Turkey hunting forum for turkey hunting tips

Something to pass the time... After you shoot a bird , do you pick him up by the feet or the neck ? Been watching lots of youtube and it just got me to thinking as it almost seems to be regional , more of a neck thing in the deep south. I have always been a feet person , just seems a bit disrespectful to pick them up by the neck to me but hey , that's just me...And I know , you just shot him in the face so what 's the difference. Just looking for other opinions. Everybody stay safe...

I don't think it's a deep south thing, but more of a YouTube younger generation thing. As soon as they figure out that the reason their hands get bloody because they hold them by the neck, they will start holding them by the feet like everyone else.

You have a better chance of catching a spur going for the feet and you probably are getting a bit bloody going for the head.

I had always went for the feet but trying to avoid the spurs but still grab by them seemed a little odd if they are still kicking at all. I went for the head once and just thought this seems to make more sense

Have always gone for feet over the head. If still alive the most he can do is beat you up with his wings. But grabbing a turkey by the neck he has his wings his feet and spurs to beat you up with. I grew up working on a turkey farm as a young boy, and found out quickly you shouldn't grab a live turkey by the neck if possibly.

That's a easy one...Feet...Just like someone else said it's easier to keep the hands cleaner.

I just keep them covered with my gun and let them flop. No reason to be running round with what could potentially be a loaded gun. If it's a semi anyways.

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By the neck if they're still flopping. By the feet if they're done.

I always just stay still after the shot. Just let the woods settle down an watch the other Turkeys just walk off most of the time. I don't see any reason to educate them any more. But I've never had a Turkey get up. Ever. Just the way I do things I guess. Each there own. Pick up by feet.

How fast I get up depends on how confident I was in the shot.  If still flopping or they seem to still be alive, I'll just stand on their neck until they stop then pick up by the feet.

I always try to get the feet under control. It's not always possible though. The wings will pop you if you aint careful also.

If still flopping I stood on the neck and once confident they are dead I leaned down, checked out all the colors of the head and how pretty it is and then picked him up by the legs. I have to agree, picking them up by the head does seem somehow disrespectful.

I grab them by their legs,I never even thought about picking one up by the neck.

Feet. I give him one last chance to get me back with them spurs

Feet

I also will often just sit and cover them with the gun at first. But if they flop out of sight or behind brush, I will hustle to get them. Then I step on their head and quickly ensure they are quite dead with a knife to the brain.

For pics or to inspect the trophy or to tote them out, I am a leg man! 

I've been grabbing them by the feet for 30 years.  If you are looking for taxidermy work, the neck is a good way to mangle up the head/neck feathers.  It's tough enough to keep them looking good after the shot.  However, grab him by the drumstick and you can sure strip those feathers in a hurry too.  I assumed the neck thing was as much a YouTube fad as anything, similar to carrying a gun by its barrel like the PHs in Africa seem to do.

Feet, less mess, more control

Feet for me but be careful.  As mentioned by others, had a buddy grab one that still had a little energy and yanked his leg through buddy's hand, filleting it like a ginsu knife, boat ride out, then to get hand sewed up

Feet.  I don't think I've ever picked one up by the head/neck. 

Feet. I've never held a gobbler by the neck.

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It seems almost strange to me to pick them up by the neck.  I've always found that odd when guys do that.  And I've personally never seen anyone do it...just in pictures.  I jump up after the shot, and step on their head until they stop flopping.  Then I pick up the bird by the feet and he goes in my turkey vest.

Disrespectable?  Heck, you just shot him; how more disrespectful can you get.  I stand on his head until he quits flopping and place a loop of rope on each end around his neck and feet and carry him out head first over my shoulder so his feathers don't get messed up.  This ain't rocket science, like decoy placement, it is turkey hunting.

I go for the feet always. I get spurred on occasion, like this morning. But it's worth it!!

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Quote from: Sir-diealot on April 21, 2020, 11:39:54 AM
If still flopping I stood on the neck and once confident they are dead I leaned down, checked out all the colors of the head and how pretty it is and then picked him up by the legs. I have to agree, picking them up by the head does seem somehow disrespectful.

