Eating Wild Rabbits

[BlackHogDown]

Never understood this.

I think its for fleas/ticks. Sometimes they'll have so many that its not worth the hassle. First freeze kills them off. Parasites are year round.

[Graysonhogs]

I have tried it, once.

How was it cooked? Never tried it myself.

[Graysonhogs]

I think its for fleas/ticks. Sometimes they'll have so many that its not worth the hassle. First freeze kills them off. Parasites are year round.

Make sense.

[Freer]

I have killed a few that have had a parasite under the skin. Its a black grub that can be about as big as your thumb. Its pretty gross.

[Drycreek3189]

It’s the grubs that get under their hides. If you kill a rabbit that doesn’t have them, you’re good. I killed bunches as a kid and never found a grub in one, and we ate them all. Anything you can do with chicken you can do with rabbit. Really, the grubs are not in the meat and cooking thoroughly will render the meat ok. It just isn’t very inviting to the appetite !

[bigchiefj]

Anyone ever eaten jacks?

I've fried it and it was good.

[RiverRat1]

Anyone ever eaten jacks?

I have tried it, once.

I tried it once also.... Never again! I even shot 4-5 just to pick out a young one that looked good.

If anyone doesn't believe me be sure and remind me if they ever visit the ranch. We will go shoot one after dark and I'll cook it up for you.

[Hoggslayer]

1 or 2 good freezes will kill the wolves (Bot fly larva) that live under the skin.

[El General]

Sardinian hare stew for jacks. Cotton tail is plenty good chicken fried.

https://honest-food.net/hare-stew-hard-times/

And other recipes.

https://honest-food.net/wild-game/ra...irrel-recipes/

I've been looking for a jack ever since I read that Sardinian Hare Stew recipe, and now of course I can't find one.

[RaginCagin]

Swamp rabbits and cotton tails are awesome to eat. We cook them smothered in a gravy over rice, in a gumbo and when folks kill a lot of them in the marsh they de bone them and make sausage mixed with some pork fat. The reason they say wait until after a freeze to eat them is the same reason they say it about squirrels. They sometimes have wolves aka bot fly larva in the neck area. It doesn't affect the meat at all and they don't all have it but some people don't like the look of it and wont consume them if they have this.

[BlackHogDown]

Well there you go... Interesting.

[Phillip Fields]

A freeze has nothing to do with the wolves (bot fly larva) disappearing. It takes a certain amount of time for the larva to complete their cycle and leave their host. You can find these wolves in squirrels as well as rabbits.

[DirtyDave]

I've always been told to wait til after a good freeze

Wives tale. Temp outside has nothing to do with internal parasites.
Temp outside doesnt matter much compared to temp on the body for external parasites either. If the bunny is warm, so are the fleas.

Sardinian hare stew for jacks. Cotton tail is plenty good chicken fried.

https://honest-food.net/hare-stew-hard-times/

And other recipes.

https://honest-food.net/wild-game/ra...irrel-recipes/

Sardinian hare stew is awesome

[Jspradley]

Both are delicious!

The don't eat them until after a freeze thing is a myth, they can carry intestinal worms but so can all mammals.

Worst thing you can get from a rabbit is tuleremia, but with proper handling it's a non issue.

[Jspradley]

A freeze has nothing to do with the wolves (bot fly larva) disappearing. It takes a certain amount of time for the larva to complete their cycle and leave their host. You can find these wolves in squirrels as well as rabbits.

Or in a deer's nose... ugh.. I'd want someone to shoot me if I had those living in me!!!