Working Ferrets - Skinning and Jointing

All the photographs on this page were taken by Sheila Crompton.
Stuart Taylor kindly did the skinning and jointing.:-

Setting purse nets
Humanely dispatching the catch
Thumbing & Legging
Paunching

Removing head - 17kb.

(above) 1. Remove head.

Starting to remove skin. - 19kb.

(above) 2. Using a sharp knife, carefully part the skin from the body of the rabbit.

Removing pelt 2 - 19kb.

(above) 3. Make a small cut behind the rabbit's front legs to aid removal of the skin.

Removing pelt 3 - 21kb.

(above) 4. Ease your fingers between the skin and the rabbit until it is all free from the back.

Removing skin from front legs - 15kg.

(above) 5. With the forepart of the rabbit facing you pull the skin towards you to free it from the front legs.

Removing skin from hind quarters - 22kg.

(above) 6. Turn the rabbit round and firmly take hold of the skin and pull towards you to free the hind quarters.

Skinned rabbit - 23kg.

(above) 7. The rabbit with the skin removed and just the scut and feet to be dealt with.

Skins - 24kg.

(above) 8. Two skins which have been removed.

Remove feet - 22kg.

(above) 9. Remove all the feet and the scut.

Remove pluck - 19kg.

(above) 10. Remove lungs and neck from the chest cavity.

Trimming skirt - 20kg.

(above) 11. Trim the skirt from the abdominal opening.

Removing faeces - 22kg.

(above) 12. Remove faeces by pushing out with a finger.

Washing - 22kg.

(above) 13. Wash out the inside of the rabbit.

Hind quarters - 23kg.

(above) 14. Jointing - Remove hind quarters.

Removing hind legs - 24kg.

(above) 15. Remove both hind legs by cutting through the joint.

Loin section - 24kg.

(above) 16. Cut through the body behind the ribs to remove the loin section.

Front legs - 26kg.

(above) 17. Removing front legs from ribs .

Rib cage - 25kg.

(above) 18. Open up the rib cage.

Jointed rabbit - 17kg.

(above) 19. The jointed rabbit - soak overnight in salted water before cooking.

Setting purse nets | Humanely dispatching the catch | Thumbing & Legging | Paunching