Aiming at the issue of the bottleneck in enhancing the picking rate, a methodology is devised to boost the retrieval rate of mechanical residual film collectors, leveraging the mechanical property traits of the working target. The 0.01 mm thick plastic film prevalently utilized in the semi-arid regions of Northeast China was chosen as the specimen for investigation. Specialized testing modalities were employed to conduct a comprehensive and detailed examination of the mechanical attributes of the residual film across diverse orientations. In the course of the experiment, it was ascertained that the mechanical characteristics of the film were conspicuously influenced by the pre-tension during sowing processes. Notably, the residual film attains its peak tensile strength at an angle of around 40.6° relative to the ridge direction. This crucial datum forms the central foundation for augmenting the picking rate of residual film pickers and can serve as a guideline for the design, structural refinement, and operational parameter optimization of such apparatus.