Ikejime -does anyone do or have done this?

[S.Crawford]

Went down a rabbit hole today when I googled the most humane way to kill a fish for keeping. Learned about the ikejime method, how it’s best for the fish and the quality of meat. Wondering if anyone’s tried or read about it?

[esox_xtm]

Hmmmm. Humane killing. That's a little oxymoronic isn't it? To me, killing is killing, regardless of the motive. If you do it, you've done it. Humane? Is that to make the fish feel better? I don't think so. Dead is dead. I guess if it makes you feel better... Well.

Now, don't take that wrong. I'm just trying to simplify things a bit. Looked at the ike jime method and find it, well, intriguing. I'm a dedicated hunter, fisher, harvester so I'm no stranger to death. And yes, quick and final is better than a prolonged struggle. At least that's the way I'd prefer to go.

That said, I've not tried this Japanese ike jime. I can relate doing "honor" to the fish, or ay other prey, AND optimize eating quality. I have bled fish routinely for a few years. This also, especially when it's cold, hastens the "departure process" and improves appearance and edibility of fillets.

Good luck in your quest to find serenity in your harvests. This will be interesting.

[trapper2000]

Humane killing....that is a  concept unknown in nature.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kyAw95GHxUc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KPRMvM9DKjY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iOAU2c6zYHQ


death is  never "humane" in nature it is hard  it's brutal and it's painful ..... people should realize  humane  is a mere concept  humans make  because they choose not to see reality.


when i toss fish on the ice or in a bucket (fish  do not  have the same  nerves to generate pain as we feel)  or  dispatch while i clean then  i would tend to  think it is much more humane then your  house cat killing a mouse or your  dog  killing a  rabbit ..............you have to  face the  fact if you are fishing or hunting   humans are the most  "humane" predator in  nature

[conesusguysouth]

im sorry but why is it a problem for someone to end somethings life with respect? the guy makes a valid point whats the need to put him down about it. 

[reeleyz]

They talked about the ikejime method on a meateater podcast a few years ago. It sounded interesting.

[S.Crawford]

Y’all bring up great points. Humane killing at first can sound a little moronic, but it’s more about a quick painless death to the animal that can also have a positive impact on the quality of the meat. Like shooting a deer, we don’t want to wound them, rather one shot one kill, down it goes.

So maybe fish don’t feel pain, but the suffocation (throwing on the ice or bucket) cause the quality of the meat to deteriorate.

I’m not trying to say this is how we should all do it, just curious to hear what other sportsman and outdoors enthusiasts thought about it.

Thanks for the feedback, cheers!

[BeenPerchin315]

Y’all bring up great points. Humane killing at first can sound a little moronic, but it’s more about a quick painless death to the animal that can also have a positive impact on the quality of the meat. Like shooting a deer, we don’t want to wound them, rather one shot one kill, down it goes.

So maybe fish don’t feel pain, but the suffocation (throwing on the ice or bucket) cause the quality of the meat to deteriorate.

I’m not trying to say this is how we should all do it, just curious to hear what other sportsman and outdoors enthusiasts thought about it.

Thanks for the feedback, cheers!

Not so sure about the humane part of this topic but I do Gill a lot of my catches even down to perch. Just to help clean the meat of blood. Whiter. Flakier.
O dang can I even say whiter or is that not PC anymore. Lol

[daytondedrick]

Should I do this with my bait as well?  Worms, spikes?

[S.Crawford]

Should I do this with my bait as well?  Worms, spikes?

Your choice, bub

[awolf]

I guess I did this without know it was a thing. Usually if they're still flopping when I get them home, I stab them up and back through the eye socket before I start cutting.

[Fishin-Mission]

I have to agree that humane killing or death is just an idea.  What you really want is a way the kill someting without feeling gilt. We are so removed from death in our food chain these day. A lot of us just walk up the the meat counter a pick out what we want without think about how that cut of meat got there. A slauter house is not a humane place and neither is mother nature. Remember something has to die for something else to live it is just a fact of life.

