Fried rabbit was a staple in the hill country of West Virginia
from the time the area became populated until the mid-twentieth
century. The hills and hollers are filled with an abundance of
game, but rabbits are especially plentiful. Young boys learned
to catch this game before the age of ten using simple snares and
box-traps. These traps were simply constructed, and many times
were the young boys first attempt at woodworking. Game is lured
into the trap by the scent of food [usually apples or carrots
for attempting to catch rabbits]. As they enter, to reach the
food, a prop is simply knocked out of place by the animal and
the door to the trap slams shut, trapping the animal inside. An
opening on the opposite end can allow for dispersing of the
animal without even removing it, or it can be pulled out through
the original trap opening and dispersed. The carcass was then
brought to the kitchen door for "Mom" of the house to clean and
prepare for eating. I won't go into the proper method of
cleaning and butcheri