eating rabbits

[James Bosley]

are the rabbits on this side good to eat i heard that they are not that good to eat because they can carry something that will make you sick is that true???

James

[rasbo]

I will eat them in the winter,they have made me sick ask anyone on here.they are pretty good

[James Bosley]

how sick did they make you because the only time i have seen them is during the summer.that is why i am asking

[CastleRocker]

They are great eating!  Buddy used to have beagles and we hunted them a lot.  My son still whacks a few from time to time.  As far as making you sick...I've eaten them all my life and never got ill due to rabbits.  Months that have an "r" in them used to be the time to eat them, but I won't eat them in the early fall unless there has been a killing frost.  I've always heard they have worms before that.  I don't know though as I've never eaten one that was killed before the first big fall frost. 

[rasbo]

how sick did they make you because the only time i have seen them is during the summer.that is why i am asking

I dont eat them in the summer.The sick part was a sick joke about me.I get them and grouse at the same time.In the morning they will be on the edges of the roads eating the grass right where the grouse are.I shoot them in the head with a 22mag,you will love them.

[runamuk]

how sick did they make you because the only time i have seen them is during the summer.that is why i am asking

I dont eat them in the summer.The sick part was a sick joke about me.I get them and grouse at the same time.In the morning they will be on the edges of the roads eating the grass right where the grouse are.I shoot them in the head with a 22mag,you will love them.

Yes Rasbo is sort of sick 

Little cotton tails just before dawn they go hopping down my driveway 

lb for lb rabbits have an awful lot of guts, not sure I will be hunting many, the idea of cleaning them for such a small amount of meat  ... of course we raised rabbits so I can usually find somewhere to buy good inexpensive rabbit

[littlebuf]

the best rabbit i ever had we shot out at the ocean. they were so thick out there one year it was amazing we got quite a bit of meat.

[murphyranch]

I won't eat them in the early fall unless there has been a killing frost.  I've always heard they have worms before that.  I don't know though as I've never eaten one that was killed before the first big fall frost. 

 

[Thehowler]

Western Washington cottentails, never found any worms cleaning them, and never have gotten sick eating them. I Hunt them first of September. 

[runamuk]

here is an article I found that might answer some of the questions...

http://beaglesunlimited.com/rabbithunting_tularemia.htm

[Airnip]

The disease is called Tularemia. Tried to search up an appropriate link but unfortunately this "rabbit fever" from Francisella tularensis has been included in Homeland Security as a possible biologicial weapon.

First a little help to spare some dictionary time. A leporid is a rabbit like critter, endemic means that it is occuring in a population without needing outside introduction. Printed the tick scientific names because it is part of the given text. Here is some advice quoted from my big fat peer reviewed scientific paper indexed copy of "The Biology of the Laboratory Rabbit" edited by Weisbroth, Flett, and Kraus page 454:

"Tularemia, while entirely unknown in laboratory and domestic rabbits, is endemic in wild rabbits and hares. It occurs throughout North America, continental Europe, and several Asiatic, North Africian, and South American countrys.

In North America about 90% of human tularemia cases are the results of contact with live leporids. Cottontails (Sylvilagus spp.) are by far the most important reservoir, while jackrabbits (lepus spp.) play a minor role. Few human cases have been traced to snowshoe hares (lepus americanus).

Man contracts tularemia by handling infected tissues,blood,excreta or by eating undercooked meat of infected wild leporids. It is important to note that Francisella (pasteurella) tularensis will penetrate the conjunctiva and apparently unbroken skin. Tularemia can also be transmitted through bites and fluids of ticks and flies infected by rabbits. The wood tic (Dermaceentor anderson) the dog tick (Dermacentor variabilis) the Lone Star tick (Amblyomma americanum), and the deer fly (Chrysops discalis) are the anthropods which most commonly transmit the disease to man. In Sweden and Russia mosquitoes of the genus Aedes are suspected of spreading the disease to man.

Wild rabbits and hares can be a definite hazard to human health and should be handled with great caution in areas where tularemia is endemic. Gloves and masks covering the entire face should be worn while skinning or dressing rabbits, and protective clothing and insect repellant should be used to prevent the bites of arthropods."