[S.Crawford]

I have to agree that humane killing or death is just an idea.  What you really want is a way the kill someting without feeling gilt. We are so removed from death in our food chain these day. A lot of us just walk up the the meat counter a pick out what we want without think about how that cut of meat got there. A slauter house is not a humane place and neither is mother nature. Remember something has to die for something else to live it is just a fact of life.

Good points and well said. I think when they kill the cows/pigs, etc they shoot a bolt into the brain for a quick death, probably to help maintain flavor integrity more so than to be “humane”

[esox_xtm]

I did not feel any of my comments were disrespectful nor were they intended as such so I don't feel compelled to apologize. FWIW the word I used was "oxymoronic", not to be confused with moronic (mo·ron·ic, /məˈränik/: adjectiveINFORMAL:very foolish or stupid) which would have clearly been insulting.

An oxymoron (usual plural oxymorons, more rarely oxymora) is a rhetorical device that uses an ostensible self-contradiction to illustrate a rhetorical point or to reveal a paradox. A more general meaning of "contradiction in terms" (not necessarily for rhetoric effect) is recorded by the OED for 1902.

Hence my statement that ultimately there is nothing humane in killing. We can only make it more comfortable for our feelings, the outcome is still the same.

[S.Crawford]

I did not feel any of my comments were disrespectful nor were they intended as such so I don't feel compelled to apologize. FWIW the word I used was "oxymoronic", not to be confused with moronic (mo·ron·ic, /məˈränik/: adjectiveINFORMAL:very foolish or stupid) which would have clearly been insulting.

An oxymoron (usual plural oxymorons, more rarely oxymora) is a rhetorical device that uses an ostensible self-contradiction to illustrate a rhetorical point or to reveal a paradox. A more general meaning of "contradiction in terms" (not necessarily for rhetoric effect) is recorded by the OED for 1902.

Hence my statement that ultimately there is nothing humane in killing. We can only make it more comfortable for our feelings, the outcome is still the same.

Sorry esox_xtm, I meant no disrespect in my responses. In fact I thought your post was so well written it made my post seem like a first grader wrote it. I sincerely appreciate your feedback!

[esox_xtm]

Sorry esox_xtm, I meant no disrespect in my responses. In fact I thought your post was so well written it made my post seem like a first grader wrote it. I sincerely appreciate your feedback!

My last comment was not directed at you Mr. Crawford. Someone else made a reference to "the need to put him down about it." Since there was a 50% chance it was directed at me I just wanted to be clear about my original comments.

Again, I do believe that food quality notwithstanding it IS (I'll avoid the word humane) "honorable" to dispatch our quarry/harvest as quickly and cleanly as possible. Not just to make me feel better but more so to minimize unnecessary suffering toward an inevitable end. Fish are so unlike us it's "easier" to throw 'em on the ice or bucket and let 'em flop for several minutes or longer with out a thought. Standing and watching a mortally wounded white-tail is something else entirely. My first inclination if it's going to take more than 30 seconds, a finishing shot is on order. Death is rarely like it is in the movies; one shot, fall down and never move a muscle. More like one shot (or more), either fall down OR keep going, holler, thrash, sometimes for quite some time and finally... Harvesting a deer is an "oxymoronic" moment for me: happy for my success, yet saddened that an incredible animal's life is no more.

Secondly, I think the Japanese culture is fascinating. Very different from the West. Very respectful to traditions. We are still very much the Wild West. Europeans, specifically German/Austrian/Swiss have a strict code of ethics for hunters pointed at respecting the quarry and sportsmanlike conduct. You can get the gist of it here: https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-significance-of-German-hunting-traditions

Bottom line? I don't think there's a thing in the world wrong with respecting a fish (or whatever) both as quality food and a living entity. How folks go about that will be very different.

BTW, nothing "first-grade" about your post  I think you went right to the point on an interesting topic.

[ice dawg]

I was attending a fishing seminar when a woman began ragging the person speaking  about how fishermen are so cruel when they impale a minnow with a hook or a jig. She went on and on about how much it must hurt and certainly must kill them. The person speaking said "Well lady,  I don't hook them through the head, I hook them through the eyes. It doesn't kill em it blinds em, but after that I lead em where they need to go anyway.".
Most of us laughed and she stomped out of the room. 

