jani
Well-known member
So I have a very aggressive adult sf doe (a 12 lb beauty who acts like a beast) that has to go, heretofore I have always used a hopper popper (many many many times without incident or error) but it just won't work I can't even pick up the doe without her screaming let alone get her positioned in the popper. I got the brilliant idea to dispatch some kits a week or so early to get my confidence back to at least try broomstick method but even with a quiet animal now if they so much as squirm I can't go forward. Which I know is ridiculous and I should just find my big girl panties!
Truth is I have never ever enjoyed dispatch, I only do it out of necessity as I am determined to breed up so I do cull heavy. And my family, dogs, cats, chickens and garden certainly enjoy and benefit from rabbit output so I feel better about it then commercial meat. They have good lives, the best death I can manage and nothing goes to waste. But i really DO hate dispatch, at the same time feel I should be the one to do it. And now because of this very unusually nasty doe (I mean violently aggressive, no idea where it came from) I feel like I can't dispatch anyone now! It is funny, I actually find death throws comforting as I KNOW they are gone and bleeding out and dressing doesn't bother me in the least.. and I am so fast at dressing the heart is often beating. So I find that most inconsistent that actually killing bothers me! Because I don't mind dressing in the least (though I can't say it is fun)- I do like the cooking and eating part very much!
So, after a ton of debate I decided to acquire a crosman 22 "american classic" pellet pistol with lead free 22 pellets. Now, I have never EVER used a gun of any kind before so I have questions. First can I use it point blank and is it ok to hold the rabbit (facing OUT duh) between my knees and shoot from the back between her ears towards her mouth? Is that going to be about 100% effective on one shot? Is it SAFE to do that? Should the rabbit really be in a box or something in case the pellet goes right through? Maybe a hay bale in front of her to stop the bullet and prevent her leaping forward at the last second? Do I need to use both hands and keep my elbows straight for the recoil as I have heard some people say it is fine to use one hand and im kind of thinking I won't be able to keep the rabbit still without kneeling and a treat to keep her busy- as it is we are practicing and I am holding a stick behind her head. In order to straighten and lock my arms I have to lean back quite a bit. So I am trying to figure out the kinetics of this and how to keep the rabbit 100% relaxed and still so I can aim in exactly the right place (have I at least got that part right? Because i kind of thought using it like a pellet gun downwards from the "X" in the middle of forehead might be better as the bullet would end up in the floor or would that maybe wind up in my face??) and not have a miss if she jumps, I want her unaware and hopefully instantly DEAD without injuring or damaging anything or putting my neighbors (town lots, surrounded by duplexes and townhomes) on high alert. Which also brings to mind, can I do this business in my unfinished basement (open space, concrete floor and cinder block walls circa 1953.) Where I can hopefully conceal any noise and be 100% sure there are no wandering children, wildlife, pets etc?? I am a nurse, I have seen first hand how even kids bb guns can be very dangerous. I would feel beyond awful if I missed and hurt rather then killed a rabbit but I can't imagine how awful it would be to hit an unintended target.
I never knew anything about any of this before, apparently guns were a huge hobby during covid and folks were "plinking" (which i think is target shooting tin cans?) in their basements with this gun when paranoid people were staying out of fresh air-and apparently it is not too loud. But if it is strong enough to kill a rabbit I expect it can do some serious damage.
I also have a penetrating bolt gun, but again, I am scared to use it as I have read there is a learning curve. Well I don't want to hurt any animal, I am paranoid about missing and having any animal suffering. Plus, a local old timer looked at it and said it wouldn't kill one of my large rabbits (the bolt is hollow, about 1.5" long and has an angled tip- r **** made it, it has a black wrist strap but I don't have to box anymore to tell the model number. The farmer thought it was a stun gun not strong enough to penetrate a rabbit skull and the bolt part was not long enough). He said MAYBE I could use it on a young kit that was beyond saving. I would actually like to know if I could use that too as it seems like a safer solution in general. But I am super scared of missing from the horror stories I read! In a perfect world I would use that and keep the pellet gun on standby as a back up. Again I can't afford to screw up on any animal, this doe in particular would likely tear my eyes out and and scream loud enough to wake the dead if she ACTUALLY was suffering. Just giving her food and water (and she has never ever been mistreated and is clear of any ailment or injury on vet check) is a major ordeal of teeth and nails and if she is restrained from attacking in any way she screams blue murder. I don't get it mom is a sweet thing and dad is the best kindest most friendly rabbit I have EVER seen so where pure evil came from is a complete mystery. Suffice it to say she has a screw loose and has since a tiny kit. I am curious to see what her insides look like, as I would like some reasonable explanation of where this violence came from in my lines which I am very careful about.
Help and advice much appreciated, honestly I am now overthinking and having second thoughts I can even manage to do it this way, when I just fully convinced when I bought the gun it was the kindest, fastest and most instant way. I have lost so much confidence with this frankly nasty doe I am at my wits end! I just can't find any real "how to videos" online and I know I won't have any confidence until I can envision or picture exactly how I am supposed to do this correctly and get it over with FINALLY!
