Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Arrows => Topic started by: mcginnis6010 on September 03, 2013, 08:22:04 pm
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Why are feathers from certain birds the only acceptable fletching for arrows and atlatl darts?
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Their legal...........Feathers from protected birds are illegal to have.
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Can you use feathers from other legal bird other than turkeys or goose? Like as in crow or other waterfowl or is there certain characteristics that a feather must possess to be suitable?
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I believe if they are taken by legal methods they can be used but don't quote me on that. The Federal law that protects birds was established in the early 1900 to prevent plume hunters from wiping out birds for their feathers that were used in the fashion of the day. There might also be state and local laws to consider.
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Not sure about which songbirds might be protected, but all raptors and birds of prey are protected--eagles, hawks, owls, vultures; not only protected from hunting, but from even picking up their dropped feathers.
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Songbirds, or migratory birds, are all protected except invasive non-native species like pigeons, starlings, English sparrows, and Eurasian collared doves.
In some parts of the country pet parrots have escaped and are living in the wild, they'd be legal too. Mind you, some folks might get upset if you shotgunned Polly off their porch!
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I've used primaries from Sandhill Cranes and Geese... Specks, Snows and Canadas. Any primary from a large bird will usually do the trick. Don't mess with Raptor feathers. Not worth it, plus most are usually too soft anyway.
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OK I think ill try crow feathers since they're in season and there are plenty around.
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I wouldn't touch dead crows or ravens (ravens are protected anyway). They're the vector host for West Nile Virus.
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I stick with good old turkey feathers. For me its not worth the risk of using anything else.
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I wouldn't touch dead crows or ravens (ravens are protected anyway). They're the vector host for West Nile Virus.
No way you can contract West Nile from the bird. The bird is not the ones that infects, it is the mosquito that feeds on blood from one infected animal and then feeding on another animal.
This was a recent subject in a large convention of avian rehabilitators. Several noted veterinarians weighed in and explained why it doesn't matter, heck you can eat a bird carrying WNV.
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Yea..... I wont be eating crows anytime soon doubt they taste any good. I sometimes help the local farmers reduce the crow pop around here. I use the carcasses for bait during trapping season.
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Do Eurasian Collared doves pose any threat in the US. I have a pair that have roosted in my yard this year and last year. I know they are legal to shoot but I haven't messed with them. If they pose a threat they would be easy to remove.
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I am hoping to get some Canada goose feathers soon. I think they would be good for rainy days
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I take my two year old son to a few parks around my area and make it a game to pick up "the big, clean, good feathers" when there are geese or ducks around. I have a few turkeys living behind my house that leave feathers quite often and one was killed by coyotes I think and this left the field covered in wing and tail feathers. I have found roadkill turkeys (pretty rare to find one) and they have some salvageable feathers. by the way, when salvaging either feathers or any part of a road kill animal including sinew its a good idea to wear gloves and have an air tight container for the remainder of the trip... stinks up a car real quick if ya dont.
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I'm pretty sure it's illegal to pick up even road killed turkey. I've done it, but you don't want to get caught carrying around a dead turkey out of season or in season w/o a tag. Just my 2cents, dpg
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I take my two year old son to a few parks around my area and make it a game to pick up "the big, clean, good feathers" when there are geese or ducks around. I have a few turkeys living behind my house that leave feathers quite often and one was killed by coyotes I think and this left the field covered in wing and tail feathers. I have found roadkill turkeys (pretty rare to find one) and they have some salvageable feathers. by the way, when salvaging either feathers or any part of a road kill animal including sinew its a good idea to wear gloves and have an air tight container for the remainder of the trip... stinks up a car real quick if ya dont.
I have a few arrows that came from under where the turkeys roost behind my house :)
I will have to remember to go searching when the geese are molting
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Depending on what part of the country you live in, the turkey and geese feathers are pretty easy to come by if you have a friend who hunts them. Be sure to clean them either by dusting with a borax-corn meal mix, or soaking in gasoline. I prefer the gasoline, its quicker and cheaper--and more dangerous. Don't try to use detergent and water, it tends to ruin the shape.
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I am hoping to get some Canada goose feathers soon. I think they would be good for rainy days
Good for sunny days too ;D Find a goose hunter and ask them for wings of legally harvested birds and you'll have an endless supply of great fletching. I use all of my large duck wing and geese that I harvest every year for just that.
Tracy
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This has been an interesting discussion and I've enjoyed it. I just realized the original question hasn't been fully answered. Many south american tribes which still rely on bow and arrow for hunting use massive arrows, both for shooting critters out of trees and for shooting fish. Consequently the fletching tends to be longer vanes, and often only two vanes; kind of the same idea with the larger atlatl darts. I'll see if I can bring up a picture.