Best Way to Finish Off a Wounded Game Bird?

I tried to wring the neck of a Canada goose that I took with a bow, those suckers are strong. I'm sure there is a technique to it that I was lacking, I carry a hatchet when bow hunting geese now.
 
If you can't hold the body of a grouse and pull the head off with your other hand, it might help if you put your Hello Kitty purse down first.

Large Geese and the like I made a tool that hangs on my belt, looks a bit like an old style bottle opener but larger, it fits over the neck and snaps it clean very easily.

As for Sandhill Cranes, never had to kill any but one, and catching it first was HARD! I had left the shotgun in my goose blind to pick up birds thinking I would just grab the crane, yeah right. Buggers run like a deer! My cousins wife calls them terra-dactyls because they look so weird when cleaning them lol. They even have two windpipes!!
 
This is an interesting topic. I have a question as well, (sorry) what if you clip a duck and it falls to the water, but seems fine and is swimming around like nothing happened. Do you have to wait for it to be in the air again before you shoot at it? It may be injured, but your not sure.
 
tdod101 said:
This is an interesting topic. I have a question as well, (sorry) what if you clip a duck and it falls to the water, but seems fine and is swimming around like nothing happened. Do you have to wait for it to be in the air again before you shoot at it? It may be injured, but your not sure.
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Ducks can be hard to kill swimming as the wings overlap the body and diver ducks sit low enough in the water that their vitals are partially below the water line. Carry some small shot with you like #5 or #6 steel for dispatching wounded ducks on the water. The denser pattern makes it much easier to get a head hit. Before lead was outlawed I used to carry heavy loads of 7.5 shot. It was very effective for water swatting purposes.
 
If you can't hold the body of a grouse and pull the head off with your other hand, it might help if you put your Hello Kitty purse down first.
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Good one, gave me a good morning chuckle. That's exactly what i do, minus the Hello Kitty purse.
 
Bluedevil25 said:
I wring the necks of all my wounded birds. I know I've done it properly as the head/neck will will separate from the body. On larger birds like Canada Geese if done properly you will feel the neck break, then a couple of more wrings and the head/neck will separate. The only bird I won't do this on anymore is the Sandhill Crane I'll just head shoot them once to finish them off. Those things fight back and go for your eyes lol!
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How are the Sandhill Cranes for eating?
 
Cleftwynd said:
Just shoot it again. Ducks will also dive and disappear on you, I hate that so I don't give them the chance if I can.
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As will geese.
Have done my fair share of watching for that large honker to surface after being tipped .
Again, it aint rocket science, if it is moving ... shoot it again.
A bird in hand is worth more than two in the bush or in some case two dozen in the air.
Rob
 
When it comes to Sandhill Cranes the young of the year can be quite tasty and reasonably tender if cooked slow and moist. Adult birds on the other hand can often be so tough that the best thing to do is grind them into burger and make ground-meat jerky out of them.
 
another 410 #6 pointed to the head is my best way to end it! Goose jerky is the best way to consume goose meat, that I have found. Crane I haven't tried, Pleasant and wild turkey is to die for, best fowl meat that I have ever eaten!
 
I mostly hunt grouse when it comes to birds. I use my thumb and forefinger of one hand behind the head and while holding the body with the other and a quick jerk pop the head clean off. Instant death and bleeds them out.
 
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