How To Skin A Rabbit (with Pictures) - WikiHow

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Terms of Use wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. Learn why people trust wikiHow A Complete Guide to Rabbit Skinning (With or Without a Knife) PDF download Download Article Author Info

Last Updated: February 24, 2025

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  • With a Knife
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  • Without a Knife
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wikiHow is a “wiki,” similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. To create this article, 20 people, some anonymous, worked to edit and improve it over time. This article has been viewed 225,382 times. Learn more...

Score! You've just caught yourself a rabbit, but you'll need to skin it before you can get any use from the meat or hide. Thankfully, this indispensable skill is easy to learn—and we're here to show you how. We'll walk you through the simplest and easiest ways to skin a rabbit with or without a knife.

Steps

Method 1 Method 1 of 2:

With a Knife

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  1. Step 1 Cut the a ring around each leg of the rabbit, just above the leg joint. 1 Cut the a ring around each leg of the rabbit, just above the leg joint. Only cut enough to get past the hide. Do not cut deeply into the skin of the rabbit; it is unnecessary and inefficient.
  2. Step 2 On each leg, make a single slice going up from the ring cut to the backside of the animal. 2 On each leg, make a single slice going up from the ring cut to the backside of the animal. This will make the skinning easier in the end. Advertisement
  3. Step 3 Start pulling away... 3 Start pulling away some of the hide, working from the ring cut at the foot joint down to the backside or genitalia of the rabbit. The hide should come off relatively easily.
  4. Step 4 Cut your way through the bone of the tail, making sure not to sever or puncture the bladder. 4 Cut your way through the bone of the tail, making sure not to sever or puncture the bladder. The tailbone juts out and is relatively easy to locate.
  5. Step 5 With both hands, start pulling the hide from the body. 5 With both hands, start pulling the hide from the body. The hide will slip off very easily at this point. It should be like peeling a banana.
  6. Step 6 Work your fingers into the sleeve of the hide where the arms are, removing the arms from the hide. 6 Work your fingers into the sleeve of the hide where the arms are, removing the arms from the hide. This may be a little tricky at first, so don't be disappointed if it takes a little extra elbow grease.[1]
  7. Step 7 Work the hide down from the upper torso to the head. 7 Work the hide down from the upper torso to the head. Pull the hide down until it rests at the base of the skull.
  8. Step 8 Sever the head from the spine. 8 Sever the head from the spine. With it, the skin should entirely detach from the remaining meat.
  9. Step 9 With your hands, break the bones at the arm and leg joints. 9 With your hands, break the bones at the arm and leg joints. Then, at the joints, sever the skin from the bone using your knife.[2]
  10. Step 10 Dress... 10 Dress and clean the animal, saving the hide as needed. Make sure the animal is clean before you eat it. If possible, check its liver to gauge the safety of the meat. Save the hide for tanning or other uses.[3]
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Method 2 Method 2 of 2:

