Dispatching large rabbits

[hoosier89]

Greetings! I have a question with regards to dispatching larger rabbits. I generally use the broomstick method, but have found this method to not be a good option for a full grown New Zealand. So, I am considering getting a pellet gun so I can be more humane for the larger rabbits I intend to butcher. Here is the pellet gun I am thinking of getting: http://www.ruralking.com/crosman-pump-m ... -760b.html. Here are the specs:

-Pellet Velocity: Up to 600 fps
-BB Velocity: Up to 625 fps
-Weight: 2.75 lbs
-Length: 33.5in
-Mechanism: Bolt Action
-Power Source: Pump
-Caliber: .177
-Pellet Capacity: 5 shot clip
-BB Reservoir: 200
-Barrel: Smooth
-Front Sight: Fiber Optic
-Rear Sight: Adjustable for elevation
-Safety: Cross Bolt

 

[SoDak Thriver]

In several states, the minimum allowable pellet (not BB) velocity to hunt small game is 750-800 fps. Your NZ's are bigger than the cottontails and squirrels that are hunted on a small game license, so I would get a more powerful pellet gun. That's the question you asked, so that's the one I answer, but please allow me to editorialize a little.

By the broomstick method, I assume you mean you put the broomstick across the back of the neck, stand on it, and pull up on the rear legs to break the neck. I had to dispatch all my adult NZ's due to pasturella infection recently, and that's what I did. They weighed 9-10 pounds for the doe and there was an 11 pound buck as well. Big rabbits. For me, this went really well and I was pleased with how quickly it went. They twitched for a few minutes, but that's normal. It'll happen with shooting as well.

I love to shoot and hunt, but I have never killed game as efficiently and humanely as I culled my rabbits. Even a shot to the head isn't as instant as people imagine it is. A shot to the head will still leave your rabbit twitching and if you don't get the brain the first time, your rabbit will be writhing and bleeding all over. I also contend that point-blank shots are pretty unsafe as it's hard to account for where the projectile will travel after it hits the skull.

To sum up, Hoosier, if you want to do this, you need a slightly more powerful pellet gun (BB's are inadequate for the job). But I think it's a bad idea.

 

[Zass]

Cervical dislocation is a good method of dispatch. My husband and I prefer it for smaller rabbits, but not for adult sized ones.
We were given a 600 fps crosman pellet rifle in a trade. (We were told it was an 800 fps gun :evil: ) Either way, we have been using it because that's what we have. Point blank, it hasn't failed us yet. Kills with it have been very similar to cervical dislocation kills in regards to speed of death, and cleanliness.
Looking at a rabbit skull can help place the pellet just right.

The biggest drawback for us so far has been in regards to not being able to find the pellets in their heads, and thus not daring to feed them to our dogs.

 

[michaels4gardens]

Cervical dislocation is a good method of dispatch. My husband and I prefer it for smaller rabbits, but not for adult sized ones.
We were given a 600 fps crosman pellet rifle in a trade. (We were told it was an 800 fps gun :evil: ) Either way, we have been using it because that's what we have. Point blank, it hasn't failed us yet. Kills with it have been very similar to cervical dislocation kills in regards to speed of death, and cleanliness.
Looking at a rabbit skull can help place the pellet just right.

The biggest drawback for us so far has been in regards to not being able to find the pellets in their heads, and thus not daring to feed them to our dogs.

I agree with Zass,
I use a pellet gun for my older rabbits, or just hit them on the head with a 3/4" x 14" bolt I leave in my rabbit area, both are very satisfactory. If you are not confident with your marksmanship, I find that placing the barrel against the center of the brain area [between the eyes] gets the job done , for me is just as humane as any other method.[my 177 cal. pellet gun was rated at 600 fps when it was new , a long time ago.] I would not want to hunt rabbit size game with it, as at a distance it might cause extra suffering before death. [ I would love a .22 cal. for hunting at about 900+ fps]

 

[SoDak Thriver]

Oh! Looks like I'm deep in the minority on this one. Sometimes I forget that I'm a pretty big guy and maybe the broomstick doesn't work so well for others on big rabbits. (Although I would still avoid the pellet gun on livestock, opting for a ball peen hammer swung at about 80 fps )

[ I would love a .22 cal. for hunting at about 900+ fps]

They're sweet for small game. My .22 rifle gathers dust since I got a .22 cal air gun.

 

[dayna]

I use a pellet gun to dispatch all my rabbits. I shot from the back of the head forward in a cardboard box, the pellet usually lodges in the box and I'm able to retrieve it and throw it away. I put the muzzle of the pellet gun right on the back of the head in between the ears and I find that 1 shot is very effective.

I have a pump action pellet gun and I use .22 cal hollow point hunting pellets.

 

[hoosier89]

Thank you all for your replies.

 

[user4482]

I haven't ben on the forum for a while so a bit late with this but for future reference,... I dispatch rabbits in one of 2 ways (a) a blow to the head (b) shoot them.
When using the first option you need to have the rabbits head on something hard because soft ground ect can negate some of the force resulting in much less trauma and possibility of not instantly killing the rabbit. Also you should use something very hard a little bit heavy and narrow so that you can exert a great deal of force into a narrow area ( I use and old fireplace poker that's doesn't have any lumpy bit on the end) and you aim across the head between the ears and eyes.
The second option depends on domestic or wild, wild are shot with .22 my domestics are shot with the .177 airgun ( which in Aus you need a license for and are not allowed to use within a city limits/suburbia). This is my preferred method, and as my rabbits are used to me feeding them I just spread some grass next to the wire put the barrel through against their head (they don't seem worry) and shoot them with a traditional "kill shot". Kill shot is centre of a cross drawn from each ear to the opposite eye (different animals =different spot and supposedly places the shot over the brain stem). I have used blunts (the pellets with a round head very successfully but as a precaution generally use the pellets with the pointy heads.

Using these methods I have always had instant kills with just a bit of normal nerve twitching.

 

[Knacker]

Hello Hoosier89.

Just 1.5 hours ago I dispatched one of our 11.5 lb NZW does with my Crosman American Classic 1377 using a Crosman Destroyer .177 pellet cocking it 10 times. 1 shot behind the ears at an angle towards the mouth. It was a very quick and clean kill ( I also sliced the neck to let the blood drain). I will surely be using this method from now on.

I spent a bit of time this morning wondering like you if pellets would work on larger rabbits and wasn't completely sure since there is varying opinions on the matter. Growing up on a farm, being a big game hunter and also a pet owner, the last thing I want to see is an animal suffer while being killed. This proved much more humane in my eyes than any other method I have tried since the rabbit is completely unaware of what is about to happen.