Red-Tail Hawk Feathers

[stealthson 0]

Today a friend of mine unfortunately hit a Red-Tail hawk while driving. Not having the heart to just toss it by the side of the road he decided to put it in his truck and call me for advice. We will do the right thing as far as the burial is concerned but my question is are there any material, feathers, etc. that I can take from this unfortunate accident. I have not heard of anyone using Red-Tail hawk feathers, although I would assume that is because they are not that easy to come by. Does anyone have any experience using their feathers or have any advice as to which feathers I should take from the bird? I do not want to simply bury the bird without using it for something positive. Thanks for the help

[Joe Hard 0]

I think that you are not allowed to use any of the feathers as it is a raptor type bird. You can contact your local wildlife or fish and game to get a permit to have the bird. I would skin it and keep every feather possible

[steelie 0]

Good Day,

 

You may only be in possesion if you have a permit or are Native American. You may only use it if you are Native American. It may sound bad, but it may be best to contact your local conservation officer and tell them what happened. Better than the alternative.

 

Steelie

[letumgo 0]

I' am almost positive that it is illegal in the US to keep any of the feathers from birds of prey or songbirds. My advise would be to get rid of it or contact your local DEC officer and ask what to do with the bird. Seems a waste to discard the feathers, but that's the law...

[dsaavedra 0]

hell...i'd just use the feathers and make patterns up. i know that its illegal...but its not really that big of a deal.

[breambuster 0]

I understand that the fine, if you are caught having in your possession, any feather of any raptor can run you into many, many thousands of dollars. I agree that you should contact the Department of Natural Resources in your state, & report the accident & ask how you should dispose of the remains.

 

BB

[ashbourn 0]

There are a number of feathers used in patterns prior to 1930. I would skin it, if you want to be legit contact your local DEC sometimes they will give you a permit other times they will just take the bird away.

Joe Fox

[J. R. Caddick 0]

I would contact your local Natural Resources office and explain what happened and inquire if you could get a permit to keep the feathers for fly tying. The risks associated with keeping feathers from Raptors are substantial and the fines and other penalties can be quite severe. Remember, Mother Nature will take care of recycling any dead animals all by herself and nothing really goes to waste.

[Batman 0]

In arkansas you would be fined if you had the feathers in your possesion, even if your intentions were honorable, there was an article in one of our local papers around christmas about a hunter found the feathers and kept them, the way the story read, he didn't know what kind of feathers they were. He pulled into a country store/check station game warden walked by and seen them in bed of truck, and the rest is history...............B

[Guest]

Red Tailed Hawks are covered under the same Federal regulations as Eagles (50CFR22). Only native Americans with a permit may have the feathers.

 

I think the punishment for un-permitted possession is 5 years and up to $25,000 fine. Your friend should have just left it where he hit it.

 

hell...i'd just use the feathers and make patterns up. i know that its illegal...but its not really that big of a deal.

 

This statement is irresponsible.

[JSzymczyk 0]

yeah, it's another idiotic example of bureaucracy. You're not allowed to have the feathers. Not like the bird is gonna need them anymore... I believe the law was put in place as a measure to try to cut down on people shooting raptors. Up until the early part of the last century, many folks considered raptors pests, in the mistaken belief they ate a lot of chickens and squirrels and more "important" critters.

 

Regardless, it's a stupid law that the feathers cannot be utilized unless of course you have that special card in your wallet. Stupid or not, it's not worth the risk of keeping them. On Kodiak, I've seen eagle feathers littering the beach, and and AK "game wardens" staking out the joint waiting for folks to pick one up and get in their car.

 

In New Mexico, we had a mature Golden Eagle cross two phases of our incoming power lines and trip some of our gear off line. I found the crispy critter and looked over the feathers, and some of them sure would have been nice for different things. What a waste, reminded daily while driving by the rotting carcasse.

 

Just leave the feathers alone. It's not worth it.

[Guest]

I'm sorry but I would not call anyone but I would get rid of that bird immediately. Chances are good that they'd just confiscate the bird, However I would not want to run into the wrong CO the penalties are nothing to play with, That's a federal offense. Just my 2 cents.

[Joe Hard 0]

yeah, it's another idiotic example of bureaucracy. You're not allowed to have the feathers. Not like the bird is gonna need them anymore... I believe the law was put in place as a measure to try to cut down on people shooting raptors. Up until the early part of the last century, many folks considered raptors pests, in the mistaken belief they ate a lot of chickens and squirrels and more "important" critters.

 

Regardless, it's a stupid law that the feathers cannot be utilized unless of course you have that special card in your wallet. Stupid or not, it's not worth the risk of keeping them. On Kodiak, I've seen eagle feathers littering the beach, and and AK "game wardens" staking out the joint waiting for folks to pick one up and get in their car.

 

In New Mexico, we had a mature Golden Eagle cross two phases of our incoming power lines and trip some of our gear off line. I found the crispy critter and looked over the feathers, and some of them sure would have been nice for different things. What a waste, reminded daily while driving by the rotting carcasse.

 

Just leave the feathers alone. It's not worth it.

 

 

Staking out feathers, seems to me to be a bit much. A simple sign and the pressence of authority or even if they would of spent the time cleaning them up would of been more cost effective. Could you imagine a tourist walking along and finding a beautifal feather. Naturaly one would pick it up as a keepsake and reminder of there trip. "Drop the feather and put your hands in the air!"

 

 

[flyline64 0]

I understand the law may seem "beauracratic". But the law is desinged to take away any incentive to take, use or trade the feathers.

 

The problem with allowing people to keep and/or use feathers from road kill or other natural causes, is there is no way to monitor it. Once you start down that road, in practice you are legitimizing trade in, and use of, the raptor's feathers. That creates a market for the feathers, and puts the birds at greater risk.

 

How can a Conservation officer know for sure that a bird was not taken by a trap or other illegal method?

 

And if the person who finds a dead bird can keep it or its feathers, and can tie with the feathers, does that mean only he can use the flies--do we require he not give away the flies? If he can give them away, does he give a letter of permission to the recipient.? And that recipient gives yet another letter to the friend he gives it to? How about if he loses a fly onstream and another angler finds it?

 

Sorry, but I don't see a realistic solution, other than banning it outright.

 

 

[JSzymczyk 0]

flyline- there isn't any realistic solution. We can have chicken, turkey, goose, duck, and whatever feathers dyed to match anything we want. No need to use the raptor feathers. Chicken feathers have no deeper meaning to the average tyer than just chicken feathers though. I've tied with feathers from ducks and grouse I've hunted and shot, and of course those flies have an extra "value" to me, but not to anyone else. This ties in (pun) to why I think it should be across the board prohibited, regardless of one's ancestry. No need to go into all the spiritual / ritual things associated with it all.

 

The Artists making the traditional and display salmon flies must be having a nightmare trying to get the correct materials for historically accurate flies. I've seen some of the pictures on here, and those flies are totally mind-blowing- but I wouldn't know if the 3 strands of sub-topping barbules come from a chicken or the correct blue-crested, purple footed, left-handed, curley-cued sand rail.

 

Your points about unknown origin, and passing the material on are totally valid too... one of my other hobbies is insect collecting- there are a few species of butterflies which are CITES listed, and possession or trade of those dead bugs is like taking your life in your hands. Luckily I only collect what I go out in the field after, I don't buy dead bugs from dealers. The parallels between the feathers and the dead bugs is there though, even with documentation it can be confusing.