Kill the Wabbit, Kill the Wabbit

[tlbradford]

Michelle and Longtat were talking about rabbits in a seperate thread, so I thought I would post this, since nothing else is being killed right now.

I put the stalk on this guy when he was eating more of my plants.  He ran off the night before when I had my little girl with me, so she didn't get to hunt with me.  I spotted him in my front yard with a mouthful of grass, when I was pulling into the driveway.  I ducked into the garage, grabbed my old compound which is at the ready for yard hunts, and peaked around the corner.  After stealthily moving around the rabbit, so a miss or pass-through and bounce would only hit my house and not the neighbors, I let fly at about 6 yards.  I like the field points over judos or blunts because it pins them to the ground or keeps them from running as far.  This is desirable when living in a development.  I bent my arrow though on the rocks in the flower bed dang it.     No I didn't eat it, but some scavenger will.  My new little Buck Whitaker folder, that I bought at Cabelas earlier that morning finished the job with a quick slice of the throat.  Not a bad little blade for $10.

[Curly]

Good job.

I've got 6 this spring w/ a 22 cal pellet gun.  They seem to like my yard; I think it is because the 5 ac is fenced and the coyotes don't come inside the fence.  The rabbits seem to think it is some sort of sancuary for them.  If the *censored*s would go into the two live traps I have set in the yard, I would take em for a ride and let them go; but they just won't go in the traps so I had to resort to killing the plant eating vermin.

I used to shoot them w/ a 22 rifle and CB long ammo, but my rifle just was't very accurate with the CB's.  My brother let me borrow his pellet gun and it works really good.  A pellet to the head kills them instantly.

[tlbradford]

I think the cottontails around here have a good chance of carrying some parasite during the summer months.  Don't quote me on that, I just remember hearing it somewhere.  Winter rabbits go into the stew pot.

Curly, I have been thinking about getting a nice pellet gun, but there are so many regular guns I still need first.

[saylean]

I think if their liver looks healthy, then they are ok to eat. If there are spots on the liver, then its no good....just something I was either taught or read...or made up... Who knows anymore.

Anywho....rabbit stew sounds good to me.

[Jackjr]

Nice shot

[MountainWalk]

saylean,, i would say you are right about the spots on the liver.

[WDFW Hates ME!!!]

I was told to only eat rabbits in months that have an "R" in them, September-April...

[tlbradford]

I was told to only eat rabbits in months that have an "R" in them, September-April...

That is what I was taught as well.

[boneaddict]

probably due to Tuleremia or Rabbit Fever.  Most of the vectors probably die in the colder months.  A deadly bacterium often associated with rabbits.   Don't buy much into beware craze, or the latex glove craze, but sounds like a good enough reason for me not to eat a rabbit.  By the way, tuleremia has nothing to do with the rabbits liver.

[Ray]

damn rabbits are out of control over here too. I aint shootin em though. Don't want them to end up in someone's yard.

[billythekidrock]

plant eating vermin

+1

I was told to only eat rabbits in months that have an "R" in them, September-April...

Same here...or was that Oysters?

[tlbradford]

I cut one open in August several years ago and it had little white, what looked like tiny tiny worms, all over the major organs.  I never found out what that was. 

[addicted]

didnt eat him?  skim em put him in a bag with beer of choice and some seasoning for the rest of the day and BBQ wrapped in aluminum foil 

[tlbradford]

Ok I did some research of what I saw many years ago, and it appears they were tapeworm cysts.  Apparantly, it is ok to eat when cooked, but maybe it is just me, but I'll pass.

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/regions/reg5/2000/graphics/tapeworm.jpg&imgrefurl=http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/regions/reg5/2000/oct3000.htm&h=453&w=600&sz=93&hl=en&start=47&um=1&tbnid=U8YhcBSrkz70IM:&tbnh=102&tbnw=135&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dlarva%2Bin%2Bbody%2Bcavity%2Bof%2Brabbit%26start%3D36%26ndsp%3D18%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26rls%3Dcom.microsoft:en-US%26sa%3DN

Bottom of the page. is the info and link to picture.

[littletoes]

22 shorts are as quiet as a pellet rifle, and will shoot out of most bolt action rifles. You can fire 'em in your back yard and nobody will be the wiser....uhhh hummmm...so I hear.... 

I've heard the liver-spot thing about deer liver....?

[huntingbg]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't rabbit season start in September, or is it open year around.  I thought the pamphlet says it starts in September?  I saw a bunch a couple a weeks ago on a scouting trip.

[ICEMAN]

Tell me where the rabbits are, and I will provide you with a stack of regulation manuals! 

[bearmanric]

                                       

[billythekidrock]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but doesn't rabbit season start in September, or is it open year around.  I thought the pamphlet says it starts in September?  I saw a bunch a couple a weeks ago on a scouting trip.

Should be open year round for depredation and damage control.