[esox_xtm]

Steady guys... No one is "imposing" their opinions on anyone here. I'm gonna speak for myself and say that, for me, I am mindful of the big picture, the Circle of Life as it were and basic respect for every living thing is a part of that. For ME.

As I've aged and lost friends, spouse, parents, aunts, uncles, ad infinitum, my own mortality and fleeting existence becomes more and more clear. Every day. As a sci-fi fan, what's to say that all of the other animals, fish, bugs, plants, every living thing are below us? Perhaps it's simply a disconnect in communication and understanding. My Mom was adamant that her plants grew better when she sang to them. I don't know, but sometimes I think about it.

Really, the only point here is to each his/her/their (to be politically correct) own. Sharing this idea was not an imposition of will but simply a question.
"Wondering if anyone’s tried or read about it?" An opening to a dialogue about something the OP found interesting.

So get offa yer high horses and don't be offended and defensive about something that wasn't offensive OR imposing. Sheesh!

[steve339]

If I'm fishing to keep, then I give a swift whack to the head and then cut the gills to bleed them out.  It does make a difference to bleed them out, the fillets are cleaner.  I used to just cut the gills without the whack on the head.  Then I learned that if you whack them on the head, the heart will still beat for a short time and allow the blood to keep flowing (keep them in the water so the blood doesn't coagulate).  You can also stab a knife or spike through the head (brain).  You'll know that you got it right when the fish does a final shake.  I use a stringer and put them down another hole during ice fishing season.  The Ikejime method, whack 'em on the head, stab 'em in the head, etc. etc.  Do what makes you happy or feel better.  It's no different than when a hunter says "thank you" to the animal he's just killed to provide for his family.  For me, the Ikejime method is a little too involved.  I also don't believe in letting fish sit on the ice to suffocate, put them out of their misery.

[trapper2000]

im sorry but why is it a problem for someone to end somethings life with respect? the guy makes a valid point whats the need to put him down about it. 

first no one put anyone down  man asked  questions  he's going to get answers 

[trapper2000]

If I'm fishing to keep, then I give a swift whack to the head and then cut the gills to bleed them out.  It does make a difference to bleed them out, the fillets are cleaner.  I used to just cut the gills without the whack on the head.  Then I learned that if you whack them on the head, the heart will still beat for a short time and allow the blood to keep flowing (keep them in the water so the blood doesn't coagulate).  You can also stab a knife or spike through the head (brain).  You'll know that you got it right when the fish does a final shake.  I use a stringer and put them down another hole during ice fishing season.  The Ikejime method, whack 'em on the head, stab 'em in the head, etc. etc.  Do what makes you happy or feel better.  It's no different than when a hunter says "thank you" to the animal he's just killed to provide for his family.  For me, the Ikejime method is a little too involved.  I also don't believe in letting fish sit on the ice to suffocate, put them out of their misery.

if you are  gong to bleed a  fish  then you don't want to kill it  you want the heart beating to pump out the blood

[trapper2000]

Y’all bring up great points. Humane killing at first can sound a little moronic, but it’s more about a quick painless death to the animal that can also have a positive impact on the quality of the meat. Like shooting a deer, we don’t want to wound them, rather one shot one kill, down it goes.

So maybe fish don’t feel pain, but the suffocation (throwing on the ice or bucket) cause the quality of the meat to deteriorate.

I’m not trying to say this is how we should all do it, just curious to hear what other sportsman and outdoors enthusiasts thought about it.

