Jackrabbits vs. Cottontails (for eating, that is)

[Riff]

I'm pretty new to rabbit hunting. Never had much interest in the past, but this year I've been itchin' to hunt, and rabbits are about the only thing that are legally huntable and eatable right now (I'm not too interested in eating coyotes, skunks, ringtail cats, or any of the other "non-game" critters that are also legal right now!).

So here's my question - do many people eat Jackrabbits? Are Cottontails "better tasting?"  I've never really heard of people eating Jacks, and here in AZ, Cottontails are a "game animal" but Jacks don't even get listed in the "other non-game mammals" section of the hunting laws!

[bgjohn]

One time while deer hunting here in AZ we attempted to eat a young jackrabbit. Suffice to say next time I'll just eat an old cowboy boot.
JM

[Lawdog]

Riff,

We hunt and eat YOUNG Jack Rabbits and Brush Bunny's all the time.  Great eating unless they have been living on sage brush then they can be very strong.  Lawdog
 

[hardertr]

Jacks make good chili!  Just about everything does...except duck.  Tried it once and didn't care much for it.

Bone out as much meat as you can, put in in the crock-pot for 4 or 5 hours first.  Then let it cool and rough chop it in a food processor.  THEN you can make chili.

[Ron T.]

I hunted jackrabbits just about every weekend while I was stationed out at Ft. Sill, Oklahoma back in 1959... shot them running with a .22 Marlin Model 39A "Mountie" which differed from a regular 39A in that it had a straight stock (no pistol grip) and a shorter barrel.

I got to the point where I could hit one out of every two "jacks" at which I shot.  When I got home (Ohio), I found cottontail rabbits on-the-run easy to hit with a .22 rifle because they run a lot slower than the "jacks".

However, I never heard of anybody eating "jacks" until a few minutes ago when I read the other posts in this forum.

In most places they're found, jackrabbits are considered "varmints" or "pests" whereas cottontailed rabbits are considered "small game" and taste a lot like the dark meat of a chicken when dipped in seasoned flour, then beaten egg and then back into the flower again... and then pan-fried.

Jus' my 2¢... other opinions may differ.     :-)


Strength & Honor...

Ron T.

[Riff]

Well, I tried cooking one (jackrabbit) up and eating it - just the legs.  I boiled it for about an hour, then boned out the meat and breaded it with a recipe I found in some hunting magazine, then baked it for a while.

Frankly, when I was finished boiling it I almost threw it out -- it smelled pretty rank. But, I went through with the whole process anyway, just to see. Even with the breading, it tasted pretty terrible. So, I fed it to my dog, who thought it was pretty darn good!

I guess now I need to try a cottontail, if I can hit one.

[buffalobob]

Two thoughts:
The little desert cottontails are fun to shoot when there is snow on the ground.  They will come out and sit in the sun and you can use a 17 cal. to shoot them in the head at 100-200 yds.  Unfortuanely they are not very good tasting compared to the eastern cottontail so don't shot more than you are willing to eat.  This is a good excuse to run down to the gun store today and buy you a "cottontail gun" in one of the new 17 calibers.

Secondly, when I had a dog and was shooting jacks, I would always bring about six or eight hindquarters home and boil them up, debone them and then put some cornmeal and the meat back in the boiling water.  It makes a good change of pace dogfood.  Put several containers in the freezer for later.

Rabbits have tulermia ( AKA - rabbit hunters disease) and tapeworms more often than most critters so read up and recognize the symptoms.

[Don Fischer]

I'm sure there's a bad tasting cottontail out there but, I haven't found it yet. When I lived in Colorado I used to go noth east of Greeley and shoot jack's. Cleaned then there looking for spotted liver's, pus pocket's and worm's. Young clean one's went home and were baked with apricot jam on them. That's the only way I've eaten them.

Cottontail's are great southern fried or I like to boil then off the bone and cook them into pinto beans with brown sugar!

