I am mounting my first rabbit and am wondering if I need to remove all of the bones from the hind feet. I have severed them at the ankle and am planning a full body mount. Can they be left in or do I need to skin them totally and if so what is the best method to do this?
Return to Beginners Category Menu
You should remove all bones, but I don't think there's a rule that says you can't. :) I would though, If I was doin' it. I'd also be afraid of them startin' to stink. Best method? Is it frozen whole? if so, make you first cut down the belly from the front shoulders to the back shoulders. Then cut the bones (legs) and rip that skin off that son-of-a-bitch. Rabbits are rather easy to skin the skin just comes right off, and usually doesn't require much fleshing.
Jimmy
The only ripping going on will be the skin. A domestic rabbit maybe, but definatly not a Jackrabbit or cotton tail. the feet and skin on the rest of the body is paper thin, more resembling wet toilet paper in fact. YOu have to have a very sharp knife and really take your time and work slowly. I like ot cut the feet loose from the body whilke skinning. I then take and work each foot seperatly after the rest of the skinning is done.
Also, do not dilly dally around as the heat from your hands can make the skin slip. Wearing light rubber gloves will help a little in the heat transfer, and can also keep you from getting Tulerima if it is presant on the feet of the rabbits. This is mostly in areas of high population densities though.
Now in the guys discription of skinning, I would really like ot know how you cut the belly from between the Front and back shoulders. Shoulders are on the back, not the belly, and there is only two of them. I don't know where your getting rabbits that have front and back shoulders, but I would definalty not eat them or spend a lot of time around them as they maybe from a toxic waste site and are genetically deformed and could pose health problems due to that fact. They were probably easy to harvest too, trying to run both ways at the same time and having the shoulders on there belly would make the feet sticking up in the air would also make it hard for them to get away. LOL
Thanks for the input.
I got the feet out!
You know what I ment by between the front and back shoulders. Quit being an ass.