This. ^^^

Just depends on what mood I am to pick him up. 

Always by the feet for me.

I used to always go for the feet but that's also how I got spurred several years ago. In the past couple seasons I've taken to grabbing the neck instead. Also reduces the chance of the bird "coming back to life" if the shot was more marginal than you thought.

Edit: I didn't know it was considered a fad. I just tried it myself one time and said hey, this is a lot better than going for the hooks and have them start flopping and kicking like crazy.


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If I do my part right, there shouldn't be too much of a head/neck to grab onto anyway!  :icon_thumright:

Quote from: RutnNStrutn on April 21, 2020, 02:28:50 PM
I go for the feet always. I get spurred on occasion, like this morning. But it's worth it!!

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Sorry you got spurred, but glad too!  Way to go Jim!

I was looking at some pic earlier and got to thinking.  100% of my grin and holding up a turkey were either behind him, fanned out or by the legs for pics on the go.  100% of my pics of holding giant Canadas were holding them by the neck.  I have never seen anyone hold up a Canada by the foot.  Wonder if some of the neck holders hunt honkers. 

Quote from: g8rvet on April 21, 2020, 07:42:36 PM

Quote from: RutnNStrutn on April 21, 2020, 02:28:50 PM
I go for the feet always. I get spurred on occasion, like this morning. But it's worth it!!

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Sorry you got spurred, but glad too!  Way to go Jim!

Thanks Larry!!

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Feet

Stomp em on the head if need be, pick em up by the feet.

Feet.  After they stopped flopping and don't respond to touch.

Grab them by the neck.


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I grab both legs, put one foot on the head "not stomping it" just to hold it in place  and I hold them while standing until they are done flopping. I do this so they don't break the beard which I let one flop so much one time he did. I just let the wings hit me while im holding them , but it keeps the beard from potentially getting tattered. I carry them out by the feet. I cape my birds so I try to do as little physical damage to them as possible. My tote is for the legs. Nothing against the carrying one by the head, I just don't do it myself, generally the feathers around the top of the neck are in bad shape as it is so I try to create little contact with them by carrying them that way.

Quote from: Cottonmouth on April 21, 2020, 08:33:03 AM
I don't think it's a deep south thing, but more of a YouTube younger generation thing. As soon as they figure out that the reason their hands get bloody because they hold them by the neck, they will start holding them by the feet like everyone else.

X2

I once told a new hunter, "Until you've been nearly beat to death by turkey wings after picking up him, you've not experienced a full turkey hunt"   ;D   I just consider it part of the memory. 

The way this year has gone, I would love to get beat up by a wing or two right now...

I usually just scoop up whatever I can grab , because it's tuff to grab a specific body part while running ????

When in doubt, grab the legs stand on the head.

Quote from: dzsmith on April 22, 2020, 01:01:23 AM
I grab both legs, put one foot on the head "not stomping it" just to hold it in place  and I hold them while standing until they are done flopping. I do this so they don't break the beard which I let one flop so much one time he did. I just let the wings hit me while im holding them , but it keeps the beard from potentially getting tattered. I carry them out by the feet. I cape my birds so I try to do as little physical damage to them as possible. My tote is for the legs. Nothing against the carrying one by the head, I just don't do it myself, generally the feathers around the top of the neck are in bad shape as it is so I try to create little contact with them by carrying them that way.

Pretty much my approach, as well.  I make every effort to keep every gobbler I kill in as pristine condition as I can.  I want every feather as intact as I can keep it,...one, because I try to take the best pictures I can with the bird,...and two, because I cape every gobbler I kill for a potential mount or other display.  Either way, I want as little damage to the bird as I can manage. 

I suppose that perhaps my reverence for these birds just extends to treating them as respectfully as I can after I take their life.  It is the least I can do for all the joy they give me in hunting them.

I always pick them up the feet

 I have friend who told me many years ago " You have not won the game until you are standing on his neck"! When he stops flopping I pick him up by his feet.  I have not ever been spurred or had my legs beat up from flopping wings.  I want to keep it that way.  HA!

