Don't Take It For Granted.

[secretagentmole 1,701]

I was used to a 25hp twin cylinder Johnson outboard, way too much (compression on that swine is evil), the pigeon stood no chance....

[milegajo 595]

I was used to a 25hp twin cylinder Johnson outboard, way too much (compression on that swine is evil), the pigeon stood no chance....

Sounds rather 'Jeremy Clarkson'.

[mushroom 13,577]

 

As the title say's, don't take it for granted that your head shot will always do the job. Over the last week I have head shot two woodies with the pellet entering the head about level with the eye and exiting through the other side. On retrieval of the bird I found them sitting there still breathing and flapping when I picked them up. I've shot shed loads of woodies in the exact same spot and they've dropped like stones, but not these. I'm just glad I got to them quick to sort them out. So nerves or rock hard woodies?

not realised there dead yet, a quick swirl holding the neck sorts them quick enough

Back of a knife to the throat and push the head forward instantanious

[paulus 26]

 

 

As the title say's, don't take it for granted that your head shot will always do the job. Over the last week I have head shot two woodies with the pellet entering the head about level with the eye and exiting through the other side. On retrieval of the bird I found them sitting there still breathing and flapping when I picked them up. I've shot shed loads of woodies in the exact same spot and they've dropped like stones, but not these. I'm just glad I got to them quick to sort them out. So nerves or rock hard woodies?

not realised there dead yet, a quick swirl holding the neck sorts them quick enough

Back of a knife to the throat and push the head forward instantanious

fook carry a knife i might cut myself

[Acuspell 329]

It is interesting to read so many different people having the same problem. This isn't because of nerves, it is because whilst you have hit the head, you have NOT hit the vital part of the brain, if you have hit the brain at all.

 

The head of a pigeon is a small target, not much bigger than a grape. The central cortex of the brain that it is necessary to hit to cause death is only a fraction of that grape, about the size of a pea. If you look at the next pigeon you shoot and pluck the head just so you can see how little of what is visible is vital area. You don't need to pluck the whole head - just the bit behind the eyes, where it's ears are. THAT is the only part of the head that will cause an instant kill. If you shoot through the eye GOING FORWARD, you only hit sinuses and the base of the beak area, in the skull - none of which is vital. It will prevent the bird from feeding though, so it will starve to death, or from infection over a long period of time - or get caught by something.

 

The target area of the head that will cause a kill is only that section of the skull BEHIND THE EYE - so your small target has now become critically small. From your shooting position you don't just need to picture the flight path to the target, but then extend that line THROUGH the head to envisage which part of the head your pellet is going to travel through. Adjust your aim point to carry that line through behind the eye in the centre of the skull. That will work every time - if it doesn't it is because your impact was slightly off, but even then most time shards of skull will do the job.

[mushroom 13,577]

 

 

 

As the title say's, don't take it for granted that your head shot will always do the job. Over the last week I have head shot two woodies with the pellet entering the head about level with the eye and exiting through the other side. On retrieval of the bird I found them sitting there still breathing and flapping when I picked them up. I've shot shed loads of woodies in the exact same spot and they've dropped like stones, but not these. I'm just glad I got to them quick to sort them out. So nerves or rock hard woodies?

not realised there dead yet, a quick swirl holding the neck sorts them quick enough

Back of a knife to the throat and push the head forward instantanious

fook carry a knife i might cut myself

Fookin safety scissors then ya girl :laugh:

[mark williams 7,563]

very interesting this debate, i too have seen this when the pellet was not quite "on the money" .

What are the thoughts on heart/lung?

When i`ve shot woodies with a 22 the breast meat is ruined, but in 177 the pellet goes straight through - both front on shots.When i`ve got a shot from behind the bird both cal are deadly between the shoulder blades (if you will).

Woodies have armour plated breast bones that a 22 struggles to get past(at range) to get to the heart, the 177 does go through the armour in my experience and will reach the vital organs but to be honest in my humble opinion i prefer head shot.

 

atb

[redial 81]

Tough bird's the old woodies . I sometimes wonder if sub 12lb is up to a clean kill in many cases .

For example angle of presentation for a head / heart shot. I leave alot these day's for another day

when I know I have a better chance of a humane kill. Just a thought .

Yours's in sport, Phil.

[The one 8,545]

Think its just the rush of adrenalin after being shot , if you cant kill them without pulling the head off tap the back of there head firmly on the toe of your boot