Author Topic: Duck feathers for fletching?  (Read 11077 times)

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Offline richpierce

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Duck feathers for fletching?
« on: November 19, 2007, 04:57:15 pm »
I had the good fortune to be successful duck hunting and kept the 1st 3 or 4 primary wing feathers from our ducks.  The ducks were medium sized (spoonbills) and a bit larger (widgeon).  I am not sure the feathers are stiff enough- anybody have experience using duck feathers for fletching?

Offline Hillbilly

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Re: Duck feathers for fletching?
« Reply #1 on: November 19, 2007, 05:14:18 pm »
They should work. Duck feathers work great for Eastern Woodlands-style two-feather fletching, but I've used mallard primaries for "normal" fletching, and they work fine-just not quite as durable as turkey or goose..
Smoky Mountains, NC

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Offline Coo-wah-chobee

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Re: Duck feathers for fletching?
« Reply #2 on: November 19, 2007, 05:34:47 pm »
 ..........................Like Hillbilly said.....bob

Offline adb

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Re: Duck feathers for fletching?
« Reply #3 on: November 20, 2007, 10:47:32 am »
Hi,
I've used all sorts of feathers for fletching... duck, goose (my favorite), pheasant, grouse, owl (road kill), and turkey, of course. They have all worked fine. With the smaller birds, you only get a few primaries big enough to use. Sometimes they're a bit light, and don't last, but they sure look nice. Actually, the pheasant looked the best, because they're naturally barred grey & white.

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Offline billy

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Re: Duck feathers for fletching?
« Reply #4 on: November 20, 2007, 02:07:41 pm »
duck feathers should work just fine. 
Marietta, Georgia

Brokestick

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Re: Duck feathers for fletching?
« Reply #5 on: November 21, 2007, 11:21:32 pm »
I would avoid the Owl feathers in the future.  Game wardens don't care how you got them.  See the other feathers thread on this board for the discussion on buzzard feathers.
« Last Edit: November 21, 2007, 11:31:43 pm by Brokestick »

Offline adb

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Re: Duck feathers for fletching?
« Reply #6 on: November 22, 2007, 11:24:30 am »
Owl feathers are fine, as long as you contact the local game warden and they verify that it is, in fact, a road kill. Then, they issue you a permit of possession. I live in Canada. Might be different in the US, however. Raptors are strictly protected here, and the authorities do not have any sense of humor with illegally obtained birds of prey. If you abide by the rules, it's OK here.
In my opinion, the pheasant primaries are the best... easy to obtain, nice colors, and fairly durable.

Offline DanaM

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Re: Duck feathers for fletching?
« Reply #7 on: November 22, 2007, 11:58:15 am »
Owls are federally protected, they are off limits in the US
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Offline Hillbilly

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Re: Duck feathers for fletching?
« Reply #8 on: November 22, 2007, 03:31:25 pm »
Plus they are really soft, not the best fletching material anyway.
Smoky Mountains, NC

NeolithicHillbilly@gmail.com

Progress might have been all right once but it's gone on for far too long.

Brokestick

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Re: Duck feathers for fletching?
« Reply #9 on: November 26, 2007, 01:06:38 am »
Probably make awsome flu-flus though.