End quote, have to bear in mind that this advice is from shut in laboratory scientists. See now runamuk has posted a link to beagle hunting. I'm posting this anyway. 

[wastickslinger]

I dont eat cottontails but I will eat snowshoes. And only in the winter. 

[Airnip]

Liked the last couple paragraphs of the beagle link enough to paste them here:

"How can tularemia be prevented?

        Rubber, plastic, or latex gloves should be worn while skinning or handling rabbits, especially if you have open cuts or abrasions. Wild rabbit and rodent meat should be cooked thoroughly before eating. Once again, this doesn't mean you have to over cook the meat, simply make sure it is not bloody in the middle which is a sign that the meat is still raw or uncooked. When outdoors, avoid bites of deer flies and ticks by wearing insect repellents that contain DEET (for skin) and/or repellents containing Permethrin (for clothing only). Also, conduct "tick checks" every two to three hours if spending a lot of time outdoors where ticks are plentiful. All ticks attached to the body should be removed immediately. Using a pair of tweezers, slowly pull the tick straight out, no twisting, then wash hands thoroughly after removal (click here for tick removal photo). Avoid drinking, bathing, swimming or working in untreated (nonchlorinated) water. It is wisely suggested that you not pick up wild dead rabbits found in the outdoors. Also, be suspicious of rabbits that appear to be seriously ill or are easily caught by your Beagles.

Webmaster's Note

          I have been a rabbit hunter for more than 30 years and I have never seen a rabbit with a contaminated, spotted liver. I am also unaware of any friends that are hunters or outdoors persons that have ever contracted the disease. Remember, out of several million people that frequent the outdoors, work with laboratory rodents, and rabbit hunt only 150-300 cases are diagnosed throughout the entire US on a yearly basis. Also, remember this disease has been on a sharp decline for the past 50 years. The sole purpose of this article is to educate you on the disease tularemia, but in no way is this article intended to exaggerate its minimal risk factor. Just beware that the disease does exist, use the proper precautions, and enjoy rabbit hunting and eating rabbit meat. "

Pasting is so much easier than copying out of a book.

[FrankDown]

Ive killed and ate a lot of rabbits.  The worst part is keeping the hair off the meat lol.

[NW-Eric]

wouldn't west side rabbits be alot less susceptible to it do to the lack of ticks then??

[Intruder]

I've eaten tons of rabbits shot in CO.  We hunted em Oct-Mar.  Never took any precautions when cleaning but we always made sure to cook them at least medium.   

I've heard the "don't eat em in the summer" is more of a old wife's tale....  That being said, I've never hunted or eaten 1 shot during the warm months.  Assuming it is legal, I don't think I'd have a big concern shooting and eating 1 in the summer. 

Now that I'm a lil' older and hopefully wiser, I think I would be inclined to make sure to take the necessary handling precautions. 

[GrouseBane]

42 years old, been hunting small game (cotton tails, pheasant, ruff and blue grouse) on the west side since 16.  Never had illness from rabbit fever.  What I do is simple... limit fluid transfer by head shooting.  Don latex gloves.  Make shallow incision up belly from groin to voice box but only skin deep.  Use a razor sharp knife and pull skin away from animal while cutting.  Peel skin back from belly and chest, cut off head and make underhand windmill motion while holding hind feet.....visceral sack flies out intact without getting juices on animal meat.   Now skin the rest and cut legs and backstrap out.  Put meat in sanwitch bag.  You can use a second knife to biopsy the liver if you are worried about it. I found one iffy (2 or 3 small spots..probably just alcoholisim) out of literaly 100+ checked and have not bothered to check in years now.  I have eaten 9 so far this year and all is good.  Chances of being killed in car wreck going to hunt far outweigh chance of bunny butt (diarrhea) or bird flu.  Check the CDC's website, put fears to rest and just go hunt.  Marinate hind legs and backstraps in buttermilk (helps to tenderize) from dusk until dawn, then BBQ sauce from dawn until after work.  Stick on medium hot barbie for 7 minutes then flip for 5, baste lightly with BBQ sauce.  Serve with corn, sweet roll, and cold beer.  yum.