# How to quickly dispatch a crippled duck?



## Oblivion5888 (Sep 12, 2011)

Howdy guys, i just had a quick question for you all. This is my first year ever doing waterfowl and i've noticed that a lot of the ducks i shoot don't die. They'll land in the water and make their way to shore, where they sit. I've had this happen twice and in both instances i came upon a duck that was still alive. In both situations i have grabbed them by the neck and started helicoptering them. It seems to work pretty well, except that their heads pop off! I do not want this lol. I would prefer it if the head stayed on.


So do you guys know a quick and humane way to dispatch a cripple without having the head pop off?


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## muledeer#1 (Dec 2, 2008)

Smack there head on the stock of your gun!


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## Jeff Bringhurst (May 20, 2009)

I will either shoot them again or ring their neck just until it breaks, keeping the head on.


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## Kdub (Sep 6, 2010)

Hold their head and twist body until it gets tight. Then give one final quick twist to break it. Head stays attached and its quick. Fyi if a lot of your birds are alive after you shoot them they may be on outside range of your shooting abilities. Allow them to get closer before shooting. 95 % of the birds I shoot are dead before they hit the water.


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## shaun larsen (Aug 5, 2011)

i too hate ringing their necks and breaking them, they look funny in your glory photos with necks as long as geese. you could always go the duck commander route and bite their heads... ive found this technique to be very effective and much cheaper than shooting them again... :twisted: i would not recommend doing this infront of your wives, girlfriends or both. they dont find it very "attractive" :lol: but then again, theres nothing like a good close up water swat! -8/-


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## shaun larsen (Aug 5, 2011)

Kdub said:


> 95 % of the birds I shoot are dead before they hit the water.


..or shortly there after


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## Kdub (Sep 6, 2010)

I mean the water in the boat.


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## Mojo1 (Sep 8, 2007)

Well they do sell a set of pliers made just for breaking their necks, I've saw them in the Mack's PW catalog.

I prefer to helicopter them cause it makes the dog stare at me like I lost my mind!. :lol: If we are in a boat I knock their heads on the gunnel.

I’m not making fun of your shooting but as far as getting a lot of sailing birds (not dead at the hit) it could be a couple of things. 

you might look into your choke/load combo, it might not be giving you a solid pattern that allows a lot of pellets on target so it kills solid.

Or it could be that you are just a tad bit behind on your shoots too, could be you are catching them in the fringes of your pattern. I had that problem two Saturdays ago, kept having to double tap birds.

Or it could be a combo of the two or more factors. 
Good Luck


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## ruddy (Nov 10, 2009)

+1 on biting the heads. You could also find a rock or a log to smack there heads on.


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## guner (Sep 25, 2007)

Kink the neck's..... just grab the neck in one hand, index finger on one side of neck, thumb on other and pinch it off, they flutter for a minute and wink beat ya, but with no air they kill off rather quick. works great on Phez and Duck's I think a goose would be a little large. If that doesnt work, try a 2x4 -O\__-


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## dkhntrdstn (Sep 7, 2007)

You take a wing feather and put it in the back of there head under the skull plate. Or you. An do like other have said.another reason for so many cripples is that you are shooting to small of shot size.try going to a bigger shot size or try switching to a 3 inch shell if you are shooting smaller shell.


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## Oblivion5888 (Sep 12, 2011)

I shoot 3 inch #3's with a modified choke if that helps.


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## shaun larsen (Aug 5, 2011)

Oblivion5888 said:


> I shoot 3 inch #3's with a modified choke if that helps.


Should kill them dead at ranges 40 and under


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## NothinButGreen (Dec 4, 2010)

I prefer the chest compression method. Put the bird stomach down on something hard I.e. The ground, your boat, your gun.. Something, then kneel on its back til you hear bones pop and break, and keep kneeling til the bird is dead. Its easy and humane.


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## Mojo1 (Sep 8, 2007)

Oblivion5888 said:


> I shoot 3 inch #3's with a modified choke if that helps.


my pet load but I shoot a Lite mod choke. I would shoot your gun into a piece of paper or cardboard to check what it looks like, every gun/choke/load will give different patterns.

It could be that you are shooting just a tad bit behind, you could try leading them a little more, might be worth giving it a try.

good luck


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## stuckduck (Jan 31, 2008)

Dustin Richardson said:


> I prefer the chest compression method. Put the bird stomach down on something hard I.e. The ground, your boat, your gun.. Something, then kneel on its back til you hear bones pop and break, and keep kneeling til the bird is dead. Its easy and humane.


That is the way I also prefer to dispatch a bird, great method. I aslo found that if you dont have something to kneel on you can squeeze them in your hands you will hear the back bone break and then the lungs compress. keeps the bird in good shape just for the glory shot.. or encase you want to mount the bird there is no damage.


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## dubob (Sep 8, 2007)

Oblivion5888 said:


> So do you guys know a quick and humane way to dispatch a cripple without having the head pop off?


Here is a link to the tool mentioned above. I have the original Days End tool that just does the neck break which is very easy and quick. The 7 in 1 tool thay now offer seems like a good choice. Here's the link: http://www.dogsafield.com/prodinfo.asp?number=R001-800.


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## Donttreadonme (Sep 11, 2007)

Dustin Richardson said:


> I prefer the chest compression method. Put the bird stomach down on something hard I.e. The ground, your boat, your gun.. Something, then kneel on its back til you hear bones pop and break, and keep kneeling til the bird is dead. Its easy and humane.


This is the only approved method for TEAM Dirty Sanchez.


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## MWScott72 (May 23, 2011)

shaun larsen said:


> Oblivion5888 said:
> 
> 
> > I shoot 3 inch #3's with a modified choke if that helps.
> ...


Best overall load for decoying ducks IMO! I'm not a fan of 2s at all - pattern is too open. For steel, 3s seem to be a good compromise between too few/heavy 2s and too light 4s.


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## Bhilly81 (Oct 18, 2009)

Dustin Richardson said:


> I prefer the chest compression method. Put the bird stomach down on something hard I.e. The ground, your boat, your gun.. Something, then kneel on its back til you hear bones pop and break, and keep kneeling til the bird is dead. Its easy and humane.


i had to do this last year on a goose i twisted the neck around about 3 or 4 times then sat on it for about ten minutes until it finally died i tried ringing its neck 4 times or so and it never worked for me after that i became a quick fan of compression killing


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## NothinButGreen (Dec 4, 2010)

Joel Draxler said:


> [quote="Dustin Richardson":hlo66vo8]I prefer the chest compression method. Put the bird stomach down on something hard I.e. The ground, your boat, your gun.. Something, then kneel on its back til you hear bones pop and break, and keep kneeling til the bird is dead. Its easy and humane.


This is the only approved method for TEAM Dirty Sanchez.[/quote:hlo66vo8]

TEAM Dirty Sanchez approves this method strongly. Because its humane and mostly because it makes the glory shot ten times classier.


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## Speedbump (Mar 7, 2011)

2nd shot seems easier and faster which =humane


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