# Wild Rabbits



## Listmaker (Feb 24, 2012)

We have an abundance of wild rabbits on our farm. They're everywhere. When we drive in at night, we sometimes see more than 30 running for cover. Seems that would be a good source of protein at some point. I have heard that there are certain times of the year that wild rabbits are not safe to eat? Does anyone have any knowledge about this?

Thanks


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## md1911 (Feb 9, 2012)

They are safe to eat after the first hard freeze. They can have worms and parrisits inside them. After the freeze the parisits die.


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## Listmaker (Feb 24, 2012)

Thanks for that info. I guess we'll only be eating rabbit stew in the winter. I hate asking stupid questions, but here goes......if the parasites die after a hard freeze, about how long could you safely eat them until the parasites return? We don't get a lot of hard freezes here and our winters are pretty mild. So, don't eat the rabbits by the time spring gets here? 

Sorry, but I'm trying to understand this.


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## md1911 (Feb 9, 2012)

That's what I've always been told that when spring comes around don't eat them. Now just so you understand not all wild rabbits have parisits during warm weather. Its just a greter risk after spring.


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## AlabamaGal (Dec 27, 2011)

The version I was told was that you hunt them in the fall because that's when they are the fattest and the strongest and are at their best health and least-infested. Any ones totally ate up with parasites didn't make it that far. 

Parasites inside the rabbit aren't going to be killed by a freeze because the rabbits keep them warm.


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## BasecampUSA (Dec 26, 2010)

*Tularemia* was what I had to look out for when I hunted them as a kid... mostly out west.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tularemia


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## ContinualHarvest (Feb 19, 2012)

AlabamaGal said:


> The version I was told was that you hunt them in the fall because that's when they are the fattest and the strongest and are at their best health and least-infested. Any ones totally ate up with parasites didn't make it that far.
> 
> Parasites inside the rabbit aren't going to be killed by a freeze because the rabbits keep them warm.


Correct. Rabbits are mammals and keep a constant temperature. In most cases thorough cooking will kill parasites.


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## Listmaker (Feb 24, 2012)

Thanks everyone for the info. I think I'll just skip the rabbits and look to the sky for possible protein.


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## Ncognito (Oct 27, 2011)

Listmaker said:


> I hate asking stupid questions, but here goes......


_He who asks a question is a fool for five minutes; he who never asks a question is a fool forever._

Have you considered raising rabbits for meat?


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## AlabamaGal (Dec 27, 2011)

Ncognito said:


> Have you considered raising rabbits for meat?


Agreed. They are easy to raise, take little space and sail under the radar of most no-farm-animal zoning laws. The only complaint I have heard from people who do this is they can't keep up with the supply.


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## Possumfam (Apr 19, 2011)

I know nothing about rabbit hunting, but what I've heard locally is that you can safely eat rabbit if hunted during months with the letter "R". If that's true, you should be able to eat all year except for May, June, July, and August.


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