Quote from: GobbleNut on April 22, 2020, 10:45:39 PM

Quote from: dzsmith on April 22, 2020, 01:01:23 AM
I grab both legs, put one foot on the head "not stomping it" just to hold it in place  and I hold them while standing until they are done flopping. I do this so they don't break the beard which I let one flop so much one time he did. I just let the wings hit me while im holding them , but it keeps the beard from potentially getting tattered. I carry them out by the feet. I cape my birds so I try to do as little physical damage to them as possible. My tote is for the legs. Nothing against the carrying one by the head, I just don't do it myself, generally the feathers around the top of the neck are in bad shape as it is so I try to create little contact with them by carrying them that way.

Pretty much my approach, as well.  I make every effort to keep every gobbler I kill in as pristine condition as I can.  I want every feather as intact as I can keep it,...one, because I try to take the best pictures I can with the bird,...and two, because I cape every gobbler I kill for a potential mount or other display.  Either way, I want as little damage to the bird as I can manage. 

I suppose that perhaps my reverence for these birds just extends to treating them as respectfully as I can after I take their life.  It is the least I can do for all the joy they give me in hunting them.

X2. I try to get to them relatively quickly, more to avoid feather damage than him getting away (although my first bird this year flopped 100 yards downhill into a creek,) and I usually pick them up by the head at first just to avoid the kicking spurs. I try to grab as close to the head as possible to avoid damaging the feathers around the neck, and I'll hold him at arms length until he's done flopping. Once he's done, I'll hang him by his feet from my tote for 30 minutes or so and sit down and just spend some time with him. (I admit, Dave and the PP got me to smoking a cigar at this time.) I love to just sit down and admire the beauty of the object of the pursuit; it almost hurts to take the knife to them.

Side note - I like hanging them up for a reasonable amount of time because it really sets their wings and feathers for great pictures.

Feet.


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Had a friend who picked one up by the feet it drove the spur between his middle and index finger so deep he had to go to emergency room.

I was always told it was a northern thing to grab them by the head ha ha. Funny how you hear different stories in different parts of the country.

I just sit there until they are done flopping and let the woods settle down before grabbing them by the feet unless of course it has turned into a 3 ring circus of me chasing a wounded turkey through the woods which has as I hate to admit it happened once or twice.

I always have imagined what some innocent bystander would think if they saw me on one of those rare occasions chasing after a turkey through the woods.

I have had two that I've had to chase and both shots were inside 35 yds.

I'm a leg man!

They're dead when I grab them :)


MK M GOBL

Quote from: Sir-diealot on April 21, 2020, 11:39:54 AM
If still flopping I stood on the neck and once confident they are dead I leaned down, checked out all the colors of the head and how pretty it is and then picked him up by the legs. I have to agree, picking them up by the head does seem somehow disrespectful.

Agree 100%. I step on the neck and hold em down w my knee of my other leg on their body.  They don't last that long I cannot wait to pick 'em up.

Quote from: Brwndg on April 23, 2020, 05:09:14 PM

Quote from: Sir-diealot on April 21, 2020, 11:39:54 AM
If still flopping I stood on the neck and once confident they are dead I leaned down, checked out all the colors of the head and how pretty it is and then picked him up by the legs. I have to agree, picking them up by the head does seem somehow disrespectful.

Agree 100%. I step on the neck and hold em down w my knee of my other leg on their body.  They don't last that long I cannot wait to pick 'em up.

Me kneeling on a turkey would not be good, he would end up looking like a flapjack!

Quote from: WildTigerTrout on April 23, 2020, 10:28:52 AM
I have friend who told me many years ago " You have not won the game until you are standing on his neck"! When he stops flopping I pick him up by his feet.  I have not ever been spurred or had my legs beat up from flopping wings.  I want to keep it that way.  HA!

I had a couple of gobblers that I would have mounted but they flopped out too many feathers. Nowadays I go to the bird as fast as safely possible and pick him up by the legs. I've been spurred a few times, not many, but I haven't had any floppage ruining a potential mount either.

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