Rund Abdelfatah
By Rund Abdelfatah
HUNTERS are being asked to help out after a plague of rabbits went on the rampage, ravaging farmers crops around the region.
The furry creatures have been devastating sunflower and cereal crops as well as attacking young olive trees.
It has led the Junta to loosen laws on hunting for Malaga province and promise to give out more licences.
“We hope this action is taken fast as if not the rabbits are going to destroy everything,” explained a farmer in Antequera.
kill and eat
the best way is to use ferrets but im told by spanish friends that this is cruel!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!in a country with bullfighting ,fiestas wher animals are thrown off churchs,etc,??
Are these the ANIMAL rabbits or the POLITICIAN rabbits?
Guess shooting them in EITHER case is effective pest control.
Nothing cruel about ferrets. They simply scare the bunnies out of their burrows into nets where the hunter humanely despatches them. Rabbits are a widely neglected source of food,as good as chicken, but much more cute, that’s probably the problem…
I’ve eaten rabbit. It’s probably the least appealing meat I’ve ever tasted. Edible, yes, and good enough if you’re starving. But really, after it’s been shot, is there enough meat left to warrant skinning gutting and deboning? Just feed them to the dogs!
Wild rabbit is way better than the commercial variety which have a terrible existence. Most Spanish keep them in dark sheds and feed them a nasty pellet diet.
Gilbert – you have no taste buds, casseroled rabbit is wonderful. I remember eating the above prepared by a French chef who had moved to the Borbonnaise from Paris and now whenever we eat rabbit, I use his recipe.
We rescued a wonderful little hunting dog from a cortijo on the road to Benelua, infested with hundreds of tiks – I made the Spanish owner an offer he could’nt refuse. She can go 20K no problem. I shall get myself a gun licence and buy myself a .22 rifle – looking forward to lots of casseroles.
Well said Stuart. I still maintain that ferrets are best though. They are entertaining little critters and cheaper and safer than guns. They can also be fed on rabbit, a most virtuous circle of life and death.
Interesting.
Over here in Cadiz there’s a lot of Myxomatosis about at the moment. Rabbits dead/dying at the sides of the roads (easily distinguished from ‘roadkill’), very low numbers according to farmers, peoples pet rabbits catching it…
I just hope you lot dont get it in your area. Its horrible.
Best way to “cure” wild rabbit before cooking. Once it is skinned and cut into the pieces you are going to use, put the raw pieces in a bowl with water and about half a normal wine glass of vinegar for about half an hour. Take the pieces out, wash again and throw the water with the vinegar away. Tastes much better, whichever way you cook it later.
Good luck with the gun license Stuart. The questions are available from your local Guardia Civil office and you can take the exam in english if you wish. Although a ferret does seem less likely to put a hole in your head if you drop it.