owl feathers

[terence pinder]

has anyone ever used owlfeather for fletching.i found a dead owl and can obtain a permit if i want.

[knightd]

First get the permit.. Then yes they work very well..

[billy]

I've never used owl feathers.  They seem a bit soft for my liking, but they may work very well.  I'll bet your arrow would be super quiet!  Give them a try and tell us how they work.

[broken arrow]

Sure would like to know how they work. It's a rare find.

[terence pinder]

im gonna get the permit  and try em. ill call them bunnybuster arrows

[AKAPK]

that would be about a 100 Big ones Dollars that is, its better to leave it were it was and let MN take care of it, but then someone else may get it like fish and game or a buzzard.

[terence pinder]

that might be as smart idea.

[Ohio John]

i have a whole  quiver of barred owl fletched cane arrows (flint points and sinew of course!). They are extremely quiet...... however they are hard to glue, dont seem very durable, and always look a bit messy. Make sure you get a permit first.

[Canoe]

Howdy O. John,

I'm glad to hear you have a permit...

From U.S. Fish and Game;
"The Migratory Bird Treaty Act makes it illegal for anyone to take, (or) posses, import, export, transport, sell, purchase, barter, or offer for sale, purchase, or barter, any migratory bird, or the parts, nests, or eggs of such a bird except under the terms of a valid permit issued pursuant to Federal regulations. The migratory bird species protected by the Act are listed in 50 CFR 10.13."

This is no joke, the U.S. Fish and Game doesn't mess around with this law.  They have spent millions of dollars to reestablish a raptor population in the U.S., and they don't take it lightly when someone takes a raptor (even a road kill).  And, you can't just argue that you found the bird dead on the roadside, because the charge would be for posessing raptor feathers  - not for killing a protected bird.  And, there are private organizations, like the Audubon Society, who pay rewards for turning in violators.

Furthermore, there are plenty of turkey and poltry farmers who would be happy to sell you a bunch of feathers, you could color them to look like eagle or raptor feathers.  This is much safer - much less costly. 

Lastly, it would give the sport/hobby of Primitive Archery a bad name if people thought "we" are collecting raptor feathers for arrows.  Remember, if we create a market for raptor feathers, someone will go out and hunt raptors for money.
 
So, be careful...

Canoe

[Justin Snyder]

The permits are not available for raptors for these types of personal use.  Anyone who tells you otherwise needs to check the regulations.

The permits are for Native Americans for ceremonial use.
Permits are also available for schools museums and things of that nature, BUT they have to show how it will be used and how it is educational. "All migratory birds salvaged must be transferred to a public scientific or educational institution, zoological park, museum or scientific society." Regulation 50 CFR 10 I would question anyone who uses them for something else.

[billy]

Just use some canada goose wing feathers....they look just like buzzard, bald eagle or mature golden eagle feathers. 

[terence pinder]

ya i left them where they were. i think its a little different in Canada as we can get permits for roadkilled raptors as long as the conservation officers determine that the birds death isnt suspicous.but the permits arent free and im a little short on cash right now

[Ohio John]

In my experience the canada goose and wild turkey feathers make better arrows anyways.

It is possible to obtain a permit for feathers for use in an educational program in flint knapping/primitive skills/ ecology. If there is no reason to have them don't.... They make mediocre arrows anyways   I think the laws are perhaps a bit stricter than they should be and there was talk during the Clinton administration of loosening up the rules a bit. This is because the laws have been successful and populations are on the upswing.  I came across a dead turkey vulture while hunting this year (probably shot by a hunter who found it over his kill). I understand the turkey vulture is held in very high regard as it carries the soul to the sky after death. I almost grabbed a wing but thought better of it.  Meanwhile ODNR has released so many coyotes in Ohio that they are a scourge and you can barely find a rabbit to hunt anymore. So much for responsible wildlife management.

[Grunt]

Lakota people are very superstitious about owls. Show a owl feather to a traditional Lakota and they back up a step or two. I think it has something to do with the owl being a nighttime hunter.

[terence pinder]

interesting, thanks for the advice guys