Explanation Of Wild Movement After Head Shots.

[philpot 4,971]

I thought you guys may find this interesting.

 

 

Phil

[random 659]

Not a bad watch,and after a bit of science and diagram and what not I think the answer is still nerves?

 

 

After seeing the title I thought you were describing me when I get a rare chance to shoot!

Edited January 25, 2016 by random

[walshie 2,804]

Nerves. Same as a chicken running round the yard with no head. It's certainly not alive.

[tb25 4,627]

Keepdigging mum shakes like that after I bum her

[tomburras 2,729]

It's good to see Ted back again!

[Rez 4,957]

Nerves. Same as a chicken running round the yard with no head. It's certainly not alive.

This brings up a good point, what is the technical word for dead/alive... Id say the chicken was alive, but clinically dead... going on what they say on Silent Witness

[walshie 2,804]

 

Nerves. Same as a chicken running round the yard with no head. It's certainly not alive.

This brings up a good point, what is the technical word for dead/alive... Id say the chicken was alive, but clinically dead... going on what they say on Silent Witness

 

 

There was that chicken years ago that lived for ages after it was dead. I think it was in a freakshow. They fed it with a dropper down its neck stump.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_the_Headless_Chicken

[Stoater 21]

An informative video.

It is never satisfying if you suspect that other non-hunting people may observe the wild acrobatics of brain-shot quarry…. it can even be quite alarming to the hunter, even though you have executed a "perfect" shot. Large birds, such as a pheasant or wood pigeon, can flap wildly for seemingly ages, after having their skull completely shattered. The uncontrolled movements, with the wild wing flapping, can transport the the quarry some distance, even though it is catastrophically and terminally "hit", and technically dead.

Contrast this with a perfect neck, or heart/lung shot. Quarry will often then seemingly just collapse and die, with no body or wing/limb movement whatsoever. We all strive to eliminate suffering when shooting a living creature, and a shot to the head is widely accepted as the most humane way to achieve this. But after many years of shooting, it can still be somewhat disturbing to witness first-hand.

[Rez 4,957]

An informative video.

It is never satisfying if you suspect that other non-hunting people may observe the wild acrobatics of brain-shot quarry. it can even be quite alarming to the hunter, even though you have executed a "perfect" shot. Large birds, such as a pheasant or wood pigeon, can flap wildly for seemingly ages, after having their skull completely shattered. The uncontrolled movements, with the wild wing flapping, can transport the the quarry some distance, even though it is catastrophically and terminally "hit", and technically dead.

Contrast this with a perfect neck, or heart/lung shot. Quarry will often then seemingly just collapse and die, with no body or wing/limb movement whatsoever. We all strive to eliminate suffering when shooting a living creature, and a shot to the head is widely accepted as the most humane way to achieve this. But after many years of shooting, it can still be somewhat disturbing to witness first-hand.

I'd second your whole post.

 

One of my last outings, I took my 100 on a roost shoot, posted some picks as it happens on THL. Anyway, my 100 is bob on, like literally. Managed to bag a few birds, but one will stay in the mind for some time. Must of only been about 25 yards, half way up a ash tree, cross hairs rock steady on a solid branch, took the shot and literally watched the pellet strike the back of its head, it was side on, and I saw the white skull fragments against the dark tree bark, like an egg shell shattering. Dropped fluttering around as per with head shots. Left it where it was, just walked by, it was dead. 10 or so minutes later I came back to collect the bird, and f**k me it was alive, looking at me, with the back of its head missing from the rear of its eye backwards. Gory I know but it's one of those moments where the power of life is astonishing. I felt bad for shooting it and walking by but it was dead in my eyes, it had to be! but put it out straight away as soon as I saw and stopped for a moment to just think about it all.

 

Returned the other day to the same perm and shot a bird with a high chest shot... Dropped like a stone, nothing, I went straight over... Didn't even open its wings.

 

I suppose trying to reference some of your good points.

 

The variables are infinite when shooting, as you right say, we must take every shot we so much care. But even then, you can not guarantee instant kills, even with head shots.

[kanny 20,499]

It has a lot to do with the animals fight or flight mechanism ...a unsuspecting animal in general will kick about alot less than a spooked animal that was ready to run just before you pulled the trigger. If the animal was on high alert then with the type of quarry we generally shoot (prey animals) then its flight programme will be loaded adrenaline ready to pump ready to fire at the first confirmation of danger that's normally the sound of the gun if sub sonic. But luckily fof us our pellet reaches its box before it can react fully and escape but its body is still serging with adrenaline hence all the fuss. If it's a heart shot then it stops circulation instantly meaning the adrenaline can't be pumped around the body...that's how I see it anyway.

Edited January 25, 2016 by kanny

[Coypu Hunter 486]

I read somewhere it's called residual synaptic capacitance, i.e. energy stored in the nerves and synapses for instant release in case of need. The arrival of a pellet short-circuits and disrupts the nervous system, and the residual energy bleeds off. Even shot humans do it sometimes, apparently...