Wabbit processing

Meeker · Member Joined: Nov 09, 2005 Posts: 28 Location: Colorado

Take what part of the pelt you want, for the type of fly you want to tie. If you want to, you can use thumb tacks, and tack it down to a peice of wood fur down, or you can leave on a bench fur down, or someplace safe and clean, scrape majority of soft tissue off (fat, if any), and rub table salt into hide. Let air dry until hide is hard. I have some pieces that have been around for years.

515034s10ring · Posted: Sat Dec 31, 2005 11:14 am Post subject: Re: Wabbit processing

Cool, Thanks for the tip! Cool

Vince · Posted: Wed Jan 11, 2006 7:07 am Post subject: Re: Wabbit processing

515034s10ring wrote:

Ok, what do you guys do to preserve the pelt then? Cool

Gidday 10ring. I assume the wabbits we have here in aussie are much the same as you guys have. I use two different methods of skinning and gutting.

For keeping the meat only: Run a cut up the underside, grip the front legs in one hand and the rear legs in the other. A good strong hard flick exits the gut onto the ground out in front of you. I then cut the skin across the back, insert fingers under each side and pull hard. The skin comes off in two pieces. Cut the legs where you want then twist the head off. Takes a couple of minutes.

For the skin and meat: I cut the skin down the inside of each rear leg then carefully work the skin down off each leg. Once there is enough to grip it is simply a matter to grip the rear legs in one hand and the skin in the other and pull hard to peel the skin off. Cut around the neck in the desired place. The skin will come off in a tube. Gut as per above. I turn the skin inside out, salt, then put a u shaped wire bow up inside it and put it out to dry. It is ready to tan any time you wish.

Works for me.

I might have a go at the "stomp" method...sounds easy and efficient.

Cheers, Vince

farrier · Member Joined: Jan 17, 2006 Posts: 43

I read this and it made me think of something that I do to squirrels before I skin them, I dip them in water it seems like it helps keep some of the hair from floating around and getting on the meat.

wirehunt · Posted: Fri Jan 20, 2006 1:32 am Post subject: Re: Wabbit processing

I do the same as Vince, but I skin then gut.

Same for keeping the pelt but onto a 4x2 instead of wire, about eight staples and your done.

Got to try that other way though just for the back end, it sounds good!

Stephen