[Lawdog]

I'm sure there's a bad tasting cottontail out there but, I haven't found it yet. When I lived in Colorado I used to go noth east of Greeley and shoot jack's. Cleaned then there looking for spotted liver's, pus pocket's and worm's. Young clean one's went home and were baked with apricot jam on them. That's the only way I've eaten them.

Cottontail's are great southern fried or I like to boil then off the bone and cook them into pinto beans with brown sugar!

What no homemade cornbread, smothered in butter and wild honey to go along with the beans?  And for desert a nice homemade apple/berry cobbler topped with ice cream(homemade of course).  Lawdog
   

[mrlizzzard]

Can't say much about Jack's but cottontails are very good,better than tame rabbit.I like them best on the grill.
lizzzard

[Don Fischer]

Don't get me started Lawdog, I'm already a bit over weight.








Now see what you done. I was down in Texas last fall at "Catfish O'Harley's". Had the best hush puppies, made with creamed corn. Also a big bowl of fried pickle's. If you haven't tried these two, you ain't et proper!

[Lawdog]

Don't get me started Lawdog, I'm already a bit over weight.








Now see what you done. I was down in Texas last fall at "Catfish O'Harley's". Had the best hush puppies, made with creamed corn. Also a big bowl of fried pickle's. If you haven't tried these two, you ain't et proper!

Don,

Try this one.

Cajun Baked Rabbit

Leave the rabbit whole. Season well with seasoned salt and black pepper. Stuff the cavity of the rabbit with large chunks of onion, bell pepper, celery and garlic. After stuffing with the vegetables, wrap slices of bacon around the rabbit and secure with toothpicks to hold the bacon on and to help hold in the vegetables. Pour a small amount (about 1-2 Tbsp.) of vegetable oil in a roasting pan. Place the rabbit in the roasting pan and add about a 1/4 cup of water. Cover and bake at 350 degrees F. for 2-3 hours or until tender. Remove cover for the last 1/2 hour of baking time to allow rabbit to brown. I also used a packaged dry onion soup mix at the end of the cooking time to make the gravy.

And if you like catfish I can recommend this;

Beer Batter Fried Catfish

1-1/2 lb. catfish fillets, cut into strips
1 C. flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. cooking oil
1 C flat beer
1/2 tsp tabasco sauce
1 inch peanut oil in a skillet

Sift and blend the flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Mix the tablespoon cooking oil, beer and tabasco sauce and add to the flour mixture, stirring until smooth. Chill the batter.
Heat the peanut oil to 375 degrees. Dip the cold strips of fish in the cold batter and cook in the hot oil for about 4 minutes. keep each batch of fried fish warm in a 200 degree oven while the next batch is cooking. Allow the oil to return to 375 degrees before cooking more fish. Serve with cocktail or tartar sauce. Serves 4.

And tonight we are having,

Deer & Beer Chili

4 pounds venison roast, cubed
3 pounds mild sausage
4 medium onions
1 garlic clove
2 green chilies
2 Tablespoons oil
1 beef bouillon cube
2 Tablespoons cumin
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
Pinch of oregano
2 (12-ounce) cans tomato sauce
1 (12-ounce) can whole tomatoes
1 ounce vodka or tequila
2 (12-ounce) cans beer

Chop onions, garlic and chilies fine. Brown deer and sausage in small amount of oil. Add rest of ingredients. Simmer, covered for 2-1/2 hours, stirring occasionally. Simmer another 30 minutes without stirring.

Dinners on.  Lawdog
 

[Don Fischer]

I believe I will!

[sachel.45]

tell me if this is true. my dad always said that the only time to kill rabbits is after the first freeze cause it kills all the bugs and what have you what do you think?

[hardertr]

Down here in Texas, almost EVERYTHING has worm/ticks/lice in the summer.  The rabbits are usually in MUCH better shape (fat and happy) from late fall through early spring.

Some of these rabbits are so full of bugs...it looks like they have mange in the summer.