Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Arrows => Topic started by: Ed Brooks on August 15, 2013, 07:07:21 pm

Title: how do you keep your feathers dry
Post by: Ed Brooks on August 15, 2013, 07:07:21 pm
I was talking to a guy that I thought might know about trad hunting, and then he tried to draw my bow unstrung. So I'll ask you, he told me to use no-sent hair spray to keep the feathers dry. Any ideas? Thank you Ed
Title: Re: how do you keep your feathers dry
Post by: Newindian on August 15, 2013, 08:12:24 pm
I don't think so, that stuff is made to come out when it gets wet
Title: Re: how do you keep your feathers dry
Post by: Pat B on August 15, 2013, 08:32:42 pm
I use the feather dry powder.
Title: Re: how do you keep your feathers dry
Post by: Thesquirrelslinger on August 15, 2013, 10:16:22 pm
use nothing or if I really really need it i will use the fat from browning taco meat. My dad pours it off(it makes it a signifigant amount healthier) into a can and I asked him to save it(haha I browned the meat but he poured it off
Title: Re: how do you keep your feathers dry
Post by: JW_Halverson on August 15, 2013, 10:22:09 pm
Greasy feathers are harder to straighten then wet ones, and steam won't straighten them out again...ever.

I have never worried about my feathers being wet.  Several times stump shooting I have had feathers soaked and matted down.  I just gave the shaft a few whacks across the palm of my hand and the feathers popped back into place well enough to work for the next shot. 

If you have a fly fishing shop nearby, stop in and look into the fly dry products. 
Title: Re: how do you keep your feathers dry
Post by: osage outlaw on August 15, 2013, 10:34:58 pm
I just try to keep mine out of the rain 
Title: Re: how do you keep your feathers dry
Post by: Danzn Bar on August 15, 2013, 10:49:06 pm
If your arrows are tuned real well to your bow it doesn't make a lot of difference at 15-18 yds.  It may mat down the feathers some and add a little weight to the back end of the arrow which will make the dynamic spine of the arrow just a little stiffer.  Taco meat fat????  :o :o what the H*#@ is he talking about?
DBar
Title: Re: how do you keep your feathers dry
Post by: Trapper Rob on August 15, 2013, 11:05:42 pm
If he gets lost & hungry he can eat  the feathers.
Title: Re: how do you keep your feathers dry
Post by: JW_Halverson on August 15, 2013, 11:05:44 pm
Taco meat fat????  :o :o what the H*#@ is he talking about?
DBar

Some of us have been wondering what the H*#@ for some time now.
Title: Re: how do you keep your feathers dry
Post by: Badly Bent on August 15, 2013, 11:37:37 pm
I use fletch dry powder, works great and I know because I'm the kind of fool that will ignore the weatherman and head out to hunt and end up caught in a downpour later. Usually treat the feathers twice a season and their good.
Title: Re: how do you keep your feathers dry
Post by: Bryce on August 16, 2013, 12:19:03 am
Preening oil from the glan on a chickens butt
Title: Re: how do you keep your feathers dry
Post by: osage outlaw on August 16, 2013, 12:40:53 am
Taco meat fat????  :o :o what the H*#@ is he talking about?
DBar

Some of us have been wondering what the H*#@ for some time now.


A 14 year old "expert"  ::)
Title: Re: how do you keep your feathers dry
Post by: Fred Arnold on August 16, 2013, 12:55:26 am
I don't take mine out in adverse weather often but when I do I keep them covered. I don't use sprays and I don't use baby powder. If you use some common sense ( sandwich bags, saran wrap, free plastic grocery bags? ), the effects of weather will be minimal.

It sounds as though the weather you are hunting in is much worse than what I'm accustomed to.
Title: Re: how do you keep your feathers dry
Post by: Joec123able on August 16, 2013, 01:40:11 am
Don't shoot in the rain and you're good to go  8)
Title: Re: how do you keep your feathers dry
Post by: hedgeapple on August 16, 2013, 02:00:15 am
I spend 100's of hours each season to get my feathers wet and red.

If I'm target shooting and an arrow gets wet, say dew or they land in a creek, I do like JW and/or shoot them a couple more times and they're dry, unless the end up in the creek again. haha.
Title: Re: how do you keep your feathers dry
Post by: Bryce on August 16, 2013, 03:32:52 am
Don't shoot in the rain and you're good to go  8)

For us PNW folk it always rains come hunting season
Title: Re: how do you keep your feathers dry
Post by: adb on August 16, 2013, 06:49:31 am
use nothing or if I really really need it i will use the fat from browning taco meat. My dad pours it off(it makes it a signifigant amount healthier) into a can and I asked him to save it(haha I browned the meat but he poured it off

Fat drippings from browning ground meat?? On your feathers?? Really. What you bin smokin' boy?