Without a Knife

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  1. Step 1 At the rabbit's knee, push the joint out until the hide separates from the meat. 1 At the rabbit's knee, push the joint out until the hide separates from the meat. This takes a little bit of practice. Basically, what you're doing is pushing the knee joint in one direction and pulling the skin in the other. This will eventually separate the two cleanly.[4]
  2. Step 2 Work your fingers around the leg, until the hide is separated around the entire knee joint and surrounding meat. 2 Work your fingers around the leg, until the hide is separated around the entire knee joint and surrounding meat.
  3. Step 3 Pull the knee joint up while pulling the skin down, removing most skin from one leg. 3 Pull the knee joint up while pulling the skin down, removing most skin from one leg. This process is kind of like pulling your pants off, except your "pants" is the hide of the rabbit.
  4. Step 4 Repeat this same process with the other leg. 4 Repeat this same process with the other leg.
  5. Step 5 Beneath the genitals, work your hand under the skin and across the belly. 5 Beneath the genitals, work your hand under the skin and across the belly. Loosen the skin from the underside entirely by pulling it off.
  6. Step 6 On the rabbit's backside, right above the tail, work your hand under the skin and across the back. 6 On the rabbit's backside, right above the tail, work your hand under the skin and across the back. Take the skin and pull it off the backside until it removes entirely from the tail.
  7. Step 7 Pull the skin down with both hands until it reaches the arms of the rabbit. 7 Pull the skin down with both hands until it reaches the arms of the rabbit.
  8. Step 8 Break through the thin skin that sits between the front arms and the head. 8 Break through the thin skin that sits between the front arms and the head. Do this with your fingers. Although it's hide, it shouldn't take you an overwhelming amount of effort to do this. Once you've done this, pull the sleeves up and away from the meat of the arms.
  9. Step 9 Crack the spine where it meets the head. 9 Crack the spine where it meets the head. When you clean and dress the rabbit carcass, you can cut off the remaining head and hide with a swift stroke of a knife.
  10. Step 10 Dress and clean the animal, saving the hide as needed. 10 Dress and clean the animal, saving the hide as needed. Make sure the animal is clean before you eat it. If possible, check its liver to gauge the safety of the meat. Save the hide for tanning or other uses.
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Community Q&A

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  • Question What am I looking for when checking the liver? Community Answer Community Answer Any lumps on the liver will indicate a sick liver. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 4 Helpful 35
  • Question Is it legal to cook it? Community Answer Community Answer Absolutely! Lots of people cook and eat rabbits. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 3 Helpful 8
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Video

Tips

  • If you want to keep the skin, drying should start immediately after the skin has been removed. It must cool off quickly and dry out to prevent the action of enzymes in the dermal, which attack the hair root and cause the hair to fall out. Thanks Helpful 3 Not Helpful 1
  • When pulling the skin off, pull it off as you would remove your socks from the top. Thanks Helpful 2 Not Helpful 1
  • Try to skin the rabbit as soon as possible after its death so that the meat does not spoil. Thanks Helpful 1 Not Helpful 1
Submit a Tip All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published Name Please provide your name and last initial Submit Thanks for submitting a tip for review! Advertisement

Warnings

  • Take a hunter's safety class before hunting any animal. Thanks Helpful 29 Not Helpful 50
  • Be careful, as the knife should be sharp. Thanks Helpful 25 Not Helpful 47
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Things You'll Need

  • Sharp butcher knife
  • Gloves

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References

  1. ↑ https://www.artofmanliness.com/articles/how-to-field-dress-and-butcher-a-rabbit/
  2. ↑ https://www.artofmanliness.com/articles/how-to-field-dress-and-butcher-a-rabbit/
  3. ↑ https://www.outdoorlife.com/articles/hunting/2007/09/rabbit-skinning-made-easy/
  4. ↑ https://www.outdoorlife.com/articles/hunting/2007/09/rabbit-skinning-made-easy/

About This Article

wikiHow is a “wiki,” similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. To create this article, 20 people, some anonymous, worked to edit and improve it over time. This article has been viewed 225,382 times. 206 votes - 82% Co-authors: 20 Updated: February 24, 2025 Views: 225,382 Categories: Hunting Article SummaryX

To skin a rabbit, cut a ring around each of the rabbit’s legs above the leg joint just deep enough to get through the hide. On each leg, slice from the ring you just cut to the rabbit’s backside and pull away the hide down to the rabbit's genitals. With the skin partly removed, cut through the tailbone without going too far or you might puncture the bladder. Once the tail is gone, grab the hide with both hands and pull it from the body, working your fingers into the sleeve of the hide around the arms. Keep working the hide down until you get to the base of the skull, then sever the head from the spine. After removing the head, break the bones at the arm and leg joints, then sever the skin above the joints. For more help, like how to skin a rabbit without a knife, read on! Did this summary help you?YesNo

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About This Article

Co-authors: 20 Updated: February 24, 2025 Views: 225,382 82% of readers found this article helpful. 206 votes - 82% Click a star to add your vote

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