Thanks for the feedback, cheers!

i killed  a whole lot of deer with my bow and i can honestly say only  one  dropped dead in his tracks ......most run 50 yards  some alot further  and you sit and you let them bleed to death ,and i am 1005 SURE IT HURTS LIKE HELL ....but  that  venison tasted  just as good as deer i droped   on the spot with a gun  so that idea  i  call BS on

[trapper2000]

now  i see guys stabbing fish in the  dead  and   hitting them and good knows what else  i  wonder how many slimmy  fish slide and  some poor guy  gt the  knife in his hand.....

again you can do what ever you wish  but .......  killing  humane  is a total  human concept to  remove  quilt i guess  it's not natural ...i'm no suggesting to make something suffer or  hurt something intentionally i'm saying if your  going to  eat meat   fish or hunt  you are  going  to cause  animals pain to  think differently is naive

this is not to  put anyone  down it's just a  honest and realistic  view point................. .....death hurts

[62&done]

I'm sorry,      I guess I just never gave this much thought .  silly me    I just toss them in a bucket lined with snow and add a little more snow as I add more fish (if I'm lucky)    When I get home and get the knife most are still able to swim.  This may sound cruel to some, but it's a swift death.   Just my way of doin things

[trapper2000]

I'm sorry,      I guess I just never gave this much thought .  silly me    I just toss them in a bucket lined with snow and add a little more snow as I add more fish (if I'm lucky)    When I get home and get the knife most are still able to swim.  This may sound cruel to some, but it's a swift death.   Just my way of doin things

what i do

[S.Crawford]

Interesting to hear everyone’s thoughts on it, definitely no one right or wrong way, to each their own. I wonder if the bleeding out part is what really improves the taste and longevity of the meat.  Also, and this may sound odd, but the larger the animal the more I care about a clean harvest—like ants and grubs I’m not thinking too much about, but a large fish, deer, turkey, moose, I look at a little differently.

[TimK]

Interesting subject.  Perhaps even more interesting is the reaction to the word "humane".  Had the OP used the word "efficient", "honorable" or "respectful" in its place would the reactions have different?  Everyone jumped right past the intent of the post, which is the notion of killing something efficiently and respectfully for the purpose of food. Everyone is correct, there really is no such thing as humane killing, but the subject here is moreso the way in which we kill. No offense to anyone, just observations in human behavior.  The word "humane" obviously has connotations that get people riled up, likely due to PETA.  Maybe some unconscious political bias as well but I wont touch that one

I dont buy meat from the store.  I live off Elk, Blue Grouse, Kokanee Salmon, Perch and Crappie.  I do a lot of killing.  Most weeks of the year im killing something or other for food. The older I get, the more I find myself empathizing with the life im taking, espcially (mostly) Elk.  No matter what word youd like to put on it, respecting your prey as it becomes your food is good karma.  A lot of folks just like killing for the sake of killing, especially within the world of predator hunting, but thats a whole nother topic.

[trapper2000]

suddenly i just want to hug a tree ssit around a  camp fire and sing kumbaya .....

you got to kill it to grill it  ..... it really  doesn't bother me any more to harvest (kill) a animal then to order a big mac of pick up  some center cut pork chops at the butchers....

and  i  don't believe in the hindo belief of karma ....

[esox_xtm]

Great - now I want a Big Mac     While were on the subject, I don't understand why BK has onion rigs but McDonalds doesn't ...... 

And I just wanna hug trapper and sing "It's a Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood" 

[BeenPerchin315]

suddenly i just want to hug a tree ssit around a  camp fire and sing kumbaya .....

you got to kill it to grill it  ..... it really  doesn't bother me any more to harvest (kill) a animal then to order a big mac of pick up  some center cut pork chops at the butchers....

and  i  don't believe in the hindo belief of karma ....

O trap. Don’t forget to pass the peace pipe while dancing a rain dance. Lol

You and flogger can keep the Big Macs.

Not trying to disrespect anyone but it is the circle of life and humans happen to be primarily at the top of the chain. Something must always die in order to give nutrients and life to something else.
Tight lines
Perchin
Catch a nice one before the end of the season everyone

[kpd145]

Ikijime is to only benefit the taste of the meat. It prevents spasms after death that will build up lactic acid in the meat that will affect taste and texture. Your braining the fish, bleeding it from tail and damaging spinal cord so no muscles can spasm after death. Japanese people actually age fish like we do steaks for the sole purpose of better tasting meat. They will let a fish sit for a good day or 2 allowing any acid leave the muscle tissue

Your killing a fish/animal. Plain and simple. Saying thank you or anything imo serves no other purpose than to help us feel better about harvesting that animal.

I bleed all my fish and that about it. Gill them and put them one the ice