Thread: How soon should I process a freshly killed rabbit?

Heading down to the in-laws property in a couple of weeks and planning on borrowing my uncles .22 air rifle to do some rabbit hunting. I walked the property before and managed to get within ~10m of rabbits so range shouldn't be an issue. Question - how soon should I gut and skin the rabbit? Kill then gut immediately? or can I get a bunch of rabbits then take them back to the house to process? The plan is to eat them.

Alternatively, if any of you good buggers live nearby to Maramarua/Miranda in the Waikato and feel like taking a newbie around your property with a proper .22 to show them the ropes

Cheers all.

I do them asap.

Gut them as soon as you shoot them, skin them and cut them up when you get home. (that’s what I do)

Originally Posted by Finnwolf

Gut them as soon as you shoot them, skin them and cut them up when you get home. (that’s what I do)

Once gutted, would it be a good idea to put the carcasses into a backpack so I can continue walking around? Excuse the ignorance...

Run the risk of stuffing ya seal if ya do that. Its called dieseling. It causes the oil in the cylinder to explode.
But yep it boosts the power for a few shots. Wont be hitting where ya sighted it in for, due to the increase of volicity. Probly not something to do to ya uncles gun either.

As above, prepare ASAP. If you don't, the smell may put you off eating them. Gutless method works great on rabbits. Skin off, backstraps off, back legs off, front legs off. Store in cool, dry place in something that allows airflow i.e. not a plastic bag. Pillow case is ideal.

skin it, gut it then give it to the dog.
over 10K killed so far and they still taste like shit to me

Originally Posted by gonetropo

skin it, gut it then give it to the dog.
over 10K killed so far and they still taste like shit to me

You heathen!!!

You obviously didn't get to eat the good ones! People I serve up green thai curry 'chicken' can't tell the difference

Once shot ( head shot gets rid of any chance of rupturing organs that may taint the meat and brusing) Lift the rabbit up by its front legs ,wrap your hand around its body and gentally push your thumb against it underside and run your hand down the length of the body a few times. This will get most of shit and piss out of it. Gut it in the field, if your going to continue hunting. You can put it in a bag but its going to keep leaking blood even after its gutted and bleed out. (So some sort of bag lining might help) Take a bottle of water with you (somerthing like a power aid bottle with a top you drink from) and rince the gut cavity after you gut it.
You dont have to gut it in the field, I often bring them back whole but not if ive shot them through the organs or id im going to be out for a while
. Im guessing from the question that you havent skinned to many either that will be easier to do back at where ever you are staying.
The biggest thing to be aware of is the direction your shooting in. A .22 can travel a km or 2 so dont shot rabbits on the edge of gullies or top of slopes where if you dont hit it the bullet has nothing to stop it.
Mostly take your time, dont feel you have to take the shot if its running off. Probly anther one not to far away.
Take note of any muck ups you make and learn from them.
Take a couple of shots at a target before you head out to make sure gun is shooting where you are aiming. Enjoy yourself.

Originally Posted by kruza

Once shot ( head shot gets rid of any chance of rupturing organs that may taint the meat and brusing) Lift the rabbit up by its front legs ,wrap your hand around its body and gentally push your thumb against it underside and run your hand down the length of the body a few times. This will get most of shit and piss out of it. Gut it in the field, if your going to continue hunting. You can put it in a bag but its going to keep leaking blood even after its gutted and bleed out. (So some sort of bag lining might help) Take a bottle of water with you (somerthing like a power aid bottle with a top you drink from) and rince the gut cavity after you gut it.
You dont have to gut it in the field, I often bring them back whole but not if ive shot them through the organs or id im going to be out for a while
. Im guessing from the question that you havent skinned to many either that will be easier to do back at where ever you are staying.
The biggest thing to be aware of is the direction your shooting in. A .22 can travel a km or 2 so dont shot rabbits on the edge of gullies or top of slopes where if you dont hit it the bullet has nothing to stop it.
Mostly take your time, dont feel you have to take the shot if its running off. Probly anther one not to far away.
Take note of any muck ups you make and learn from them.
Take a couple of shots at a target before you head out to make sure gun is shooting where you are aiming. Enjoy yourself.

Cheers mate. From what you and others are saying its probably easiest to gut in the field and continue skinning/breaking down the meat back at home base.

Even thought its a measly air rifle I will be using, I am itching to start sourcing some meat for the family. FAL couldn't come any sooner...

Originally Posted by Tall kiwi

Cheers mate. From what you and others are saying its probably easiest to gut in the field and continue skinning/breaking down the meat back at home base.

Even thought its a measly air rifle I will be using, I am itching to start sourcing some meat for the family. FAL couldn't come any sooner...

Im an air rifle shooter. Absolutly love it. Takes a lot of skill to use a springer. You got to get in close, a 55m shot is a long shot on average. You got to be accurate cause the shock wont bowl it over. You got to know the wind cause your pellet is light as. You got to know your pellet drop cause its a big arc over a relatively short distance. If ya need any info yell out or head on over to kiwiairgunners, lot of good knowledgeable ppl there who can help you refine ya knowledge as well. Lots of useful info in the forums.
Air guns are highly under rated in my view
What are you shooting and what pellets are you using ?

Originally Posted by kruza

Im an air rifle shooter. Absolutly love it. Takes a lot of skill to use a springer. You got to get in close, a 55m shot is a long shot on average. You got to be accurate cause the shock wont bowl it over. You got to know the wind cause your pellet is light as. You got to know your pellet drop cause its a big arc over a relatively short distance. If ya need any info yell out or head on over to kiwiairgunners, lot of good knowledgeable ppl there who can help you refine ya knowledge as well. Lots of useful info in the forums.
Air guns are highly under rated in my view
What are you shooting and what pellets are you using ?

Sorry, I couldnt tell you what air rifle it is. Been several years since I used it (belongs to my uncle). I was thinking of buying my own pellets so I don't use all of his. What kind would you recommend?

Ive never fired one. I use stoeger x-field pellets as one of three pellets the gamo shoots really well. Read and watched a few reviews on web. Looks like a pretty sweet gun.
Be keen to hear what you think of it .
Sight it in at 10m first then fine tune it to 20m/25m .
After that if you want to get a cardbord box put 5 1inch dots on it. The shoot the first dot at ten meters, the second at 20m etc to 50m, youll see how the pellet changes impact point, above or below the bulls.
Some where in the middle theres a place where the impact points are nearly the same. Thats the flat part of its flight. Thats the part you want set to the distance you'll do the most shooting at. ( or leave it at 20m/25m
The the rest hold over or under when aiming at those distances.
Tell me if im telling you stuff you know. As you said you were a newbie im sure how much you know.

Post how it goes. Good or bad, Id be keen to see how you get on.
Enjoy your hunt. Rember no hunt is wasted time, your learning more every time.

Originally Posted by kruza

Post how it goes. Good or bad, Id be keen to see how you get on.
Enjoy your hunt. Rember no hunt is wasted time, your learning more every time.

Collected the rifle this evening. In a previous post you asked what model it was? Its a Stoeger X20 in .22 cal. Last time I used the rifle the scopes were way off so will need to zero the scope. Whats a good range to zero it? I was thinking 25 yards to begin with.