This postcard was obviously meant to appeal to hunters, and it has a message on the back from one of them. It is postmarked from Hayward, Wis., Oct. 25, 1961. The message is as follows:
Dear Clay
Got 6 birds today which is limit. Will try it again tomorrow. Any room in deep freeze? Pete sends regards & me too.
Jack
My postcard doesn't have any description printed on the back. A postcard with the same picture is shown on BAD POSTCARDS. That one is reported to have a caption “The Beautiful Adirondack Mts. of New York State”and quote “There is Nothing I Like Better than to get on the Trail of a Rabbit, then Flush Him so that my Master can get a Shot at Him” printed on the back.
Still lifes with dead rabbits have been painted by some well known artists. I especially like this one painted by the American artist William Harnett who was known for his trompe l'oeil style of painting.
William Harnett. After the Hunt, 1885
William Harnett. After the Hunt, 1885
Rabbit hunting isn't as popular as bird and deer hunting, but many people do enjoy hunting and eating rabbits. Beagles are scent hounds, developed primarily for tracking hare, rabbit, and other game. Hunting rabbits with beagles seems to be especially popular. The video below shows a recent Kentucky Rabbit Hunt with beagles and includes a recipe for barbecued rabbit cooked in a crockpot. Rabbit Hunting Online has many more rabbit recipes.
I have some old hunting postcards too. I think they generally appear pretty morbid to modern eyes.
ReplyDeleteSince myxomatosis many people in the UK will not eat rabbit anymore. During WWII rabbits caught by our dogs supplemented the meat ration.
ReplyDeleteAnd here I was thinking I was going to see an interesting old post card, but I get all this great education to boot. Very interesting post!
ReplyDeleteWhen I was a student in Lincoln, rabbit was often on the college menu, but it’s not a food I’ve come across often. Here in Lanzarote it’s well liked and you will find it on restaurant menus. Rabbits are a bit of a problem and are controlled by hunters with specially bred hunting dogs (podencos) which are usually really badly treated I’m sorry to say.
ReplyDeleteIt's neat when a "bad card" gets improved by the addition of a fun message. A great find! The Harnett is one of my favorite paintings because of the hunting horn too.
ReplyDeleteHa! Do you suppose there was room in the freezer? Loved this!
ReplyDeleteWhat a sweet looking Beagle in the first postcard, still guarding the rabbits and perhaps salivating. I remember eating rabbit my grandmother cooked when I was a child; hunted by Uncle and grandfather. I recall it was good, like chicken.
ReplyDeleteNever had hunters in the family but my kids had 4-H rabbit projects when they were growing up. We ate rabbit a few times but the killing was not pleasant as my husband had to break the necks. We gave them away eventually.
ReplyDeleteYep that is Ky. we love our Beagles and rabbit. Some fine looking dogs in that video of course. I remember my father rabbit hunting but HH is not a hunter. He cannot shoot anything alive.
ReplyDeleteQMM
I've just been reading about the devastating effect of rabbits in Australia. It made me think differently about hunting them.
ReplyDeleteOh I know and have been to Hayward Wi and it's a lovely place....this card really rocks....thanks for the clip too!
ReplyDeleteJust as well the beagle was well-fed or there would have been no rabbits on the postcard :-)
ReplyDeleteHard to imagine hunting rabbits.Who could shoot the Easter bunny! :) Loved learning more about hunting art. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteI've never eaten rabbit (and I never hope to). I like the second postcard (but would like it more without the rabbit). Can you tell I'm not a hunter?
ReplyDeleteOh my. I do hate hunting. I recently purchased a large box of photos and found one inside of a man with a dead dear posed next to him. It went right into the fire place. Of course, I was just outside talking to my wild turkeys, so I'm not really hunting material.
ReplyDeleteLove the link to the theme and - as I am sure you know - I just love old postcards too. Thanks for your continued support of Sepia Saturday.
ReplyDeleteIn Alaska, rabbits are survival food. When the moose and caribou are scarce rabbits are hunted with using small snares, minus the dogs.
ReplyDeleteBeagles are just great to have around for any reason.
Well, you certainly took a more somber approach to Alan's prompt...
ReplyDeleteNo cutsie card here today.
But I must admit to eating my fair share of rabbits...
I wouldn't hunt'em,
but if you cook'em,
I'll eat'em!!
:D~
HUGZ
I have never hunted anything, but I would rather hunt rabbits than eat them.
ReplyDelete