Thread: rabbit meat and shooting, torch mounts

Originally Posted by Brad S

A farmer has asked me to do some rabbit control. I migbt be going solo on this farm, need a way to mount a torch on my scope. My torch is a convoy s8 that I bought from Sarvo, it's got a 24.3mm body. My scope has a 1" tube. Any tips or recommendations here?

Question no.2. I want to take some back legs home to put into some pies for my lunches. Any tips on what to put meat into while I spend a few hours driving round on my quad? Just a plastic bag?

Any other tips welcome too of course. Including butchery etc. I'm a newbie with rabbits

Guncity Christchurch sell a universal torch mount on trade me Night Saber that works well for mounting a torch on your scope

I didn't like having the torch mounted on the scope, it may of been the way I had it but I got glare off the barrel in my field of vision. For the limited number of times I used it I mounted it under the suppressor.

Originally Posted by Barry the hunter

rabbits are easy peasy to prepare - warm take a pair of secateurs sharp ones cut the legs off at their hock - or a chopping block and cut legs off and head off - lay rabbit on its stomach- make a cut across its back - thats the skin not meat -- ease your hands under the skin and grab both ends - left hand top half of skin right hand bottom half and pull hard - left hand pull towards the head and right hand pull towards its butt - pull hard - in one motion your rabbit is skinned - a little knife work to release the arse and wind pipe - make a cut across bottom of gut- hold rabbit by its hind quarters in right hand and fore quarters left hand and shake down hard by letting go of forequarters but still holding back legs - sort of giving it a good flick to release its guts - gutted - done right and with a little practice - one rabbit one minute - cut into pieces - soak in salted water overnight in fridge - BBQ or casserole damn good eating

Thanks Barry for the description.

So is the process you’ll head shot them, take them back home with skin etc on and then do all the steps you described, or do you do the skinning and gutting in the field and put them in a bag to take home?

I’m just trying to work out the logistics of hunting multiple rabbits, when to stop to skin/gut, how many to shoot before doing that etc.

Shoot.hold bum up,cut across belly close to bum end. Reverse bunny so your now holding by its head.give it a big flick...most of the guts will exit stage left. Remove what's left. Now if things are dirty or dusty leave it like this till get home...if you have ability to keep it clean....place cut across back of bunny and grab skin on both sides of cut and pull outwards both ways at once.skin should peel off easily,cut cut around legs as Barry has said. Head will twist off easily enough.hare is better table fare but bunny is pretty good,bland enough and not too tough.

Originally Posted by Jesse1122

So is the process you’ll head shot them, take them back home with skin etc on and then do all the steps you described, or do you do the skinning and gutting in the field and put them in a bag to take home?

I’m just trying to work out the logistics of hunting multiple rabbits, when to stop to skin/gut, how many to shoot before doing that etc.

It depends on how many I shoot. If you are going to finish processing at home, get the guts out ASAP, otherwise the smell will put you off eating them, even more so with hares.