pellet guns and other methods

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akane

akane

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My main problem with my desire to raise meat rabbits is the potential for mistakes while killing. I'm not good with a knife and I don't trust hitting the rabbits with anything or on anything since I have no idea the force needed and don't want to find out by trial and error. Thoughts of using bullets had various problems and bolt guns are in the $100s. That left neck dislocation and I bought a rabbit wringer to make it a little more fool proof. I planned to test this on roosters first but my whole flock got killed. While every day I think about it I feel a little more ready to go through with it I'd still prefer something that had less of a learning curve. I saw pellet guns mentioned in a few threads on here and was wondering how guranteed that was to knock out or kill rabbits of various size and the quality and cost of gun required? Anyone have any other idiot proof methods?

We keep joking we should just turn the shiba loose on whatever we want to butcher. Those dogs were bred to kill and killing is what they do best. She's taken poultry slaughter to an art form and is so quick and consistent she's probably more humane than we are with an axe.
 
you could ask someone locally who does it to come and show you how. Mentor you on the subject, if you will. It could help for the first time, no matter which method you go with.
 
I know an entire 1 person I could ask about such things and she's never done rabbits that weren't shot in the field. My friend base is pretty much nonexistent.... I'd rather not put up a random ad about it both because I'd rather not have a random stranger at my house and because that occasionally gets you attention from the more psychotic portion of the pet activists.
 
gotcha. I don't know anything about shooting a rabbit, the rabbit wringer looks good, I bopped mine, and it didn't take more than one good wack. Next time I'm broomsticking, I think. Do they have any youtube videos on your chopice of methods? I know they have one for the zinger. Something that did help me was "play killing" a stuffed animal. And if you have someone that would be supportive of you even if they had no idea, either, it helps. It can be hard...

Someone else with more experience will chime in, I'm sure...
 
It's pretty hard to botch the job with a good pellet gun. I put the rabbit in a carton with some yummy greens or other treat. While it is busy eating, I place the barrel at the back of the neck, just below the skull. There is a slight indentation there... You can feel it on your own neck. Because you are firing at point blank range, there is little chance of missing. This results in instant death or at least instant unconsciousness. Very occasionally I have not been satisfied and have used a second shot just to be sure, but the rabbit was already unconscious.

There will be some kicking - just reflexes. View this as a sign that the job is done. Usually the rabbit's eyes will be open. Touching an eyeball will assure you it is dead. There will be no reaction. It is a good idea to have a hatchet or hammer handy the first time, just to give you the assurance that if it doesn't work the way you planned, you can still bop the rabbit to finish the job. You won't need it... It's just to give you more confidence that you won't end up with an injured rabbit and no way to deal with the situation.

Slaughtering is never pleasant or easy... nor should it be. But with time it will become something we learn to do well - quickly, cleanly and humanely - and the qualms that are there the first few times do diminish.

If you have no prior experience with guns, do read up on safety measures. Ricochet is one thing to be careful about. You do not want to be firing onto concrete, stone etc. that may deflect the bullet. Earth is good and wood also works.
 
I have a photo tutorial on how to broomstick if you are interested. It's very easy and hard to 'mess up'.
 
My first quail I had to cover it's head with a paper towel, fit it between the gamebird shears by feel, and then quickly smash them down against the bottom of the sink with both hands. After standing there a minute I decided to walk away and look under the bloody paper towel later. My 200th quail, why did I get 200 of them all at once, I couldn't wait for it to die. Roosters seemed a little easier after that but I still messed the first one up. My ax was not sharp enough, I didn't swing it with enough force, and I hit the skull instead of the neck. That was one of those events I'd like to avoid with rabbits. At least roosters are mean critters that attack me and tear the hens up if there are too many. Plus they don't make noise even when you mess up halfway through killing them. I've heard rabbits being attacked by things and I'd prefer not to cause such noise.
 
shrarvrs":2g60tqo9 said:
I would be interested in the tutorial. The more info sources the better, IMO
Click to expand...

I asked permission to post the pictures and was told yes. I'll get them up in this post later this afternoon (I'm off to the vet with puppies).
 