TYVM
Truth is I have never ever enjoyed dispatch, I only do it out of necessity as I am determined to breed up so I do cull heavy. And my family, dogs, cats, chickens and garden certainly enjoy and benefit from rabbit output so I feel better about it then commercial meat. They have good lives, the best death I can manage and nothing goes to waste. But i really DO hate dispatch, at the same time feel I should be the one to do it. And now because of this very unusually nasty doe (I mean violently aggressive, no idea where it came from) I feel like I can't dispatch anyone now! It is funny, I actually find death throws comforting as I KNOW they are gone and bleeding out and dressing doesn't bother me in the least.. and I am so fast at dressing the heart is often beating. So I find that most inconsistent that actually killing bothers me! Because I don't mind dressing in the least (though I can't say it is fun)- I do like the cooking and eating part very much!
So, after a ton of debate I decided to acquire a crosman 22 "american classic" pellet pistol with lead free 22 pellets. Now, I have never EVER used a gun of any kind before so I have questions. First can I use it point blank and is it ok to hold the rabbit (facing OUT duh) between my knees and shoot from the back between her ears towards her mouth? Is that going to be about 100% effective on one shot? Is it SAFE to do that? Should the rabbit really be in a box or something in case the pellet goes right through? Maybe a hay bale in front of her to stop the bullet and prevent her leaping forward at the last second? Do I need to use both hands and keep my elbows straight for the recoil as I have heard some people say it is fine to use one hand and im kind of thinking I won't be able to keep the rabbit still without kneeling and a treat to keep her busy- as it is we are practicing and I am holding a stick behind her head. In order to straighten and lock my arms I have to lean back quite a bit. So I am trying to figure out the kinetics of this and how to keep the rabbit 100% relaxed and still so I can aim in exactly the right place (have I at least got that part right? Because i kind of thought using it like a pellet gun downwards from the "X" in the middle of forehead might be better as the bullet would end up in the floor or would that maybe wind up in my face??) and not have a miss if she jumps, I want her unaware and hopefully instantly DEAD without injuring or damaging anything or putting my neighbors (town lots, surrounded by duplexes and townhomes) on high alert. Which also brings to mind, can I do this business in my unfinished basement (open space, concrete floor and cinder block walls circa 1953.) Where I can hopefully conceal any noise and be 100% sure there are no wandering children, wildlife, pets etc?? I am a nurse, I have seen first hand how even kids bb guns can be very dangerous. I would feel beyond awful if I missed and hurt rather then killed a rabbit but I can't imagine how awful it would be to hit an unintended target.
I never knew anything about any of this before, apparently guns were a huge hobby during covid and folks were "plinking" (which i think is target shooting tin cans?) in their basements with this gun when paranoid people were staying out of fresh air-and apparently it is not too loud. But if it is strong enough to kill a rabbit I expect it can do some serious damage.
I also have a penetrating bolt gun, but again, I am scared to use it as I have read there is a learning curve. Well I don't want to hurt any animal, I am paranoid about missing and having any animal suffering. Plus, a local old timer looked at it and said it wouldn't kill one of my large rabbits (the bolt is hollow, about 1.5" long and has an angled tip- r **** made it, it has a black wrist strap but I don't have to box anymore to tell the model number. The farmer thought it was a stun gun not strong enough to penetrate a rabbit skull and the bolt part was not long enough). He said MAYBE I could use it on a young kit that was beyond saving. I would actually like to know if I could use that too as it seems like a safer solution in general. But I am super scared of missing from the horror stories I read! In a perfect world I would use that and keep the pellet gun on standby as a back up. Again I can't afford to screw up on any animal, this doe in particular would likely tear my eyes out and and scream loud enough to wake the dead if she ACTUALLY was suffering. Just giving her food and water (and she has never ever been mistreated and is clear of any ailment or injury on vet check) is a major ordeal of teeth and nails and if she is restrained from attacking in any way she screams blue murder. I don't get it mom is a sweet thing and dad is the best kindest most friendly rabbit I have EVER seen so where pure evil came from is a complete mystery. Suffice it to say she has a screw loose and has since a tiny kit. I am curious to see what her insides look like, as I would like some reasonable explanation of where this violence came from in my lines which I am very careful about.
Help and advice much appreciated, honestly I am now overthinking and having second thoughts I can even manage to do it this way, when I just fully convinced when I bought the gun it was the kindest, fastest and most instant way. I have lost so much confidence with this frankly nasty doe I am at my wits end! I just can't find any real "how to videos" online and I know I won't have any confidence until I can envision or picture exactly how I am supposed to do this correctly and get it over with FINALLY!
TYVM
I hope the .177 handgun will suffice but the .22 pellet long gun will be on standby for a backup.
. You are far from alone on that aspect.
But usually we use the meat either as chunks in stew, soup, etc., or shredded for the most awesome pulled rabbit, rabbit tacos, and rabbit burritos (or any other recipe calling for lean shredded meat).
