Theres an opinion around here (NE Pa) that you cant or shouldnt eat rabbits in the summer due to them being infested with some sort of worms. I have a feeling its not true but never ate one outside of the fall and winter hunting season. I have a few in the garden that have to go, if i'm gonna kill them i figure i may as well eat them but not if i'm gonna get sick. I know I know rabbit season isnt till october around here, but these have to go now.
when i was a kid,we'd shoot em' out of the garden and barbecue on the grill.yum,yum!
Don't know how true it is, but my Grandma and Pa used to say eat 'em only in the months with an R in them.
just inspect the liver,and check the meat and itll be ok
Don,
I live in South Texas and as you know it's pretty hot down here. Anyway, I once I shot a rabbit (cotton-tail) in the summer time (August) and intended to eat it. However, when I skinned it it was full of worms between the hide and muscle tissue (they were fat white ugly worms).
Needless to say I didn't have much of an appetite after seeing that. That was the first and only time I had ever seen worms in a rabbit and I had killed and eaten plenty of rabbits.
When I mentioned this to an older friend of mine he suggested that I only kill rabbits in the months that have the letter "R", otherwise it's too hot here and they get worms. I followed his advice and havn't found any more worms in my rabbits.
I guess you could kill one and check to see if it has worms. If it doesn't, then you could eat it.
Good Luck.
You don't have to eat the worms.
Don,
I grew up in south central PA and heard the same stories. The old timers always said they had "worbles" in them......we always shot some in the early part of the season that had them as well (Steve described the fat little buggers to a "T"). Some type of parasite. Let's put it this way, my Mother would NEVER cook one if she had any inkling that it had one of those on it!
Another reason not to eat rabbits before the first freeze is that they carry "rabbit fever" and injesting them could make you sick. Least that is what I was always told and I grew up in Texas.
Rabbits get 'em, squirrels get 'em, even heard of deer getting them. Dunno the real name--they are called "wolves" around here. Some kind of parasite, looks like a big maggot of some sort. We don't usually hunt squirrel or rabbits until after a frost because of them. No idea if they would hurt you--probably not, as long as the meat is cooked done and they stay just below the skin anyway--but they sure look nasty.
I never shoot them till after the first freeze in the fall.
They're called Botflys. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=90exkFR2iSM
They're pretty high in protein, and they add a nice buttery flavor.
Just kidding. I think it's a good idea to wait to fall, too.
Months with an R is how I was taught. I've seen some nasty lookin critters in the summer. Rabbit fever was the scary thing round here. Supposedly you could tell if they had it cause they would only run a little ways before they stopped, too sick to go very far. Not sure if it's true though. If you do kill one, wear gloves. I've heard you can get it through cuts on your hands and what not.
According to this, there's no worry about humans getting infected.
http://entomology.ifas.ufl.edu/slansky/botfly/abotfly/overview.htm
Never again, not after seeing one of those fat grub looking things crawling across the counter when I started to clean the rabbit.
Tumelaria is what they call it here and it's a sickness beyond worms. If they survive the first hard frost, they don't have it. If they have it it will make you sick and cooking may not help it.
I'd follow the old wisdom. Not worth the chance.
If they gotta go, then shoot them and bury them
Not worth the risk.
Sam
When you shoot one during the warmer months you can feel around the neck area for them when you first shoot them. If it has the worms you can usely feel them moving around. Or just shoot the little ones they dont have um.
why couldnt u just freeze the bunny whole and kill the worms and thaw out and clean and cook. O what the heck just put the thing in a dutch oven and it will eat just fine.
Take a look at this link Rabbit fever (http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,1607,7-153-10319-27293--,00.html)
I don't know about you folks, but the thought of parasites gives me the willys!!!! I shot a rabbit that had worbels under the skin. Made me about half sick. I get shivers every time I think about it.
I don't know anything about the worms, but on the western side of Pa we have a rabbit season that starts in the fall. Might be different on the other side of the state though.
GLENN
When rabbits invade my summer garden I take this approach; they like my garden so well I let them stay! :saywhat: :D :D Of course that's after a judo point and shovel are used effectively! :clapper:
Don`t know about rabbits but our tree rat season comes in mid august and its plenty hot and we eat`m. I doubt injuns let`m go...RC
Out here we do not have real winters and they have them all year long . Harmles . They are bot flie larve all game animals get them . Cattle have them also. Just pluck them off. Cook them good and no worries.
Y'all are talking about two things. The bot fly larva (which won't transfer to another animal after they've infected the rabbit - human infection is very rare) and tulameria (a bacterial infection that can infect people and be fatal if untreated)
Thanks alot for the serious replies guys. Much appreciated. I knew someone would think they were cute letting me know when their rabbit seasons open. Rabbit season opens in my garden in the spring and continues into the fall.
Don
Why would the first frost kill the worms when they are between the skin and the muscle wouldn't the rabbit's body heat keep them warm?And if the frost kills then what happens to them do they breakdown and get absorbed into the muscle tissue?and how did they get under the skin to begin with, via a fly or are they from the mouth, ear, or anus?
