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What's the best way to dispatch injured quarry?


waddy
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Just interested to see what people favour - i usually twist the neck round and apply pressure till the bird stops moving about - i'm always a little wary of pulling the neck for fear of ripping the head right off - not ideal for hanging a brace then !

 

Smaller birds such as partridge usually go after a quick 'wring' but if you get an older tough cock pheasant it can take some time which isn't ideal at all.

 

Have seen a bit on the humance dispatchers but it is something extra to carry and as i understand leaves the neck crushed?

 

What do people do with rabbits also?

 

Mark

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Due to the fact that my father is a butcher, he taught me how to kill a rabbit in a quick and painless way.

Pick the rabbit up from the back legs, the rabbit head is down, you have to prepare your hand as you were doing a karate move, fingers +hand straight and muscle contracted at this point you aim for the back of the rabbit head(between neck and head) and with a firm and strong hit it's a dead rabbit.

Good luck :lol:

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I've found the swinging round way OK on most birds, or a sharp tap on the head is also effective, swinging is not so effective on ducks though, for these I bought some wagbi game dispatchers and they are very effective, use up near the head and the crushed neck is not a problem, you can still hang them by the neck because the flesh/skin of the neck is usually undamaged.

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swing a rabbit from its back legs so its head hits atree? :devil:

mmmm!new ones on me.

if you chop the rabbit on the back of the neck you stand a good chance of bruising the meat. i either chin my rabbits. or pull there necks if you pull there necks it m

akes it easier for the knife to go through as tiercal explains in "dressing rabbits"

as for birds give there heads a tap on a gate post or beaters stick.

or a quick wring.

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Pulling the neck (the traditional way)

Excuse my ignorance but do you literally hold the body and pull the head?

 

I have seen it done but as i said before am nervous to try for fear of decapitating the quarry !

 

You normally get the 'click' when you swing - is this what i'm looking for?

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I'm a little mortfied :sly: to read that people are swinging quarry about by their heads :< hoping a get a good contact on something to despatch them.

In my opinion, you should either get a good sized priest of some kind or as one states, hold its legs either the rear ones or if the creature only has one pair and place the other hand around the neck and give a sharp jerk to sever the virtibrae or twist the neck.

Could you imagine what an anti could do armed with a camera snapping at a hunter smashing an aminals head in on a gatepost :devil: . Don't think it would sit too well.

Although we're killing animals for pleasure and food, i still think they should be treated with the repect they deserve and that is a little of somekind.

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If I need to “Finish-off” a rabbit, then I take it by the back legs, with my left hand, place the first two fingers of my right hand either side of the rabbits throat, just under the chin, and then with a quick jerk snap the head back. :devil:

With practise this is a very easy, quick and humane way to despatch a rabbit, and shows a degree of respect for the quarry.

The thought of swinging it by the legs and “Braining” it on a post makes for very uncomfortable reading. Gawd only knows what any passing stranger would think.

Certainly wouldn’t put our sport in a very good light would it. :sly:

G.M.

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I use the karate chop on rabbits and I have already explained in 'dispatching game in perfect condition' how I finish of birds. I think it's a disgrace that people are swinging the quarry and hitting their heads of posts or trees, what happens if you don't make proper contact you are just prolonging the suffering.

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ive got to agree guys hitting things on gate posts isnt the way to go ,with rabbits i hold the back legs in my left hand with my right hand on the back of its head with my fingers under its chin with a tight grip then push your right hand away from your left while bending the head back it only takes a split second.(do it forcefully you need to feel the neck break )as for pigeons i hold them by the head and give them a flick of the wrist its very quick but hard to put into words you would be better to watch someone do it first before trying it.if you are unsure just use a small priest its much easier on yourself and the animal in question.

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I find donking things on branches and posts distasteful too; like swinging it looks clumsy and uncaring. I hate the beaters stick thing too; I've seen ever so many "dead" birds still flapping around after half a dozen ill aimed efforts.

 

If you are going to use a priest, get a proper one that's balanced and got a good brass endy bit. One tip is to hold the bird by its wings in one hand; it will then obligingly stick it's bonce out and hold fairly still. It's surprising how many folks don't do this.

 

"Wringing" is second best; bear in mind that a birds neck needs to be fully extended when you are doing it, otherwise it turns into a "spring" form and won't break properly. Tuck the bird under your arm and with both hands extend his neck to its full length. Keeping the tension up turn the head through three complete turns, and then increase the tension and with your thumb under the beak push the head right back. You'll fell the neck joint slip out.

 

The best.....I use the old 'keepers way with small birds like fezzies and pigeons; bite the back of the head hard enough to crush the skull. Instant and clean despatch, and (unless you've got false choppers!) doesn't require any extra gear.

 

Chinning is the easiest way for rabbits; the chop does work but it takes more practice than you might think especially with a jumpy wriggly one. Hold Brer Rabbit in your left hand with the knuckle of your forefinger behind his head, tight up to his ears. Push his head right back over your knuckle; you'll hear the vertebrae crunch, it's the crushing force that kills.

 

Regards

Eug

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for Rabbits a quick humane pull on the neck and for birds a heavy priest , made from deer antler , perfect for the job

:devil: ( for gods sake if you have to dispatch by swinging the poor thing round by the neck , then you show it no respect and should not be willing to shoot at live quarry .)

 

Darren .

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not doin anything wrong mate, its just a stupid idea as wild animal will bite, the one that bit me i didnt even have my hand on its head, went to pick it up and its head turned and grabbed hold of me!!

 

Must of been the devil bunny, may have been a one off but im very wary of picking them up now. Trust me it hurts and you would probably feel the same if he got you to. Right down to the bone pain!!

 

Maybe co2 airpistol at close range to the brain may also be a way of dispatching, just make sure its got enough oomph to do the job properly. No dirty/bleeding hands no meat damage and a quick dispatch for the bunny.

Edited by Jon-Boy
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Do it as quick as possible thats the main point, anyone can kill a rabbit just get it done, its the rabbit that is suffering while you make up your mind how you are goin to do it. If i shoot a rabbit (12bore) and it doesnt go down straight away i would rather take a second shot. Wounded quarry only useually happens with the further range shots, a swift second shot makes me feel better than loosing out on 25P of a cartridge. Who cares about meat damage! Its marginal anyway at 15 yards or more even with two shots!

Edited by Jon-Boy
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Big Fish (you aren't related to Jim D are you?)

 

First to john boy , if you have been bitten by a rabbit then my friend you are doing something desperatley wrong. It must have hurt like hell but even so i can't stop laughing!

Second to eugene molloy, i don't think that most people (even though its a good way) would prefer to put a live wild animals head in their mouth.

I agree!

 

so they have to be taken out of the net first!

I disagree! Not if you chin them; it was a ferreting gent wot taught me.

 

Regards

Eug

Edited by eugene molloy
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