Grouse tail?

[Postman]

Found a "crime scene' where a fox,bobcat or 'yote whacked a grouse the other day. Didn't find any wing feathers. Anybody ever fletch with ruffed grouse tail feathers? If so, did you strip one side or use them whole? Any style descriptions that they are best used for /pics would be appreciated.
John

[Pat B]

John, I haven't used grouse tail specifically but with smaller feathers you can attach them to the shaft back side down and 3 around the shaft. It works very well as fletching.
  Here are a few pics. Unfortunately they don't show up well.     Pat

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[Postman]

I think I see what's going on there....Are those whole feathers or stripped in half?  That's a beauty of a point, BTW!
Thanks Pat,
John

[Pat B]

John, Whole feathers.   Actually that arrow with the point was made by James Parker. I couldn't find the pics of the arrow I made like that.      Pat

[Hillbilly]

Here's a similar one with guinea feathers, the grouse tail feathers should work fine. This is a good style of fletching, they fly great.

[DanaM]

Well I'll be guess I will have to start saving dem der pat tails this fall eh.

[Postman]

Thanks for the pic, Hillbilly. Nice looking arrow.  Sorry to see your osage that blew up,   but good luck on that pig hunt!

Dana -what's a der pat? Is it like a loony eh?   Oh.... In case you're a red wings fan, Penguins in Six!    I'm wit youse guys inda western Conference, but I love my Pens!
 

[JackCrafty]

I've used grouse tail feathers.  They look really nice but they are fragile.  Don't use them for kid's arrows (I know from experience).
I've used them whole and also with one side peeled off.  The beauty of delicate feathers is that you don't need to split the quill (unless you want to glue them down).  Just peel half of the feather off, flatten the front part of the quill, cut a bit of the veins off the back, and haft the ends to the shaft (leaving the middle "floating").

[DanaM]

Postman a Pat is a grouse or partridge