Dispatching turkeys

[Blue Legs]

Happy almost thanksgiving everyone. The time has come for me to harvest the last of my turkeys, a broad breasted black that probably weighs around 20lbs. I have been very disappointed in my turkey dispatches so far. I want to make sure this last one goes better so I'd love some advice. I'll describe what hasn't worked below.

GRAPHIC DESCRIPTION WARNING

The birds were led to a private area away from the rest of the poultry. The bird was made calm through gentle talking and stroking for several minutes and then placed head first into a feed sack which had a hole cut in a corner for the head and neck to poke through. The bird was kept calm, in the bag, straddled, and then a .22lr revolver was used for a shot to the back of the head. And this is where things didn't go right. I don't think everyone needs a graphic description of it, but it was distressing to both me and the bird. This happened twice in a row, despite studying turkey skull anatomy and what I would regard as excellent shot placement and more than one shot from contact distance.

Could someone please suggest an alternative method of dispatch? I'm leaning towards head removal, as I don't feel bleeding them out is something I want to do without stunning somehow. I have done dozens of chickens and various fowls as a hunter, so I'm not squeamish, I just know there has to be a better way than what I'v done so far

 

[Banana01]

I hate killing my chickens and muscovys, but i have been studying better ways to do it and unfortunately i still have to do head removal. I dont have a sharp enough knife or cone. Muscovys are really strong, but i havent had any bad kills yet where they suffer.

I calm them down and put their head over a wooden post, and use a machete and a hammer. Once i line up the machete on top of the place on the neck, i hammer the end of the machete and two hits seperates the head, i can have their head seperated in under 3 seconds. Lots of blood but it is better than swinging and maybe missing if they move. I have also used large knives and a rock to do the same thing.

Hope you have better luck this year!

 

[Blue Legs]

I do have a machete, a chopping block, and a hammer. I read on another thread here about a turkey harvest where the bird was suspended by its legs, and head removed while the bird was already hanging. The claim was that the bird did not struggle and was calm the whole time. If this actually can be done without distressing the bird, this would seem to be ideal.

 

[Molpet]

I had same problem when a friend used a 22 with CB caps on one I was fond of.
Now I have a cone, turkeys fit in 17lbs dressed, and use a sharp sharp tree limb type loppers to cut through the neck.
I tape the ankles so they don't kick out as easy.
Before the cone, I would tape the ankles, lay the bird on his chest until he settles down. Then I would hold his feet with my foot, just so he stays put not enough to hurt him....reach over with the loppers and cut through the neck.... the bird will flop 50ft spewing blood everywhere, bruising meat.... so hanging, a feed bag or cone is helpful.
I had my brother take his hatchet and stump method to one i was fond of... had bruised meat.

 

[Bigtom Turkey]

I have just used the hatchet stump method, worked great for my 20+ lb BBB turkey.

 

[Banana01]

I do have a machete, a chopping block, and a hammer. I read on another thread here about a turkey harvest where the bird was suspended by its legs, and head removed while the bird was already hanging. The claim was that the bird did not struggle and was calm the whole time. If this actually can be done without distressing the bird, this would seem to be ideal.

I think a guillotine would be ideal, but pounding on the machete was the closest i could get to an an actual guillotine.

My ducks are always calm when i lay their head over a log. They stretch out their neck and don't move even when i line up the machete. I havent had to struggle yet. Same with chickens. I always hold their body after i cut, so never thought about bruising.

 

[Blue Legs]

has anyone noticed any variance in quality using various methods? The first bird I dispatched via my above method seemed to bleed out well, while the second had noticable , not spots but drops, of blood in the meat when cooked.

 

[Molpet]

I think a guillotine would be ideal,

Machete guillotine someone posted paint stick on right side as spacer

 

[Poultrybonkers]

I cut the jugular and bleed them out did turkeys once would never do them again was way to big for me to do myself. And chickens I put them in a kill cone that i have on a pine tree and cut then hold the head so they bleed out if I feel its taking to long will I then cut the head off completely

 

[Bigtom Turkey]

Machete guillotine someone posted paint stick on right side as spacer

View attachment 2906449

This is genius!!