Jackrabbit burger...or maybe something else??

[CharlieNC]

Bot fly larvae in that video. A lot of animals get them during the summer. They drop out in the fall. We used to call them "wolves" in squirrels. All wild animals have parasite loads. When I was in college I used to check deer at hunt clubs for age, physical condition, reproductive status, antler parameters, etc. Being a poor college kid I was always on the lookout for protein. Once in awhile while checking a deer someone would ask me what I was looking at and I would reply, oh, just some parasites. Lung worms, tapeworm cysts, nasal bots (guaranteed carcass to take home) and so forth. By the time I got through they would always say "no way we are eating this deer". And I'd say ok, don't worry, I'll get rid of it for you.

My German grandmother would take those hares and soak them in a little vinegar water for a day or so and then make hassenpfeffer (basically braise and fry them) with gravy. Delicious!

Wow, you're the first I heard call them wolves since I was growing up in NE NC.

 

[redrockranger]

Also known as warbles ??

 

[KMart]

Bot fly larvae in that video. A lot of animals get them during the summer. They drop out in the fall. We used to call them "wolves" in squirrels. All wild animals have parasite loads. When I was in college I used to check deer at hunt clubs for age, physical condition, reproductive status, antler parameters, etc. Being a poor college kid I was always on the lookout for protein. Once in awhile while checking a deer someone would ask me what I was looking at and I would reply, oh, just some parasites. Lung worms, tapeworm cysts, nasal bots (guaranteed carcass to take home) and so forth. By the time I got through they would always say "no way we are eating this deer". And I'd say ok, don't worry, I'll get rid of it for you.

My German grandmother would take those hares and soak them in a little vinegar water for a day or so and then make hassenpfeffer (basically braise and fry them) with gravy. Delicious!

Daddy always called them "wolves" as well. Hunting and fishing was a major part of our diet. We didn't hunt any rabbits until Squirrel season opened in October. By that time the wolves had run their cycle.
We had cotton tails out on the farm lands and a larger swamp rabbit in the wood with the creeks and bayous.
Also had the long eared long legged jack rabbits on the farmland. Then in the early 60's, fire ants moved in and anything that nested out in the open fields on the ground, pretty much died off. Cotton tails, Jack rabbits, quail, horned toads and spreading adders all disappeared. The swamp rabbit is still with us because they lived in the woods where it was generally wet and no fire ants nested.
Nothing better than an old swamp rabbit smothered down in a lean brown gravy served with mashed potatoes. A young swamper fried and served with fried eggs and cat head biscuits will come real close.

 

[AckleymanII]

When you clean the jack, check the liver for spots. Best to only eat them in the Winter due to Wolves that are giant worms that get in them.

Making jacks edible is easy with a pressure cooker. Bring steam up to full, and in 7 Minutes, the meat is falling off the bone. Best to use a clove of Garlic, and cut up an onion, salt and pepper. You will eat the rabbit right out of the pressure cooker..it is delicious to say the least!

You can then fry the rabbit, or rake the meat off the bone with a fork to make a rabbit salad or mix with bbque Sause, taco's, enchiladas, etc. Also, substitute rabbit for chicken in a Pot Pie.

The same technique is used with squirrel.

7 Minutes in a pressure cooker is key.

Rabbit gravy is the best gravy in the world!

 

[OLeveraction]

I had a friend born in Arizona in the 1880’s. She was really old.
She said in the toughest times they ate boiled tumbleweeds but never would eat jackrabbits.
I have followed her advice.

They must have been rich because my mouth waters at the thought of jackrabbit and tumbleweed stirfry.

 

[Downeast]

When I hunted New Mexico for mule deer and elk I always saw those big long eared Jack rabbits. What fun it would have been to drop a tailgate of long legged beagles. I asked the guide whether anyone hunted rabbits with dogs and he looked at me like I was from Mars.

 

[sscoyote]

yesterday had a pt. tell me his friend nearly died or tularemia last summer--I killed, skinned and have eaten cottontails and swamp rabbits all of my life--this was first time i have heard of it nearly killing someone.
always southern fried em and made gravy

Yeah Okie somebody died here in CO a few years back too from it...I heard.