What to do before sending bunnies to freezer camp...

[JT_Hunter]

Just a little side note on the process for me...as I have Native American heritage...I make an effort to do something in the way of a spiritual process. No matter what type of animal it is to process.

I start with a short smudging ceremony to purify myself...I put on some native drumming music in the background that sets a rhythm, and tone for the event. After making the kill, make a blessing for the animal with some raw tobacco, and a short prayer of thanks to Creator for the bounty.

This for me tends to lessen the emotional stress of the process. I am sure others have done similar things in their own ways.

 

[OneAcreFarm]

I always stop for a moment and thank the animal for the gift of their life, and thank God for providing the animal. Makes it better for me somehow...

 

[JT_Hunter]

I always stop for a moment and thank the animal for the gift of their life, and thank God for providing the animal. Makes it better for me somehow...

Now thats what I am talking about...we each have our own way...and yea....makes it better for us

 

[hoodat]

I have my own private two part ceremony. First I thank the rabbit for coming to me and the pleasure of its company,and the gift of its life. I then kill it quickly and bleed it onto the ground while the heart is still beating. A Choctaw holy man gave me the words for this part,"Earth Mother, this is my brother (sister) the rabbit who has given himself to me. Nurture his spirit".

 

[JT_Hunter]

There is no right way...or wrong way....and of course...those that don't choose any of this...they are not wrong either...

 

[ladysown]

i have no ceremony. I just simply make a choice, make it as quick and painless as I can, and then the deed. that's it.

 

[MaggieJ]

I have no ceremony either. While I honour the traditions of our Native People, it would feel to me too much like cultural appropriation to borrow them. I do feel a sense of thankfulness and appreciation, though, that has a spiritual aspect to it. Producing food from our own land, whether meat or vegetables and fruit, gives me a feeling of peace and oneness with my world. I haven't yet felt it necessary to formalize this into a ceremony of any kind, but I can see how, down the generations, such ceremonies have become part of many cultures. Maybe I just haven't got there yet.

 

[eco2pia]

I am not a fan of ceremony either, but I am definitely thankful. My life has had too many ceremonies that have become insincere. I like them in theory and they sound beautiful, but they don't fit me. I will stick to honest thankfulness and leave it at that. I guess I do usually give them one last pat.

 

[JT_Hunter]

I guess I do usually give them one last pat.

:rotfl: Made my day....thanks

 

[DevonW]

I have a little ritual/ceremony I do for spiritual reasons.

I only butcher rabbits during the Waning moon phase.
I have to be alone. I don't feel it's right to have an "audience" when you're taking something's life.
I play calming music (Celtic is my preferred genre).
Then I thank the rabbit for being in my life then I apologize and do the deed.

After I process and put what I'm keeping in the fridge / or freezer and take everything else out back to feed the Fox/crows or whatever gets to it first instead of wasting what we don't eat. Then I clean everything up, where I processed, the rabbits old cage. Then I have a shower and put on new clothes.