Gutting a rabbit

Preparation
The first step which is done out in the field just after the rabbit has been killed, is to remove the urine from the rabbits bladder, this is to help avoid puncturing the bladder which would contaminate the meat during gutting. Before gutting your rabbit, make sure it has cooled a bit, this to avoid it bleeding during gutting, which would further contaminate the meat.

The way I find best to remove the urine from a rabbit is to hold the rabbit in your right hand with the back in your palm and the chest in your fingers with the belly facing up, and the back legs hanging down. Now take your left hand and about halfway down the rabbits stomach hold it with your thumb pressing on the belly, now with a gentle downward motion express the urine from the rabbit. Removing the urine from the rabbit, will help with prolonging the life of the meat on the rabbit, and also helps with reducing the risk of contaminating the meat when it gets prepared.

Gutting or Paunching
There are various ways to achieve the task of gutting a rabbit, and this is the one I find quick and fairly easy to do. Remember to always carry this task out in and area which is suitable, meaning you can either dispose of the insides of the rabbit, or they can be left for the foxes in a place which is not going to be a problem

You will need a small sharp pointed knife for the task. Now hold the rabbit around the chest again, but this time in your left hand (right for left handed people), and have the back across your palm, and the belly facing up. Now insert the knife into the rabbit, just below the ribs at a shallow angle, trying to make sure not to puncture the stomach or intestines (if you do don't worry too much) as it will make it easier. Now make a cut about 3/4” long and only about 1/2” deep, now you can insert two fingers into the cut and create a tear of about 3”, the reason for the tearing is to make sure you do not cut into the intestines or stomach.

Now take the rabbits back legs in one hand and hold it around the chest again with the back in your palm and with the belly facing down, now shake the rabbit about a bit all the insides should come out, leaving just a couple of bits still attached, this bit will take bit of practice to get it right, and you might want to do this on your own, or ask others to stand back as it could get messy. The bit which is attached to the rear can be pulled off as this should only contain rabbit droppings and should not contaminate the meat. The other bit which is attached is the stomach, and if you didn't puncture it earlier it should be about the size of a golf ball, and attach just under the ribs. You should be to remove this bit cleanly. If you did puncture the stomach, or it bursts when removing it, wash all the meat around the area to make sure all the contamination is removed.

You should now be left with a gutted rabbit, like you would get from you local butcher. If you want to take it a step further then you could remove the rest of the organs. This is done by puncturing the tight membrane inside the chest, this is the diaphragm. Then simply take hold of the lungs and heart and pull them out. This part is not really necessary, unless you are going to be cooking the rabbit whole.

Related Links
Video on how to gut and skin a rabbit