I helped one gal today, she insisted on the pellet gun. She had to hold the rabbit while I fired. I much prefer the dowel and shears: quick, humane and much faster. I gutted five of hers while she was still stripping the one we shot....

I also much prefer processing on a table top; I refuse to hang them. Simply cut the belly and pull the fur into two sections then pull them off like a sweater; I also cut off the tale prior to the belly cut.

Start to cool down 8-10min. I did her four and my bun in 35 minutes this am.
 
I'm fairly new to the business end of meat rabbits. I was supposed to have harvested seven and so far I've managed five.
I've been hitting them on the head with a maple club then after a minute or so I cut their throats. I don't like that at all.
I've got two to go for this weekend and I'm going to switch to a rubber mallet.
I could see the pellet gun thing being a lot easier on the nerves, or even a .22cal.
 
That's what I find, John Francis, that the pellet gun is easier on me and probably easier on the rabbit too, since it doesn't see it coming. A .22 will definitely work if you have one. Just be sure to guard against ricochets.
 
MaggieJ":1ejbyudq said:
That's what I find, John Francis, that the pellet gun is easier on me and probably easier on the rabbit too, since it doesn't see it coming. A .22 will definitely work if you have one. Just be sure to guard against ricochets.
Click to expand...

I am hearing this Maggie.

I've got a big cull coming up in October, then another in November and that's it till spring.

May not be a bad investment. I can pick up a Crosman at the Walmart pretty cheap too.
 
MaggieJ":2h0alccl said:
That's what I find, John Francis, that the pellet gun is easier on me and probably easier on the rabbit too, since it doesn't see it coming. A .22 will definitely work if you have one. Just be sure to guard against ricochets.
Click to expand...


Has anyone ever used .22 shorts? I would imagine it should still have plenty of juice to get the job done, yet they're a bit quieter, and I would imagine, a slight bit safer.
 
I think .22 shorts would be ideal. Here in Canada there is a lot of red tape involved in getting a firearms permit and I have never bothered. So I am limited to a pellet gun, which also works just fine.
 
I have tried the broomstick method and have tried shooting the rabbit. I was worried the first few times with the broomstick because I did not want the rabbit to suffer. I accidently pulled the head off one a short while back because I pulled the legs to hard. Now I have it down and it is a simple and fluid motion. Then I cut the head off with a hunting knife and hang to bleed out. Most of the rabbits do not even kick, they just go quickly.
As far as shooting them I have used my old Benjamin Sheridan .177 pellet gun. It works pretty well and they also go quick. I dress the out in my garage so I've shot them with the pellet gun in there. I usually stick a board under the rabbit but I've never had the pellet go all the way through.
I have also shot them in the head with a .22 before when I visit my parents on the ranch. I just put the rabbit down in the grass and it usually starts eating and then edge the barrel of the gun at the back of it's head. The bullet has always gone though the head. That method works okay but I can't really justify using a bullet like that when the broom stick method works so well. Word of caution, don't use a hollow point at point blank range. I accidently did that once. Shot most the rabbits head off. (Had loaded the magazine from a box full of old shells and accidently grabbed a hollow point instead of a solid point). Any way, it was quick and the rabbit did not suffer.
I should mention that I am using .22 LR and am using a rifle instead of a pistol. I would not use a pistol because of the noise. My rabbits are accustomed to noise being in the city and having dogs, mowing the lawn, weed wacking, etc. so the noise from a gunshot doesn't really bother them.
If I had the choice I would use the broomstick method, but the shooting option works too. Just my experience if it helps.
 
I used a rubber mallet yesterday on two of my New Zealand White/Flemish crosses and it worked out just fine.

Done in one blow, quick as lightning. I'll be doing that from now on.
 
MaggieJ":mz52ilop said:
I think .22 shorts would be ideal. Here in Canada there is a lot of red tape involved in getting a firearms permit and I have never bothered. So I am limited to a pellet gun, which also works just fine.
Click to expand...

The only part that gives me pause is the amount of paperwork that goes with getting shorts. Its almost as much as to get a gun. Damn hitmen using shorts! I live out in the sticks, and I have boatloads of .22 LR lying around, so I'll probably just use those.
 

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