Make Rabbit Traps

People are always getting stranded in Britain it's a fact. You would think that within five miles of anywhere in the UK there will be a Tesco Extra but you'd actually be wrong. Set off camping the peak distrcit, lake district or deepest darkest Scotland, and be prepared to be hungry.

However, help is at hand, or should that be paw! If you can catch a rabbit, then rabbit stew and rabbit hotpot will be just some of the treats you can enjoy in the long cold camping holidays in the UK.

Spend any amount of time in the countryside and you will find rabbits, lots of rabbits. Most of these will be wild rabbits, and tend to be smaller than the ones people have in cages on a bookshelf. If you can't see any at first, don't panic, as your landcruiser probably frightened them away. You need to make rabbit traps using the instructions I am about to give you.

Building your trap

You will need two aluminum cans, (yes they will be big enough). Once you have peeled off the labels, cut the top and bottom of can 1, and just the bottom off can 2 then unroll the aluminum sheet that makes up the side of the double-open can.

Essentially you need to connect the two cans together so that the rabbit will put its paw on the first slightly un-peeled can and slide down into the second can. Once in the second can a small rabbit will be unable to pull itself back out. You must remember, that no rabbits will climb into your can for the good of their health, you have to tempt them in with food. Any greenery will usually work, but the traditional lettuce seems to be their favorites.

Once you have your trap finished, you will need to put a couple of holes and a piece of string through your can, and then attach the trap securely to a bush and wait. Usually rabbits will find there way in and in the morning you just have to humanly kill them. To make rabbit traps is quite a different matter from killing rabbits, you will have to search for humane ways to finish off a rabbit on Google.

I tested this system a few months ago, set traps around a field and then early in the morning went back to see what I'd caught, I don't want to blow my own trumpet, but every can had a little bunny in it just waiting to be made into a pie.

Along with the usual risks from the animals, scratching biting etc, a number of areas of the EU have strict rules against free trapping of animals without a permit. However for one off must have meal in the wilderness, I wouldn't have thought anyone would mind.

Rabbit recipes

There are a number of websites out there showing you how to make rabbit traps, but even more with tempting dishes, showing you the best methods to get the tastiest rabbit based meals. Try doing a google search for 'Rabbit Recipes'. However sometimes with food the simplest dishes are the best, and when it comes to eating rabbit, you just can't beet a hot rabbit stew.

You will need 1 three pound rabbit, 6 onions (chopped) 1 bay leaf, 1/2 cup of celery (chopped), 2 cups diced carrots, 3 raw potatoes, cut up, 3 tbs. flour, 1 tbs. chopped parsley.

Clean and soak the rabbit in a pan of salted water. Drain, disjoint in serving sized pieces and place in a large pan with onions, bay leaf and celery. Cover with water and slowly cook until tender. This will probably take 2 hours, but on an open fire in the middle of a field times will vary! Once your stew is well on the way, add chopped carrots and potatoes and other vegetables if required.

The simple formula for happy camping trips is complete. 1) make rabbit traps, 2) kill rabbits 3) eat rabbits... really is as simple as that!

making a trap in which to catch a rabbit your guide to trapping rabbits

Copyright © August, 2008 Russet Moose Brian Horn - Cheshire, UK