Rabbit Question

[easttexashunter]

Hey everyone. I've been coyote hunting lately and have came across a couple of rabbits the last 2 nights. The first one I got I had my neighbor skin it for me and show me how. The one I took last  night, I tried to skin it where I killed it and just screwed it up. I'm looking to keep the fur as well as the meat. I dont want to go back out and have to ruin another animal. Thats the worst feeling. Anyone know of any site I can see some good pics or a video of this to help me out. Any advice is appreciated also. Justin

[Greybeard]

For good info on how to properly skin an animal to not damage the hide check with the trapper guys on the Trapping Forum.

[D.C.]

well it is quite simple realy ,but we will see if i can convey the trick in writing.  i leave the front feet attached you can cut them off later if you want. first i cut a ring around the rear legs just above the foot joint. i leave the feet on the carcus to use as handles later.next connect the two rings with one nice line and cut arrond the genitals and anus again through the skin only. you will find it easy to seperate the skin from the flesh with your fingers. Now simly pull the little bunny suit off by tyurning it inside out on itself.and pulling evenly all the way around. when you get to the frot legs again your fingers help out here peel the skin down to the foot joint ant cut off th foot without cutting the hide. pull the skin down over the head and cut it off with a nice strait cut all the way around the neck .roll it up and when you get home you can hang it inside out on a frame made from a wire close hanger. cure it as you see fit. now you have a clean skinless carcus to clean any way that works for you. this works best if you head shoot any animal you wish to skin. hope this helps you out.  D.C.

[Ranger J]

If you are talking about cottontails good luck getting the skin off in one piece.  While they are one of the easiest animals in the world to ‘skin’, getting that skin off in one piece would be quite a job.  The skin is tissue paper thin compared to any other animal I have ever tries to skin.
RJ

[D.C.]

well you may be right ,most of my skinning is of domestic rabbits.
 question
1 do you think there was enough info for you to try it this way?
2 have you ever tryed to do a cottontail in this fashion?
as for me i never thoght of saving the pelts off of wild rabbits always did it quick and dirty and wasted the pelts. this method works good on domestic rabbits and i thought it would be usefull to share it. like all things there is a knack to it, and practice my be the key, but you may be right. It might just plain not work on cottontails, i dont know.    D.C.

[Jerry Lester]

It'll work just fine on wild cottontails, but you'd better have a lot of patience, and very good nerves!

I used to skin all my rabbits that way when I was a kid. An old fellow used to give me 50 cents apiece for the ones I managed to keep in good shape with the head, ears, tail, and feet all attatched. I have no idea what he wanted them for?