Floppage explained? Maybe.

[HogBiologist]

Information I found while searching:

More info as I fine It.

Chickens have a very rudimentary and archaic nervous system- much like lizards or other ancient species of critters.  There continues to be involuntary nervous response after the main part of the brain is detached from the head- allowing chickens to flop and roll and flap around for quite a while after theyre really dead. They dont feel it. its much like stepping on a spider- its long gone, but those nasty legs keep right on twitching for the LONGEST time.

You CAN have a chicken with its head lopped off that is still alive- but that happens when the base of the skull is not completely severed, leaving the instinctual part of the brain intact. Back in ripley's days there was a farmer who had such a chicken- it lived for weeks- they just stuffed cracked corn down its open throat and it went right on strutting around as usual. But that was all caused by an improper severing of the spinal cord and head.

Mike the chicken.

Every bird does that. Most reptiles can, snakes can, bugs... things like that.

[turkey_slayer]

Very interesting. Thank you for posting but why is there still some that dont flop at all?  Maybe its one of those things where the unexplainable cant be explained?

[HogBiologist]

The University of Georgia Department of Poultry Science did lengthy studies on decapitation of broiler hens. After observing many birds it was concluded that latent activity in most headless chickens lasted no longer than 60 seconds. In the most extreme case observed, bleeding and muscular activity extended to 90 seconds.

[drenalinld]

I have picked up decoys, hull, and turkey and carried it 200 yards to the truck to have it do it's dying flops in the truck several minutes after the shot?

[barry]

Thanks Lab
The reason for my "Floppage" post was to see if some hunters actually thought certain types of shot used would lead to less floppage.
I swear I have read numerous times on this board where hunters using hevi-shot or something similar say the birds they shoot don't flop. Maybe I imagined it.
Whatever the case, I'd rather see one flop that see him run!

[ILIKEHEVI-13]

I think a snapping turtle is the best example of a reptile that you can cut its head off and it will still be able to carry on like it isn't dead as far as movement. 

[stinkpickle]

I think a snapping turtle is the best example of a reptile that you can cut its head off and it will still be able to carry on like it isn't dead as far as movement. 

Those suckers are freaky!  Cut 'em up and their hearts keep beating.

[turkey_slayer]

Thanks Lab
The reason for my "Floppage" post was to see if some hunters actually thought certain types of shot used would lead to less floppage.
I swear I have read numerous times on this board where hunters using hevi-shot or something similar say the birds they shoot don't flop. Maybe I imagined it.
Whatever the case, I'd rather see one flop that see him run!

I dont believe the shot type has much to do with it though I dont see as much flopping since shooting TSS.  I dont think its the pellets itself but the dense swarm of pellets getting multiple hits in the kill zone.

[spaightlabs]

Mike was from Colorado - our birds are well known to be tougher than most.

[Spring_Woods]

Mike was from Colorado - our birds are well known to be tougher than most.

Yeah, I'm sure that's it..

[Neill_Prater]

If memory serves me correctly, most of the birds I've killed that did not flop were shot head-on. A couple were in full strut when I dropped the hammer. Perhaps the shot penetrating from the front, rather than the side, of the neck and head makes a difference? Neill

[Todd1700]

I have definitely noticed that the turkeys I have killed with Nitros flop less than they used to when I used lead 5's. Many of them that I have shot with Nitros did not flop at all. I had always assumed it was because the denser patterns I get with the Nitros just riddled the central nervous system of the bird (brain/spine) with a lot more hits. But to be honest with you I don't really know why. All I can tell you is that there is a very noticeable difference.

[barry]

Thanks Lab
The reason for my "Floppage" post was to see if some hunters actually thought certain types of shot used would lead to less floppage.
I swear I have read numerous times on this board where hunters using hevi-shot or something similar say the birds they shoot don't flop. Maybe I imagined it.

No, you didn't imagine it.  Folks have noticed that turkeys tend to flop less using certain loads.  The question is, why? 

I speculate that it must have something to do with the higher number of pellets striking/punching holes through the CNS. 
It would be interesting to find out the science behind it.

This could very well be the reason

[jcarter]

All mine flop cause I only kill the tough ones that don't wanna die.