Hunting (part 5)

This is my step by step recipe for shooting the rabbit, preparing the rabbit, and serving the rabbit. I always prepare the rabbits when i return from my shoot as i find when the bunnies are still a little warm it does make the process easier. First i have removed the feet and the tail ready for the skin to come off. I start at the tail by using your fingers, prise the skin away until you have completely exposed the back legs.

The rabbit should look like the one above. There is a piece of sinew between the back legs, the reproductive organs, this has to be cut through with a sharp knife to prevent tearing the stomach. Then hold the rabbit by the neck and slowly pull the skin towards the head.

When all the skin has been removed from the body, as above, with a sharp knife cut through the neck and spinal column and discard in a sealed bag.

Make a cut in the middle of the stomach, cutting towards the front legs to expose the innards. With your hand, ease the innards out taking care not to burst the stomach (the smell isn't pleasant, make sure there is plenty ventilation). When all the innards have been removed (paunch) wash the carcase out in cold water thoroughly.I like to do this in the field, the Willey old fox will clear up your mess.

When the carcase has been washed out, put you hand into the cavity towards the front legs and pull out the membrane to expose the heart and lungs and remove them. From the rest of the innards, you can keep back the liver and kidneys, (offal). The offal should look like the picture above, from the left we have, Heart and Lungs, Liver, Kidneys, they need to be washed very well. If the liver has white blotches, this is the sign of an unhealthy rabbit, i would dispose of it. This recipe doesn't require the offal, but it can be used. When i supply my local butcher with rabbits, i skin them paunch them and put back in the stomach cavity the offal so the customer knows they are organic. Remember always dispose of the waste correctly.

Hunting (part 4)

Well i haven't had much time on my hands to report any hunting news or pictures with the weather being so bad, work and the first addition to my clan, but i am pleased to say i have been wandering the southwest country side with rifle in one hand and camera in the other. I have been in Somerset for a while but that was work and no time for play and been to no end of places doing some small contract work but I'm back and have been making a few adjustments to my guns. Both are now fitted with Bushnell Banner scopes, Harris Bipods and what a difference. I picked up a Bushnell Range Finder and have been making some spot on long range head shots and with the bipod, i have never rated them but i have found them great in the fields were i shoot. I have noticed the rabbit population is a little low on previous years but i put this down to the weather so I'm having to go a little further a field. I have been making a few trips to the village a couple of miles away from St Just my usual were i have permission, a place called Botallack which is accessible through fields so i can normally pick up a few bunnies on the way.

These two bunnies were taken with the HW100 from one of the fields on the walk to Botallack off the bipod. I marked them at 38 and 42 yards on the range finder and perfectly placed in the back of the head, or and the Collard Dove was sat on a telephone cable running across the field, another one for the freezer. If you read part 5, 6 and 7 (Rabbit and Broccoli Pie) i have used these two rabbits in one of my own recipe for a rabbit pie. I have done the recipe from preparing the rabbit to making the pie and serving it. I will do another dish at a later date, a little more complex, a dish i do at a highly awarded hotel i work.

This is a bag i took a good few weeks ago. Just past a caravan which is occupied by a friends sister there is a large pile of slate, which over looks a small field tooked out of the way. There is always a good amount of life there. I lay on the top, bipod ready and took up residence there for the next 45 minutes. I was marking the bunnies with the Range finder at 32 yards, taking into consideration i was shooting down so i was to aim a little high. The first one popped its head up disturbed by a local Magpie, i switched to mark the Magpie knowing it was going to cause me some trouble, perfect 35 yards, i knocked off the safety and with the HW100 whacked it straight in the chest and we have silence again. The thud of the Magpie hitting the deck spooked rabbit No 1 so i did a quick recce of the field and picked up a few in the hedge row. I waited for them to venture out and marked another one, a single neck shot bowled it over. Within 10 minutes another one was out and another neck shot at 30 yards. The waiting game got the better of me and had to move on.

I took the third rabbit from this hide (over grown corrugated tin hut), it is perfect but it is a shame there isn't much going on in this field now, but just behind the hide are a group of trees which hold a lot of Woodies and the odd Squirrel, Woodcock and members of the Corvid family. So like i said, the next few pages are dedicated to cooking and eating your game. Check em out and try it.
Keep Hunting !!!

Hunting (part 6)

This is were you take the Heart and Lungs from which is towards the front legs. So wash the rabbit and in the cavity between the rear legs with your little finger, push through the tube and reproductive organs and discard and wash out.

The rabbit should look like this (the one above) and is now ready to prepare (joint) and poach.

So this is the rabbit jointed. The back legs cut through, the front legs removed and the saddle (back) trimmed of fat and sinew.

I always keep the roasted carcase of a chicken for flavour and put it in the bottom of a heavy pan and place the jointed rabbit on top.

Roughly chop an onion, two carrots, 1 bulb of garlic (with skin) and 5 bay leaves and put on the top of the rabbit and fill half full with cold water.