Rabbit hunting

[SHADE OF GRAY]

I took my dad rabbit hunting this afternoon. We could of had six but ended up with three due to me missing twice. Had a good time. This was my first time shooting rabbits over my dog.

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[SHADE OF GRAY]

Forgot to ask when we cleaned them they all had grubs was wondering if they are still Ok to eat or not. I froze them in case because I don't want to see them go to waste but if they are questionable I am going to put them on the coyote pile. Any feedback is appreciated.

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[ontherise]

I stopped rabbit hunting because they are full of parasites and fleas... But they are safe to eat as long as you freeze them for a few days.

[BSmaster]

The rabbits are fine.  The old timer rule of thumb was to wait for a hard freeze to kill all of the sick ones.  We have had plenty of them.  In the fall you will see more spots on the livers than in February.  This is the only guage that I was taught and I do not have a higher learning explanation for any of it. 

 

Beautiful dog.  I spent much of my youth running 1-2 beagles around the hills.  It is a lot of fun.

 

Rabbit is a zero fat meat so it really has some advantages.  I can eat rabbit for dinner and not feel guilty eating a tub of ice cream for dessert.

Joe

[Kevin J Legg]

I spent many enjoyable days running both cottontails and snowshoes both as a boy and a younger adult. It's kind of like the pan fishing of the hunting world. Great sport to share with a kid and truth be known, often more fun than big game hunting.  I also enjoyed eating them. Unfortunately there aren't the rabbits around that there use to be and I don't have a dog. I would love to spend a warm winter day listening to the sound of a hot beagle once again.

[SHADE OF GRAY]

Thanks for replying. I thought the cold days we have had would have killed them of but I guess it's not quite cold enough. I have had a lot of fun hunting rabbits so far. I have heard there good eating but haven't tried them yet and can't wait.

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[flybuster]

I spent many enjoyable days running both cottontails and snowshoes both as a boy and a younger adult. It's kind of like the pan fishing of the hunting world. Great sport to share with a kid and truth be known, often more fun than big game hunting. I also enjoyed eating them. Unfortunately there aren't the rabbits around that there use to be and I don't have a dog. I would love to spend a warm winter day listening to the sound of a hot beagle once again.

The good old days for sure. I still kick piles for my kids but it's not the same!!

[T_barb]

Kevin, you bring back memories...  We used to hunt a place in Dexter off of route 3..  A group of us would go up there without dogs and just walk thru the juniper bushes..  We would get our limit almost every time out (usually before noon).  We would also get our fair share of shots at grouse (notice how I said shots and not necessarily the grouse themsleves)..   Last time I was up that way, the place was posted and owned by a Buffalo farm..  Went to the address on the posted sign and asked for permission and they said no...  I guess all good things come to an end...

 

Boy, we had a lot of fun in those days and I agree that often times it was more fun than a deer hunt.

[Sharky]

  Awesome Gray!   Brings back a lot of memories.   Your pup looks great, she grew into a nice looking dog.

[BSmaster]

Give up some rabbit dish ideas.

 

Back straps.  As a kid we would chunk them up, bread them, and deep fry them and eat them with BBQ sauce.  Now I treat them like venison, marinating them for 2-4 days and grilling them quick.

 

Front legs.  Most people chuck em because they don't look like much.  I keep them.

Back legs.  Easy to debone, they make for lots of dishes.  Most people like to smoke em.  I take the legs and crock pot cook them with garlic, bay leaves a little salt and pepper, sometimes some sage and sweet basil, a can of non hoppy beer.  Meat cooks off real easy and shreds nicely.  So from here you can mix with a BBQ sauce and make a pulled pork samich, or put in your spaghetti sauce, or chili.

 

I have heard of other dishes but these are the ones I have most experience with.  One word of caution - the bones splinter worse than chicken bones.  It is hard to find them sometimes and biting into them is not pleasant.  I use a plastic container and shake the meat (bone on plastic makes a sound) to make sure I have gotten all of them.

 

With a dog like that and young legs I would be out getting rabbits every chance I could get.

 

Good times,

Joe

[Kevin J Legg]

One old stand by recipe is to cut up rabbit into 6 pieces; legs, back, and rib cage. Dredge in seasoned flour and brown in oil. When brown add cream of mushroom soup and some water and simmer a couple hours till tender. Serve with potatoes and carrots. It comes out tender and moist with it's own gravy. Makes me hungry just thinking about it.

[SHADE OF GRAY]

Thanks shark. Thanks Kevin and bs master I will have to try some of those dishes.

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[lineman49]

  We use to run 3 - 5 beagles at a time what a riot, we had ribbits running every where lots of good times. I miss it, wish I was 30 yrs. younger & had my good knees back!  We would flour & fry in butter til brown. also make a rabbit catchitorri (sp?)  or brown & put in a gravy, all was some pretty good eating!  Good luck & have fun!  Love the dog.  We had 3 /  13"

[Willy-C]

Excellent Shade of Gray......Great first hunt with your dog

 

Now that deer season's winding down, the bunny huntin' will crank into full steam around here now that the snow showed up

 

I agree bunny huntin' can be more fun than big game huntin' cuz there is always action.....I find it a great time to introduce novice hunters and seasoned hunters alike to wild and crazy beagles

 

last weekend the bunnies (snowshoe hare) were white and the woods were brown, so the shooting was pretty easy if they came close enough

[SHADE OF GRAY]

Thanks lineman49 for the recipe. I would like to run another dog or two with her but I don't now how she would at. She gets serious about rabbit hunting and runs my cousins bird dog off. Will - C I am hoping I'll be able to hunt hare with here this winter. (We have to drive a little for them.) The hare hunting sounds like a good time. Hopefully I can get out this weekend.

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[Willy-C]

This is my two knuckleheads after about 3 hrs hammering on one bunny I gave a pass to.....they had fun and nearly wore themselves out that day

[cdgn troller]

You could of just played the sound! Nothing like listening the dogs get all fired up!

[lakerchaser]

That pretty beagle looks just like my last one. He would run cottontails and whites all day on 3 legs. Great pictures bring back fond memories. Has he ever run hares. If the grubs  or white flecks are only in the liver all is fine . I have eaten plenty and i am 73. If they were cooked good it wouldnt matter anyway. I fillet mine now so id ont see any spots. Fillet out the back loin and skin just the 2 hindlegs and cut off. No guts and no smell. If you shoot one and it has fleas on it just let it lay until its cold or pick up on your wayback and the fleas will be gone. Get um!

[SHADE OF GRAY]

That's a great video. Is that a rabbit or a hare it looks pretty cool.

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[Willy-C]

That's a snowshoe hare just turning white......weird how the head was the last to change

[Kevin J Legg]

I use to save all the front legs and when I got a bunch I cooked them up like chicken wings and called them rabbit wings.

[Willy-C]

When cleaning I hang'em by the hind feet, pull the skin down all the way from hind feet to the neck (leave head on), then cut off front legs, back legs and fillet the back straps.....leave guts and pull fur back over the remaining carcass, it can be
used for yote bait

My houndley furbuddies love bunny meat, raw, bones included....

[CHAMP99B]

willyc….thanks for that film,haven't done that since my dad passed on….brought back wonderful memories ! And shades of gray….good boy for taking your dad out for a good time !!!

[King Slammin]

My puppy, Bandit, just got his first rabbit today. We were out checking traps and he jumped one on the way back. It ran about 30' and I smacked it with the .22. He sat there and looked at me puzzled until I told him to go get it. He was hooked after that. I don't think his nose left the ground for the rest of the walk back to the truck

[ray koziatek]

rabbit fever