harvesting farm sheep...subsonic ideas?

[AP]

My uncle used to use a 8lb sledge hammer on med - large farm animals that were designated as table food years ago. Seemed to work 100% of the time. YMMV

yes -- agreed ... or a .22 short properly placed.... but my question to the 'OP' is: are you hunting the sheep or slaughtering the sheep? If you have to stalk them and 'wack' them at a distance... you may need to have enough velocity and bullet weight to be effective ... otherwise keep it simple and quiet (and safe) with a hammer or simple and quiet with a .22 short....at 'short' range (point blank!)

 

[tokguy]

I was always told that you should use a 22 short between the eyes because you do not want the animal to drop stone dead on the spot. You want the animals heart to keep beating so that after you cut its jugular the heart will pump all the blood out of the animal which makes for better tasting meet.

After they are dead and hung properly, they drain just fine. Some Old Folk's stories bear ' A grain of Salt '
Abbittior down the road uses 22 WM to dispatch them

 

[Mister Donut]

This, bricks also work but aren't as durable, for those extended 'lamb to the slaughter' sessions, a nice 20 Oz estwing will serve you well. If it's that hard to catch them, rope and hog tie it first. You could also try an air framing nailer with some 3.5" spikes, sounds creepy but it works. Or some subsonic .38 spc, .44 mag, .45 lc rounds from a rifle would be discreet and effective at a longer range than a hammer. I had a buddy back home who fancied himself a Samurai, used to slaughter cows via decapitation with a Katana. They never knew what hit them, the cow would stand there for almost a minute before collapsing sometimes. One of those things you can't unsee.

I'd probably go this route. At least this way, you don't have a peice of lead rattling inside the skull ruining all that delicious brain matter.

 

[SHELL SHUCKER]

I was always told that you should use a 22 short between the eyes because you do not want the animal to drop stone dead on the spot. You want the animals heart to keep beating so that after you cut its jugular the heart will pump all the blood out of the animal which makes for better tasting meet.

It's best to dump the critter fast, then hang it up fast for draining. To ensure the best tasting meat, don't take a critter that has been stressed by running or penned up excitement. A relaxed animal that doesn't know what's coming is the best way.