How do you dispatch a wounded turkey??

phil_pick · 05-09-2008, 11:23 AM

I have hunted deer for years now and this year I am finaly branching out into birds. I have never been turkey hunting so I thought I would do some research. I have read some articles and watched some videos but one thing that never gets answered is how do you finnish off a wounded bird? Almost every bird seems to flop around after its hit and I want to be as humane as possible so how do I dispatch them quickly? Another shot? Step on their head?

I am also considering pheasant hunting this fall as well so any info with dispatching them would also help. Same method or not?

Thanks guys.

vmartin · 05-09-2008, 11:36 AM

the most common method of killing a turkey is to grab him by his head, pick his body up off the ground with just the one hand holding his headand spin the turkey almost like a cowboy spins his rope. this will quickly break his neck if done correctly. sometimes if you spin too hard you will decapitate and if you do it too soft you will only hurt the turkey further. after a couple of times you will get the hang of it. pheasants are the same way.

to recap you aren't spining the head with the body, you are making the toms body spin while the head stays in the same position. and it isn't a whirlwind up and over swing, the turky will hang there while you spin him. someone else might be able to describe this better but the first time you see it done you will get it.

RIStrutStopper · 05-09-2008, 11:50 AM

I've done exactly what is described above. Also, if you hold the head and the base of the neck and just pull that will do the job. Just be careful you don't get spurred.

Bigtimer · 05-09-2008, 12:53 PM

Ya know, I wasn't going to fess up because y'all would never believe it but the bird that I shot Wenesday was at a distance and when I approached him, I reached down and grabbed him by the throat, he obviously didn't appreciate this and climbed right up my legs, into my lap, over my belly then over my shoulders and fell back down behind me[:-]. I turned the wheelchair around, a little shook up at what just happened and rolled the wheel right onto his neck and he was done in a few seconds. It was wierd because he was obviously hit in the head. I'd like to see that on video, "Carolina longbeard whips up on crippled redneck in wheelchair", I can see it now

. But seriously, I'm lucky that he didn't get those spurs in my face. I guess he wanted to get the last lick in.

God Bless,

Ray

Mr. Longbeard · 05-09-2008, 01:05 PM

I just step on there neck...

vmartin · 05-09-2008, 01:43 PM

i would say stepping on the neck is about the slowest way, plus if you want a mount he will tear up his feathers/beardand spurr everything he can kick. basicly steping on the neck will only disable him from getting back up and running away or a 5-10 minute choke, plus he may still get air while flopping around. everybody has their own thing that works though.

Strut&Rut · 05-09-2008, 02:18 PM

If he's down and flopping after the shot, 99.5% of the time it's a dead bird. The sympathetic nervous system still fires neurotransmitters for about 3 min after the animal is dead.

You can hasten the process in any manner you like. You can either snap his neck, as described by vmartin, or you can just step on his neck.

If you step on his neck, follow these steps:

1) step on bird's neck
2) grab legs, above the spurs
3) jerk the body upwards in one swift motion...

This quickly snaps the spinal column, and gives you much better control. Furthermore, you get the sastisfaction of inspecting his spurs

I typically always finish my birds this way, and have yet to ruin any capes or feathers for mounts. More feathers are ruined by the actual shot than by any post-shot handling. The second way that mounts really get messed up is where the bird lands after the shot. IF they roll down a steep embankment or into water, don't expect a gorgeous mount [&:]

BuckRogers · 05-09-2008, 02:28 PM

Define wounded. Like someone else said if they are flapping for all they are worth just give them a minute as they are dead. If they are obviously alive, they will typically be still. Approach with caution and be ready to shoot him again. You do NOT want to ring a turkeys neck if there is still alot of life left in him, as he will take some of yours away too. There wings and spurs hurt so when breaking the neck let them go after you feel it give. If your uncomfortable with this the easiest way is to just shoot them in the head again. Sure it might be bloody but it will get the job done. Pheasants are very easy to ring there necks. Just make sure that the neck is broke before you set them down or else you might not get him back.

vmartin · 05-09-2008, 02:29 PM

well put "STRUT AND RUT". i think that might work quite well. i have never tried it that way.

Bigtimer · 05-09-2008, 03:05 PM

Agreed, that sounds much easier.