teaching how to butcher a rabbit?

[Exibar]

I have a very good friend who used to raise rabbits for food. I was thinking that it would be a great experience for my troop to learn how to prepare a meal "from animal to plate" so to speak.

aside from concerned parents and all that... Has anyone done something like this with a rabbit? I'd love to have the boys learn how to truly prepare their food. I can see it being helpful if they ever get lost in the woods and have to set a snare to eat, etc etc.

 

I wouldn't have the boys slaughter the rabbits, I'd provide one dead rabbit per patrol that was obtained at the local butcher shop that already said he can provide anything I need for the boys at a greatly reduced cost.

 

We're not a city troop, but we're not exactly a full farm community either, so I know 90% of the boys have never done nor have seen anything like this done. I think only 1 of the boys has ever been hunting with his Dad (mine can't wait until he's 13 to go hunting with me ).

 

Any thoughts? Is there a current merit badge this could be applied to or anything like that as well?

 

thanks!

Mike B(This message has been edited by exibar)

[SMT224]

You Tube has a number of good videos on killing and skinning rabbits...

 

For example:

 

Also: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k8qMr7Js8e0

 

 

[Exibar]

My plan was to have my friend teach the boys. Even though I've been hunting and skinned a few rabbits in my day, he's certainly more qualified than I am as he used to raise them for food. I guess my question is that if anyone ever did something like this with their troop and if it was well received by the boys?

 

thanks!

Mike B

[le Voyageur]

 

 

Once upon a time there was the Rabbit rasing merit badge that did require the killing, and butchering of a rabbit.

[Mike F]

Exibar,

 

We just did something like this as part of an annual survival campout. It got some discussion here:

http://www.scouter.com/Forums/viewThread.asp?threadID=265429

 

You can find a fairly comprehensive description of what we ended up doing on Page 4.

 

This was a new experience for almost all of our guys, but well received.

 

Go for it!!

[zippyboro]

I'd say you should have a better handle on how it would be received by the parents...

[Exibar]

I'll check out that other discussion, thanks!

 

Zippy: nah, not too concerned about the parents. I'm ScoutMaster not ParentMaster ;-) The parents will know when/if this will be occurring, but it will be left ultimately up to the boys if they want this experience.

 

I know some boys are picky eaters, and won't eat chicken on the bone. The grubmaster for their patrol will have to accommodate for those scouts that won't want to eat the rabbit stew or what have you.

Perhaps I'll just have one rabbit for the old goats, have my friend teach the scouts with that one rabbit, and have rabbit stew made for the goats and encourage the scouts to try it and see if they would like to do it themselves at the next campout. Hmmmm... I really like that idea. If there is an old goat that doesn't like/want to eat the rabbit stew, they can make accommodations for their own substitution.

Thoughts about that idea anyone?

 

Mike B

[OldGreyEagle]

This may be applicable, and then again it may not

 

For the past 3-4 years at summercamp we have roasted a whole pig on a spit. Got a 45-50 pounder from a butcher, already cleaned, but she/he did have his head and ears and feet et al attached.

 

We dug a pit in the main fire circle and then built a huge fire, supplemented it with charcoal and stuck two pieces of re-bar through the pig and flipped it that way. Was always well received.

 

Especially the next day when I would stick the head on a stave and ask if anyone had read "Lord of the Flies"

[Exibar]

oh a pig roast would be an awesome idea too.... we have a huge campfire ring at our camp and can certainly rig up a Spit for the pig....

 

Maybe invite the Cubs along too, they'd really love that!

 

I'm writing it down in my "summer to do" notebook for sure!

 

Mike B