Physiological Effects

When an animal is correctly killed with a shot to the head with a free projectile, be it a bullet or lead shot, it will collapse immediately, stop breathing and may bleed profusely from the entry wound, the mouth and/or the nose. There may or may not be immediate exaggerated tonic activity of the muscles, or the carcase may appear completely relaxed. After a lapse of up to one minute, the carcase may start to twitch and, in some cases, convulse quite violently (especially pigs). This is normal in an animal which has been shot correctly. If in any doubt as to the effectiveness of the shot, check the abdomen for absence of rhythmic breathing and the eye for absence of corneal reflex, before deciding if it is necessary to shoot the animal again. The convulsions will start to subside after a time (up to one minute) and eventually cease, leaving an initially limp carcase which will then, in due course, go into rigor mortis. 

Indicators of an effective shot:

• Animal collapses immediately and stops breathing
• Carcase can be tonic or relaxed
• A fixed, glazed expression in the eye
• No corneal reflex
• Convulsions may occur after a lapse of up to one minute