Primitive Archer
Main Discussion Area => Around the Campfire => Topic started by: Mafort on April 23, 2022, 11:06:14 am
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So out of curiosity is it illegal to own feathers from a turkey that someone else killed? Reason being is I was posting on another page about processing turkey feathers for fletchings and got a message that it’s illegal to do due to the migratory bird act or something of that nature. Is it illegal? I got these from another hunter who took them off the bird and gave them to me.
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Turkeys are not migratory birds. Perfectly legal in most places, check with your state regs , just to be sure
Thanks Leroy
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I’m hoping someone from kentucky can answer to be sure. I don’t know why they’d be illegal
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You can order them off 3rivers and Amazon and such, so I don't see how it could be illegal. I agree it would be worth while to ask, but it would not make sense to me.
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I believe all game bird feathers and invasive exotic feathers are legal to possess. Everything else in illegal to possess. This is from a federal law from the early 1900's to eliminate plume hunters that sold feathers to the hat makers back then. State laws may vary.
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I have always heard it’s ok to possess any legal game bird feathers. Turkey are game birds and my understanding is they are legal to possess . I’m not a legal expert though.
I have to admit. People are always dropping stuff off at my place and sometimes I wonder what exactly the rules are.
I’ve had people drop off antlers attached to skulls yet and not tagged. I don’t even know where they came from. I recently discovered that antlers found still attached to a skull need a permit or a tag.
Bjrogg
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From what I understand it is perfectly legal for someone to give you feathers, meat or whatever but bartering or selling is where it crosses the line.
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I have sold a few hundred wild turkey feathers but mostly I have bartered tons of them, for instance I barter the right wing primaries to get the the left wing ground, I have donated quite a few to a St Jude charity auction, I have traded them for arrow shafting, bows and even a Cabela's commercial vacuum sealer.
One year my turkey hunting friends gave me 72 wings, I traded a lot of feathers that year.
I have never heard of any wildlife agency getting upset with what happens to any wild turkey feathers from a gobbler, I suspect 95% of them go in the trash or the landfill in the form of discarded wings.
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Every state has its own regulations on such matters. I did a quick check for Wisconsin and did not see any mention of regulating the trade of turkey feathers but did see an interesting regulation on deer parts. Paraphrasing it states, "It is illegal to sell, purchase or barter any deer part except head, skin and antlers when separated from the carcass". So, it would appear the sale or barter of sinew is illegal in Wisconsin.
Last year a bunch of people got whacked for bartering for sturgeon eggs from legally harvested fish, one of which who got caught was (lost his job over it) the head of the sturgeon program within the WDNR. They were processing the eggs into caviar and taking a portion as payment. One who was receiving the caviar was also serving it as his restaurant. And apparently this had been going on for many, many years within the WDNR sturgeon program.
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The wild turkey is NOT listed under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918. So, you do not have to worry about Federal agents raiding you for buying, selling, or trading turkey feathers. Ducks, geese, and other waterfowl are a fish of another horse's color, to coin a mixed metaphor. They actually DO migrate, and you can use the feathers from any bird you legally harvest. But you cannot buy, sell, or trade in their feathers or any other parts.
You only have to worry about what your particular state has to say about it. And I am gonna say it is mightly unlikely that they have any issue with the use of wild turkey feathers.
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What JW said.