew I had to do it.) OK...So I'm NOT so sure I hit the 'right' spot! She kicked and flailed and I tried as quickly as possible to get her strung up. It was rather distressing to think I didn't do it 'right'! Like you...once the head was off...it was much easier...although her head was staring up at me from the bucket! (I still forgot the 'rinsing' bucket...and a larger knife to off her head with...but you learn as you go.)

Like you...I have a couple more that need processing...however I stopped after I had her cleaned up and 'resting' in the cooler. I was kind of awestruck. I have a MUCH greater appreciation for where my meat comes from now! I will get to processing the rest, probably this coming weekend - after the 'horrors' of my first time have subsided a little. Like you...I also need to watch that video on cutting up the meat...I'm thinking de-boning the meat is probably best for our purposes.

I will say my husband was quite impressed with my skinning abilities though! I've saved the hide and plan on tanning it as well. (My daughter wants to use the fur to make a hat for her - this coming from the "vegetarian" who will ONLY eat chicken nuggets!!!)

The interesting thing is...I have several 'friends' who are hunters who LOVE rabbit meat. Now we can 'trade' game meats for some rabbit...and since they're all 'good ol' boys'...I think I might even get some brownie points with them for my effort! (You know...us 'city folk' ain't to good at this kind of stuff!!!!)

Again...I'm sorry your process wasn't as smooth as you would have liked. It's nice to know I'm not alone in MY first experience as well.

 

[DKRabbitry]

If you shot it through the head, it was dead. They kick and flail like that even when you pull the heads clean off (which my DH does with the broomstick sometimes by accident on the younger ones). I have only shot 2 or 3 where I hit the "sweet spot" and they just froze up dead. I actually get more nervous when that happens than when they kick LOL. The first goat I shot in the back of the head just froze up and fell over, I was so scared it wasn't dead and I just stunned her! But DH told me it was for sure dead.
I use .22 long. My DH is looking at getting a high power air rifle, so I will probably switch to that if he really does decide he needs another *toy*, simply because of the cost of ammo. But for right now .22 rounds aren't too expensive for how much I actually use them. I have a mid-sized wire dog cage with the top and bottom removed. Then I just set the rabbit in side there and shoot down through the head while it is sniffing the ground or nibbling the grass/hay. If it is a more active rabbit, I can sqeeze the sides of the cage in so that it has less room to move around and wait till its head is down.

 

[Genipher]

One of us needs to invent a "Rabbit Guillotine". It would make the process soooo much easier.

 

[CocoNUT]

You know...with MY luck...I'd take a finger off or maybe even a hand in the guillotine! (That's probably why there isn't one out there...could you IMAGINE the liability insurance that company would have to carry...?!?!!?) My husband would LOVE having a guillotine around though.

We thought of Dr. G - medical examiner as I used the hedge trimmers to 'lop off' the paws....for anyone who HASN'T seen the show on the FL Coroner...she uses all kinds of everyday tools to do her autopsies. The hedge trimmers (loppers) are used on the rib cage...my husband would laugh at this TINY little woman...with these huge loppers...cutting open the body cavity of a decedent (NO...they don't show you the actual body!)

DKRabbitry - my husband LOVES having his "toys"...and so do I! I have such a fear I'd rip those poor little bunnies' heads off...just like your hubby does - accidentally! My hubby is worried the .22 longs would go 'clean through' and possibly ricochet off the ground and into a foot or something! (I don't know how...considering the rabbit's head is held down against the ground (like in the broom method)...

Then again...he DID manage to pepper spray HIMSELF while testing out a customer's sprayer...in the SINK!!!!

And yes folks...he HAS procreated!!! Be scared...VERY scared!

 

[Citylife]

You know...with MY luck...I'd take a finger off or maybe even a hand in the guillotine! (That's probably why there isn't one out there...could you IMAGINE the liability insurance that company would have to carry...?!?!!?) My husband would LOVE having a guillotine around though.

We thought of Dr. G - medical examiner as I used the hedge trimmers to 'lop off' the paws....for anyone who HASN'T seen the show on the FL Coroner...she uses all kinds of everyday tools to do her autopsies. The hedge trimmers (loppers) are used on the rib cage...my husband would laugh at this TINY little woman...with these huge loppers...cutting open the body cavity of a decedent (NO...they don't show you the actual body!)