QuoteOriginally posted by daveycrockett:
Don't know how true it is, but my Grandma and Pa used to say eat 'em only in the months with an R in them.
So September through April?
Are they legal to "HUNT" this time of year in Pennsy?
Yeah we call em wolves (sp?) wait till after first freeze
I grew up in WV and was told all my life not to eat before the first freeze due to worbles. never tried to buck the system.
My father always told me (when I was growing up in Wisconsin) that you look at the liver. If it's spotted, you leave it where it died. The rest of them can't compete w/ hot oil! Any and all pork needs to be cooked for the same reason. You cook it through, and you'll be fine.
(http://i126.photobucket.com/albums/p105/carparcher/th_curverabbit.jpg) (http://s126.photobucket.com/albums/p105/carparcher/?action=view¤t=curverabbit.jpg)
good topic, i have never heard of such things. i have a rabbit checking out my garden that i was thinking of introducing to a judo tipped shaft...this may change his fate
Rau, I'm sorry you thought I was trying to be cute. I really wasn't trying. I,ve got deer eatting out of my garden and a young bear tore apart my wifes hummingbird feeder and it never crossed my mine to shoot them because of it. Try a little chicken wire around the garden and see if that might help. Or even a live trap could get the job done. It amazes me that if I said I shot a deer out of season I'd be hammered to death on this or any site, but small game is fair game all season. Just saying.
GLENN MOYER
Worbles come from what my grandfather called a blowfly.
Basically the blowfly lays an egg on the critter and it turns into a maggot that grows into a worble about the size of your finger. Was told you can cut the bad part off and still okay to eat, but you won't get me to eat one.
Rabbit Fever is "Tularemia - caused by the bacterium Francisella tularensis.
Humans can get the disease through:
Direct contact, through a break in the skin, with an infected animal or its dead body
The bite of an infected tick, horsefly, or mosquito
Eating infected meat (rare)
Areas where the disorder most commonly occurs include North America and parts of Europe and Asia. The illness may continue for several weeks after symptoms begin.
Some people may develop pneumonia after being infected. Risk factors include recent exposure to rabbits or a recent tick bite. The disease is very rare in the United States.
Francisella tularensis is considered a potential bioterrorism agent. An aerosol release would be a possible method of infection. Pneumonia cases would start 1 - 10 days after people were exposed.
Tests & diagnosis
Blood culture for tularemia
Blood test measuring the body's immune response to the infection (serology for tularemia)
Chest x-ray
Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test of a sample from an ulcer
This disease may also affect the results of febrile/cold agglutinins.
Prognosis
Tularemia is fatal in about 5% of untreated cases, and in less than 1% of treated cases.
Prevention
A vaccine is recommended for people at high risk (trappers, hunters, and laboratory workers who work with the bacteria)."
My wife and I raised rabbits for about ten years. I learned all about rabbit feaver(tularemia) and its nothing to mess around with. If you have bunnies chewing up your garden, try using a havahart box trap baited with some small pieces of bread laced with anise oil. Rabbits seem to be drawn to the licorice smell.
Skin em cook em and eat them. Any worms left will be full of protein and good to eat. Rabbit fever doesnt preclude your eating the meat just clean them with rubber gloves on and bbq away. Good eating. Frank
Coonbait,
Thanks for the clarification. Only wanted to know if their safe to eat not an ethics discussion on the PC way to remove garden pests.
Don
Check this out. Warbles (http://mdc.mo.gov/conmag/2003/07/reflect.htm)
The botfly larvae only infest healthy animals, so the ones with the worms are the ones that are safe to eat. The larvae are only under the skin and don't hurt the meat. I have read somewhere that Native Americans would only eat a squirrel or rabbit in warm weather if it DID have a botfly larva. Haven't tested that premise myself, however.
Just make sure that they are well done, and you will be fine. Eaten rabbit tons of times with no issues (that I know of).
You we always called the Wolves also. Once you see them you will never have to ask if you can eat a critter that has them...
Here in Fla I've seen salt water trout with worms as well if caught in the summer. They are parasites and if the meat is fully cooked they will do no harm. there is that mental thing though. If you can get past the thought, you're OK.
Maybe the worms are natures way of making sure you are followinglocal game laws.....
Some years in parts of Texas we might not get to do much if any hunting if we had to wait on a frost :) I grew up hearing the frost rule too. I'd heard the "R" rule in regards to making sure that you didn't kill a rabbit or squirrel with babies still dependent on the mother. I don't know if that is true, but I usually go by that rule. However, I am not defending a vegetable garden at this time :)
Uhh, rabbit season isnt open here in KY till around Nov.? Better check your local regs!
Koger, Don't go there. Rau is already aware of the regs.
So we are all happily discussing a guy planning on breaking the game laws of his state?
I would understand protecting a garden that meant life or death....I'm betting this garden islike the rest of ours, just a hobby.
Breaking the law is breaking the law.
Trap it in a box trap and relocate it before this thread gets real ugly!IMHO
Im happy to report that all rabbits in my garden have been live trapped and removed to greener pastures.
Don
Awesome choice! Good for you!