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How to Gut a Rabbit

How to Gut a Rabbit

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  1. Watch for common parasites and diseases. 
  2. Skin the rabbit (see how to skin a rabbit).
  3. Find a clean place to gut the rabbit (free from mud or dust) and then proceed to cut open the abdomen, taking care not to burst the bladder, bowel or intestine. 
  4. Hang the body in a cool room/ larder at less than 4 degrees Celsius. 
  5. Prepare the meat for eating in as hygienic conditions as possible.

Equipment

A good hunting knife is essential for safely, quickly and humanely killing your catch and treating it. Be sure to buy from a reputable maker and ensure that you have an appropriate sheath to carry it in.
Hunting knife

How to Gut a Rabbit

Knowing how to gut a rabbit (field dress) properly will ensure that the meat is left unspoilt and that you minimise the risk of ingesting any nasty parasites or bacteria. Act as quickly as possible once the rabbit has been caught for best results. 

Photo Credit: Designlazy.com

Steps

1- Watch for common parasites and diseases. Things to look out for: Warbles (live under the skin and are planted by bot flies. They should not be considered dangerous to humans in this form. But should be removed),and Tularemia/rabbit fever (people are at a higher risk by inhaling the bacteria during skinning. Inspect the liver of your rabbit for white or yellow spots).

2- Skin the rabbit (see how to skin a rabbit).

3- Find a clean place to gut the rabbit (free from mud or dust) and then proceed to cut open the abdomen, taking care not to burst the bladder, bowel or intestine. Reach inside and remove the internal organs, applying pressure from the rib cage down to the anus. 

4- Hang the body in a cool room/ larder at less than 4 degrees Celsius. 

5- Prepare the meat for eating in as hygienic conditions as possible. Should you be hanging the meat for a longer period, it I sensible to covering the carcass in salt before you do so. 


Tips

Be sure to clean up after you’ve gutted and skinned your kill. It is the responsible thing to do. 

If you are worried that the rabbit may have had parasites, once you’ve skinned it, briefly dip it in boiling water.

Some people find it easier to skin and gut the rabbit whilst being hung. This way the meat is kept off of the ground.

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