Bohning makes a great feather dry powder. I believe it's talcum. But, like others, I very rarely shoot or hunt in the rain.
Title: Re: how do you keep your feathers dry
Post by: Pappy on August 16, 2013, 07:00:52 am
What  Osage outlaw said,both times. ;) :)I usually don't use anything,I only use primary wild turkey and really don't have a problem, years ago when I used bought feathers I used the same stuff Pat mentioned,worked great.  :) First time you shoot them is fun,get a big puff in the face. ;) :)
   Pappy
Title: Re: how do you keep your feathers dry
Post by: Ed Brooks on August 16, 2013, 10:56:41 am
Thanks for all the advice, sounds like I'll give it a go as is. I do have a few goose feathers for the late season (wet season) or if I have any issues with the early season. Thanks I guess I'm getting nervous with my 1st archery deer and elk season just two weeks away. Happy Hunting. Ed
PS; I'll hold off on the taco fat. 
Title: Re: how do you keep your feathers dry
Post by: Tom Leemans on August 16, 2013, 01:29:35 pm
Natural turkey feathers do a pretty good job by themselves but my stalker quiver has a fletching hood. The one on the string is usually protected by my arm.
Title: Re: how do you keep your feathers dry
Post by: turtle on August 16, 2013, 03:11:06 pm
Preening oil from the glan on a chickens butt


So....... Is this done with a live chicken? If it is i would like to see a video. :o
Title: Re: how do you keep your feathers dry
Post by: adb on August 16, 2013, 03:18:07 pm
Preening oil from the glan on a chickens butt


So....... Is this done with a live chicken? If it is i would like to see a video. :o

Me too!  ;D ;D ;D
Title: Re: how do you keep your feathers dry
Post by: Thesquirrelslinger on August 16, 2013, 05:21:32 pm

Taco meat fat????  :o :o what the H*#@ is he talking about?
DBar

ya know, it looks like tallow and works just fine.
So try it.
before you rant on me.
Title: Re: how do you keep your feathers dry
Post by: Bryce on August 16, 2013, 05:22:21 pm
Preening oil from the glan on a chickens butt


So....... Is this done with a live chicken? If it is i would like to see a video. :o

Just squeeze into a little bottle :)
Title: Re: how do you keep your feathers dry
Post by: adb on August 16, 2013, 05:37:16 pm

Taco meat fat????  :o :o what the H*#@ is he talking about?
DBar

ya know, it looks like tallow and works just fine.
So try it.
before you rant on me.

I can't imagine how putting tallow on your feathers would do anything other than completely ruin them. Have you tried this, or is this another one of your 'opinions?' I think maybe you stuck your finger in it again??
Title: Re: how do you keep your feathers dry
Post by: Thesquirrelslinger on August 16, 2013, 06:36:51 pm

Taco meat fat????  :o :o what the H*#@ is he talking about?
DBar

ya know, it looks like tallow and works just fine.
So try it.
before you rant on me.

I can't imagine how putting tallow on your feathers would do anything other than completely ruin them. Have you tried this, or is this another one of your 'opinions?' I think maybe you stuck your finger in it again??

1. in my indian book from ben hunt, apparently the indians used to apply a light coat of bear grease to feathers to protect them. Well, I don't have bear grease... so why not cow grease? So far I have had absolutly no issues- BUT I do NOT use sinew to fletch my arrows, or any kind of glue and sinew. I use raffia fiber(a plant fiber)...
i also tried mixing a little of the stuff with bees-wax. worked fine as a bow finish. water beads up really nice.
issue- it never really dried though.
BTW in case you wondered- this stuff is clean beyond belief. It looks like lightish beeswax, except it has the consistancy of butter.

If you don't want to try it, fine. I wasn't trying to get you to. I wouldn't try it on any arrow with feathers glued on or with sinew.
Title: Re: how do you keep your feathers dry
Post by: mullet on August 16, 2013, 09:35:31 pm
This isn't primitive and may sound strange, but it works. The first time Chris Cade and I hunted the Alexacarrie Plantation a Tropical Storm moved in at 5:30 in the morning. We hunted in straight down rain from Dawn to Dusk. I had just finished a set of arrows and I hit them again, lightly with a mist of Polyurethane before I went. I had the only arrows that made it through the day with the fletching not laying flat.

Now, I just lightly hit them with Poly.
Title: Re: how do you keep your feathers dry
Post by: crooketarrow on August 18, 2013, 10:51:22 am
  I'm lucky I can buck hunt everyday day of the season (AND DO). So a rain day is use'lly wecomed.
 I GUESS YOU CAN SAY I DON'T HUNT IN THE RAIN unless its a light rain. Although I did gobbler hunt a few morning in the rain this spring. I use turkey feathers mostly they have some oils in them. Not as water proff as geese feathers but you'd have to set in a down pour for your feathers to lay down.
 Back when I shot compounds (a life time ago 30 years) I bought water proffing. Try geese feathers it has a nature oils and are totally water proff.
Title: Re: how do you keep your feathers dry
Post by: Marks on August 20, 2013, 12:51:17 pm
Is this before or after you add the taco seasoning? >:D
Can I just run my arrow thru my burrito supreme?

Just pokin O:)
Title: Re: how do you keep your feathers dry
Post by: PEARL DRUMS on August 20, 2013, 01:02:32 pm
I don't. If it rains they get wet and lay down. They seem to shoot fine at 10 yards either dry or wet. So I don't mess with it anymore.
Title: Re: how do you keep your feathers dry
Post by: Ed Brooks on August 20, 2013, 03:40:09 pm
Thank you all for the advice. as for now I'll go as is.
Title: Re: how do you keep your feathers dry
Post by: Marks on August 20, 2013, 04:00:32 pm
We used to use Camp Dry on tents and stuff in Boy Scouts. Never tried it on feathers.