Dispatch questions : Meat Rabbits

[MidwestMatthew]

As I mentioned in another thread this morning, we processed our first litter last Saturday. It went well, but I have a few questions about the dispatch for next time.

We used the broomstick (actually steel conduit) method. It was quite quick and easy, and I'll use it again if I must, but each rabbit had two or three bad seconds while I was placing the bar and getting hold of their legs. Additionally, I noticed areas of bloodshot meat along the loins of a couple. Maybe I pulled too hard?

Anyway, I'd like to try something else next time but I don't have money for a neck-wringer or a captive bolt.

I do have access to a C02-powered pellet pistol. It shoots a .177 lead pellet around 480 fps. Is that powerful enough for an instant kill (or stun), assuming contact shots to the correct location? Is there anything (non-living) I can test it with to tell for sure?

One method I had thought of was a flat-bladed spade and a deep tray of dirt. I'm relatively certain I could place the spade correctly with little if any discomfort to the rabbit - then a quick thrust into the soil should do a nice quick decapitation. Or am I under-estimating the toughness of a rabbit's neck?

I'm not comfortable with the bopping method - just personal preference and lack of confidence as to my aim.

I don't mind dealing with some blood, as my main concern is keeping the rabbit comfortable until the lights go out.

Any thoughts?

[shazza]

i use the broom method too and i find it adequate. i haven't had any problems with there being bruising anywhere but on the neck, and we just cut around that and give it to the dog/cats. ultimately i'd like a wringer but i agree - they are pretty expensive for what they are. my husband is pretty handy though, so we might be able to make our own.

a pellet gun will get the job done, but my concern would be the lead. i know you don't usually eat the head but i prefer not to have lead anywhere near anything i will be eating. i would opt for a different material pellet if you do use that method. as for would it kill, i imagine that as long as you put the gun right to the rabbit's head that 480 would be enough to kill it. their skulls, especially young ones, are pretty thin and easy to get through.

i don't have many suggestions on the shove method except that i would be terrified to try because i would be so scared that i'd just break the neck and it'd still be alive and possibly in pain. maybe if you sharpened the shovel first, haha.

[FourRingCircus]

I was given a homemade rabbit wringer type thing that works well... It looks like a simple design - a metal plate/bracket with a piece of bent rebar welded on. The only issue I have had with it is smaller rabbits can twist around a bit if I am not careful - if I were making another one I would make the gap smaller at the smallest point.

[bigfoot_158]

I going with pellet gun. I am tired of getting bruised meat.

[SEP board]

Bigfoot and I talked about this in another thread. I didn't want to spend $50+ dollars for a piece of metal for the cervical dislocation. So I opted to use a pellet rifle. I have three pellet rifles, a Crosman 760 Pump Master, Bear River Sportsman 900 and a Beeman X2 Kodiak Silver Dual Caliber. I chose the 760 Pump Master because it had the shortest barrel. I used the .177 Crosman Destroyer EX 7.9 grain pellet. The rifle was pumped 8 times which puts the pellet at <600 fps. Placed behind the ears in the center of the head pointed towards the nose. Each dispatch was instantaneous. You'll have maybe 20 seconds of twitching with the hind legs but that is nerve reflex. Keep a stick handy just in case the rabbit moves at the last second and you get a bad shot.
There will be some blood so do it on the grass.

[bigfoot_158]

Bigfoot and I talked about this in another thread. I didn't want to spend $50+ dollars for a piece of metal for the cervical dislocation. So I opted to use a pellet rifle. I have three pellet rifles, a Crosman 760 Pump Master, Bear River Sportsman 900 and a Beeman X2 Kodiak Silver Dual Caliber. I chose the 760 Pump Master because it had the shortest barrel. I used the .177 Crosman Destroyer EX 7.9 grain pellet. The rifle was pumped 8 times which puts the pellet at <600 fps. Placed behind the ears in the center of the head pointed towards the nose. Each dispatch was instantaneous. You'll have maybe 20 seconds of twitching with the hind legs but that is nerve reflex. Keep a stick handy just in case the rabbit moves at the last second and you get a bad shot.
There will be some blood so do it on the grass.

I must not have seen that thread sorry for that. I havnt decide which pellet rifle I am getting. It will be dual purpose, for dispatching my home grown bunnies and hunting. I looking at Hatan 125 and the umarex octane. If you got any experince pm me please.

[foresthomemama]

We use a pellet gun. I can't do any other method, I'm not good with "hands-on" dispatching. I'm a wimp, I guess. I'm not sure of the specifics of the pellet gun, my husband does that part, though I have no problem with it either, I just need to get used to his gun- .177, but not CO2. Our dispatches have all been instantaneous, on older and younger rabbits. I don't think I'll be trying any other method, the pellet gun works best for us, though I wonder if I can find one that is easier to pump. My husband doesn't think I am strong enough to use the pump, but we'll see

[a7736100]

http://www.raising-rabbits.com/killing-rabbits.html

I like to try The Arterial Bleed because a chef told me the animal is relaxed and the meat stays tender. Only thing is I haven't found a good set of instructions as to how to hold the rabbit and knife and how to avoid cutting myself.

A blog I found with instructions and photos.

http://polyfaceapprentice.blogspot.com/ ... bbits.html

[Truckinguy]

I used a Crosman 1088 CO2 pistol, it's caliber is .177 and it shoots BB's and pellets. It's much easier to use than a rifle and one shot usually does the trick although it does have an eight shot magazine if the first one isn't instantaneous. It's a very good gun although it seems to last about a year and then there are seal problems which I'm dealing with. I bought a second gun last year when the first one started leaking right before aI had to dispatch a bunch of buns.

One good customer brought her father along with her a few months ago and he asked me what I do with the heads. I told him they usually go in the compost and he asked if he could have them. He's an elderly Italian guy and apparently heads are a delicacy to him. I now bop the rabbit with the butt end of a hatchet so there isn't a pellet in the head. I"m not real happy about it but I"m used to it now and they are regular customers who will buy all the rabbits I can produce so I'll do it for them.

[GBov]

What about a piece of plywood with a v notch cut into it, mounted with the v notch clear of any mounting method used to secure the wood? If you use half inch ply it will be strong enough and if you dont like the shape or size of your notch, just cut another one.

[EnglishSpot]

One issue I've had with my wringer is bending from the pulls. I've used it for over a year now and the notch plate noticably has bent to the point where I have to rebend it upward after five or six rabbits. I don't like broomsticking since for me it left a LOT more bruising than the wringer has. For adult rabbits I have a wooden baseball bat since they're too tough for the wringer.

[SEP board]

What about a piece of plywood with a v notch cut into it, mounted with the v notch clear of any mounting method used to secure the wood? If you use half inch ply it will be strong enough and if you dont like the shape or size of your notch, just cut another one.

I've seen a few folks use this and it seems to work quite well.