19 March, 2008 
The boys and I were in the kitchen discussing what to have for dinner, when we looked out the window and spotted the answer. A rabbit! I took the air rifle out, loaded it and cautiously opened the back door. Once I had the door open far enough for a clear and safe shot, I cocked the air rifle, took aim at the centre of the rabbit’s head, and, smack, a half second later we had dinner. As it’s a small rabbit, I think I’ll turn him into spaghetti al coniglio (pasta with rabbit sauce).
That’s a nice air rifle, what is it, a Weihrauch?
A Gamo CFX Royal fixed-barrel under lever in .22 with a Simmons 4×32 scope. It’s a nicely heavy rifle and very accurate. The only downside is that the rotary breech doesn’t like longer pellets, and flips some of the heavier, rounded ones. With Haendler & Natermann FTTs I can consistently shoot 3/4in groups at 30 yards.
Note: The CRF with composite furniture is noticeably lighter than the CFX with wood that I have. I much prefer heavier rifles (within reason).
That really is fresh food. If it had been fast food, it would have got away
I am so jealous. Whilst you are shooting and eating rabbits, I’m stuck in front of the computer. Oh well, maybe one day! Hope the pasta is good, look forward to seeing the photos.
Do rabbits need hanging, or could you skin it, gut it and put it in the pot tonight?
It’s already skinned, paunched, quartered and is about to go in the marinade for a couple of hours. Then it will be tonight’s dinner.
That photo brings back fond memories of rabbit shooting with Dad. Would love to do that here, we have so many rabbits running around, but they all have mixo and calicivirus, plus the gun licence rules are too strict, bummer.
Ah, yes memories indeed Susie and Stoney; it also goes back to my early days shooting with my dad, your Pa, in the bush around my old home town.
Rabbit stew is delicious.
I love the photo of the ‘Great Hunter”. It’s a classic. I have one, very old, of my then 10 year old son posing with gun and upside-down, limp, grouse which swiftly became “grouse au vin”.
Your rabbity pasta makes me hungry! I hope it was a feast for you lot! G
It’s the “one trouser leg tucked in, one hanging out” look that makes me chuckle.
I must admit I hate rabbit, it is just not the meat I go for, now – a curry…! LOL
Great photo, Stonehead. I have an old cookbook that tells you how to trap gut and skin the animals even before you get to the recipe section!
I have a couple of those, too. One thing I have learned from them is that the Victorians ate just about anything that vaguely resembled meat.