Duck Feathers for Fletching

[blindarcher]

Hi all!  I have a stash of duck wing feathers itching to become arrow fletching.  They appear to be just as stiff as turkey secondary wing feathers and as such could work as fletching.  I do want to be true to authenticity of primitive or native American archery with my current project, so I am not sure that duck feathers meet the requirement of authenticity. Does anyone know if duck feathers were used?  I have heard that Turkey feathers are best (which I use) and were commonly used as well as feathers from birds of prey (although now illegal).  I find it interesting that there is little mention of using duck feathers.  "Beggars can't be choosers".

[BowEd]

If there's a season on them in your state I'd say they are legal to use.
You'd get the added effect of them being water proofed also and to me perfectly authentic enough.

[Pat B]

I believe primitive people used many kinds of feathers. I've made fletching with smaller feathers using a style called tangential fletching. With either 3 or 4 whole feathers laid with their backs against the shaft and tied on front and rear. You can add helical to these also. Here is an example. With a little practice you can make some pretty neat looking arrows that fly quite well. I just whipped this example to show you how it's done so it isn't as neatly done as it can be.

[PaSteve]

Interesting idea. Don't think I've ever seen or heard of using duck feathers for fletching. Give it a try and let us know how it works out.

[bjrogg]

I would guess they would use them if they could get them.

Interesting fletch Pat. I might have to give it a try.

Bjrogg

[Pat B]

Brian, you can use 3" to 4" long feathers with this style fletching.

[blindarcher]

Thanks all!  I will give it a try.

[txdm]

Duck feathers work great.

[JW_Halverson]

Duck feathers are legal to use. However, just remember that you cannot buy, sell, or even trade them, not even after they are installed on the arrows.

As for whether they were used, there is a Plains (attributed to Sioux) arrow in the Museum of the Fur Trade in Chardon NE with a mallard secondary for one of the feathers. It's one of the metallic blue feathers.

[BowEd]

Speaking about duck feathers.Nothing to do with arrows though.
I used a drake mallards crest put on my pipestone bowled/sumac stemmed piece pipe as a indicator of the 4 winds.
Here's a pic.