DKRabbitry - my husband LOVES having his "toys"...and so do I! I have such a fear I'd rip those poor little bunnies' heads off...just like your hubby does - accidentally! My hubby is worried the .22 longs would go 'clean through' and possibly ricochet off the ground and into a foot or something! (I don't know how...considering the rabbit's head is held down against the ground (like in the broom method)...

Then again...he DID manage to pepper spray HIMSELF while testing out a customer's sprayer...in the SINK!!!!

And yes folks...he HAS procreated!!! Be scared...VERY scared!

I am diein laughin over here. OMG keep him away from the whole process! It might be safer for everyone.

 

[Totalcolour]

Totalcolour: Would you be able to share the steps in tanning rabbit furs? I have one in the freezer and I will eventually have more to work with, but I haven't been able to track down any good directions on how to tan them.

There is a wealth of information on tanning at www.taxidermy.net -- basically, the steps are salt hide, remove membrane, meat, etc; resalt, pickle, then tan. This would not yield a garment soft pelt, but as thin skinned as rabbits are it should not be that hard to soften the hide. Just a little elbow grease. There are several different methods of tanning and there are kits available. I've always used Safety Acid for the pickle, and a brush on tan. Read up and choose the method you're most comfortable with.

I have used that method, and I must say it's a lot of hard work. Right now I'm trying a method that was published in an article in "Mother Earth News" in the mid eighties. (How to Tan Rabbit Hides - January/February 1983)
http://www.motherearthnews.com/Modern-Homesteading/1983-01-01/How-To-Tan-Rabbit-Hides.aspx

This method seems much easier, HOWEVER mine are not fully cured yet so I don't know what the quality will be like. Also, they were very young rabbits with very thin skin. . .we shalll see.

No acid, I used alum (aluminum hydrate) instead. No salting of the skins. Make pickle from water, alum and salt, soak 6-8 pelts in pickle for 48 hours. Remove skins (squeeze out pickle juice, do not discard), and "PULL" of the membrane and fat. I did use a small knife for some of the bigger chunks.

After removing fat and membranes, put back in pickle with additional alum and salt. Soak for another 7-10 days.

So far, the skins seem to be curing well. I have another 2-5 days to go.

I'll keep you all posted.

 

[Genipher]

Totalcolour: Would you be able to share the steps in tanning rabbit furs? I have one in the freezer and I will eventually have more to work with, but I haven't been able to track down any good directions on how to tan them.

There is a wealth of information on tanning at www.taxidermy.net -- basically, the steps are salt hide, remove membrane, meat, etc; resalt, pickle, then tan. This would not yield a garment soft pelt, but as thin skinned as rabbits are it should not be that hard to soften the hide. Just a little elbow grease. There are several different methods of tanning and there are kits available. I've always used Safety Acid for the pickle, and a brush on tan. Read up and choose the method you're most comfortable with.

I have used that method, and I must say it's a lot of hard work. Right now I'm trying a method that was published in an article in "Mother Earth News" in the mid eighties. (How to Tan Rabbit Hides - January/February 1983)
http://www.motherearthnews.com/Modern-Homesteading/1983-01-01/How-To-Tan-Rabbit-Hides.aspx

This method seems much easier, HOWEVER mine are not fully cured yet so I don't know what the quality will be like. Also, they were very young rabbits with very thin skin. . .we shalll see.

No acid, I used alum (aluminum hydrate) instead. No salting of the skins. Make pickle from water, alum and salt, soak 6-8 pelts in pickle for 48 hours. Remove skins (squeeze out pickle juice, do not discard), and "PULL" of the membrane and fat. I did use a small knife for some of the bigger chunks.

After removing fat and membranes, put back in pickle with additional alum and salt. Soak for another 7-10 days.

So far, the skins seem to be curing well. I have another 2-5 days to go.


I'll keep you all posted.

Do you have to use gloves when squeezing the pickle juice out of the skins?

 

[Totalcolour]

Genipher:

I don't use rubber gloves most of the time. I do have an ongoing skin problem - bad psoriasis since I was seven, but tanning doesn't seem to be a problem, or affect it very much.

Mostly, the pickle is quite harmless at this concentration.

So far, it's going well, so I'mm keeping fingers crossed

 

[lastfling]

Most pickles I've seen are to be kept at or below a PH of 2.0 in order to reduce/eliminate bacterial growth during the pickle phase. That is a pretty harsh/acidic solution. Personally, I would wear gloves, but that's just me. To each his/her own.