skinning rabbits

[huntermj]

i would like to find someone in Colorado who can teach me to skin and clean small game. This is something i have always wanted to learn but do not want to try from instructions on the web. I don't want to screw it up and waste the life of an animal just for my instruction. I feel i could read about it forever but need hands on instruction to really learn how to do it without wasting a life. I think if i am going to harvest a rabbit or other game it should be fully utilized. i don't have any friends who know how to do this and am simply looking for ideas on where to find someone who is capable of teaching such skills. I live in Longmont, CO so if there was someone in lower Wyoming that would work as well.

[rebel]

I'm sorry I'm not there. It's very simple and the same for small mammals. i.e. squirrels, rabbits, etc.

1. After the animal is dead, make a small perpendicular incision (to the spin) at the mid point and big enough for two fingers.
2. Pull the skin apart working - in more fingers a you can.
3. Pull the skin down and around the head and feet on one end and around the feet on the other.
4. Cut off the feet and head from one end and the feet from the other.
5. You should have a skinned animal at this point.
6. Open the belly and remove all the organs. Try not to nick the intestines.
7. Wash the meat.
At this point the meat is ready to cook.
Now, if you want to save the pelt obviously this is not the method and you should not start at the middle.

[catfish10101]

To save the pelt, make your first cut from chin to genitals on the underside. Then cut outward from the first cut up the underside of each leg, and cut a circle around the anus and genitals, leaving them on the carcus until you gut it. Carefully push your fingers under the skin to pull it loose from the carcus. Cut around the feet and you should have a full pelt, ready for tanning.

[nell67]

I know you said you didn't want to read it on the net,but here is a link that Trax posted before,the guy does a very good job of describing the "how to"

http://simplesurvival.net/gamedressing.htm

[trax]

cut around the back legs at knee, same on front legs, cut a slit across the back end of the animal work a smal circle around the anal area, work the knife in a bit to loosen the hide (under the legs and across the slit...not the anal area), pull the skin off. Then take the guts out,as mentioned be careful not to nick intestines, etc. You can take the skin off at the head if you wish or cut the head off, or skin right over the head and cook it too if you wish. Rabbits are about the easiest, the hide will pull right off.

and then you've got an entire hide that you can stretch over a board if you want.

[Sourdough]

Step # 1 Get YELLOW pages phone book.

Step # 2 Look up Taxidermist in the area.

Step # 3 Call ask them to show you. or if they know someone local, they should know all the local hunters, and who is retired and hunts everyday.

[huntermj]

Thanks everyone, good infomation.
I had not thought of a taxidermist. I will check them out on Monday.
Thanks Again

[hard county]

As a rabbitt hunter I can tell you that a pair of the gerber scissor/shears, is worth its weight in gold.
I also can tell you that skinning a rabbit for survival is different than the way a hunter would skin it.
First off, you get less meat the way a hunter would do it, and you would get less pelt.
The way I would do it in the wild:
cut off the head,
cut a verticle slit through the belly skin being careful not to puncture the intestines
peel the skin off, taking your time
cut just above the feet
clean it (remove the entrails)
wash it off, and then boil it with whatever vegetables you are able to find.
If you do not have access to a pot, you can cook it rotisserie style on a spit by tying the backbone to the stick to force it to spin with some twine.

[Jericho117]

There are many methods in which to skin and clean small game, I prefer using the method which involves maintaining the hide, skinning as you would large game, but for a quick skin on Rabbits you could make a large slit along horizontally across the back, insert your fingers, and pull the meat out. Clean the cavity out. Save the eyeballs, liver, heart, kidneys, and lungs so you can eat them. I find dried twisted up Cottontail Rabbit intestine to be quite a good short-term cordage. Set aside any other parts of the animal for bait. Utilize everything.

[Nelson_from_Maine]

Did you ever get to skin your own game? It's 2011 and we need an update.

[Sarge47]

On "Dual Survival" David Canterbury and Cody Lundin show just how easy skinning a rabbit is. Squirrels have a tougher skin but dress out the same way. Just remember that squirrels usually hire Ken as their lawyer!

[finallyME]

A couple weeks ago I was going to skin one of my rabbits. My son really wanted to do it himself, so I let him. I killed it and cut off the head, and then with a little instruction, my son did the rest. It is really, really easy.

[vahtryn]

If I was in colorado I could teach you. I was actually born in Longmont several decades ago.

[huntermj]

Well i still haven't skinned a rabbit. But i still get my hunting lic. every year, so there's hope for me yet.
And its Rabbit season! Also now that i live in Vermont where everybody hunts i shouldn't have any trouble finding someone to show me how to do this correctly. You guys make it sound pretty easy. I think i just need yo get my hands in there and do it.

[Kortoso]

You can practice on road kill. I've done that with 2 bunnies.
Cardinal rule: Don't cut the guts. Learned that the *ugh* hard way.
I've heard that most of the skin can be removed without cutting; it's very thin. I'll experiment with that next time.

[Rick]

Do a google fu for meat rabbits in your location. I'll bet you can find a farm or two in your area that sells them. I'd also bet they'd be willing to teach you how to clean them. Maybe trade some instruction for a little work, clean out hatch or something like that?