I hope this isn't an inappropriate or too contraversial subject to post on a public forum but any bird hunter is going to be confronted with this some day.

So what method/methods do you use. Some birds (pheasant) are easy but personally I've never found a good one for goose.

For all birds (geese included), I just "windmill" them.


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I do the same thing (geese, too).

I bite their heads!

I saw a guy named Golden (yep ... real name) do that about 3 years ago to a duck and it was quite effective ... the problems began after the deed was done.   

Golden never elaborated as to what was causing his discomfort, and I didn't ask for details, but for the next hour he kept making hacking and spitting noises.

I also noted that when I offered him a beef stick a little later he turned it down ... Golden NEVER turned down a beef stick.

Here's an alternative. I've never seen one, but it fits the topic.

“The Necker” Link)

I usually do the windmill, except at hunt tests. I believe (IMHO) that the windmill is the most humane way to dispatch a bird (if you do it right it breaks the neck quickly). But it looks violent to people not used to it.

An alternative (at a hunt test) is to step on the bird's breastplate area. Prevents the bird from taking a breath. Effectively suffocating the bird. Takes a couple of minutes of constant pressure though. But, everything looks nice and calm to onlookers.

I have done it with my hand on pheasants. Hand under the wings squeezing the chest. Squeezing a bird for two minutes is a bit of effort though.

Windmill in most cases. With a big goose ive seen guys use a whip technique that is quick and simple.

 I use the whip tecnique also, I fnd it a lot more efective than the windmill. I takes a while to get the feel but both methods are trying to acomplish the same thing.. Break the neck from the base of the scull, kwick dispatch....

I work for a major poultry company and we have a "Poultry Welfare" standard to abide by. In doing so we HAVE to cull all unhealthy birds and do so by cervical dislocation.

I have used this on duck and geese. Its quick and allot easier than the "windmill".

- Hold the bird by the feet in your left hand
-Hold the birds head in your right hand. hold it by the back of the neck so that the base of the back of the head/neck is between you pointer and middle finger.
- Hold the birds feet up and push the head away so that you are basically rolling the head back and dislocating it from the birds neck!

Lance, that sounds good, but that would require me to lay my gun on the ground to dispatch a birdie.
Meanwhile, other birds are getting away!

I will try that during a hunt test though, it does seem to be less stressful on the bird.