Game bird hunting, what to keep for tying

[Spanky29ca 0]

I've only been tying flies since last December and this will be my first hunting season as a a fly tyer. I hunt Canada geese, snow geese, ring neck pheasant, ruffed grouse and mallard ducks. I'm not a very accomplished tyer yet and really don't know what feathers to keep other than some of the obvious pheasant feathers. If anyone can possibly let me know what are the good feathers to keep on these birds and an idea of what they are used for I'd really appreciate it. I tie mostly trout flies. Thanks

[Spanky29ca 0]

Sorry, I should have probably put this post in the fly tying area or beginners area.

[Piker20 0]

well there is a use for nearly every feather. Obvious uses are goose wings for biots or married wings. Same for duck wings. The smaller rounded feathers found on the shoulders make good wet hackles. The ruffled grouse, body feathers cover range of soft hackles and legs in nymphs etc. CDC feathers on the ducks. Try to keep the feathers on the skin and dry the skim with borax rather than plucking thousands of loose feathers.

[utyer 0]

The whole pheasant skin both male and female can be put to good use. The breast feathers and flank feathers from ANY duck can be used. The barred flank feathers and the wing quills are most useful. Wing quills should be kept matched. Match up each flight feather from the left and right wings in order. Goose secondaries make good wet fly wings for larger patterns, The duck secondaries will make good wet fly wings on the smaller flies. The Biot quills come from the leading edge of the goose primary.

 

All upland game birds (quail, grouse, etc,) can supply lots of soft hackle feathers.

 

If you hunt turkeys, the whole skin can be used. Lots of uses for the back and breast feathers in making wing cases. Tail feathers have lots of uses such as wing cases, and wrapped like you would the pheasant tail fibers for herl nymphs. The tail fibers also make good knotted legs. There is a lot of good marabou on the under side of the turkey. Of course its all some shade of gray to black. But its good stuff.

 

Just make sure you properly clean and dry your skins. There is nothing that smells worse than a rancid old duck turkey.

[Spanky29ca 0]

I really appreciate the information. It's funny how you look at a game bird totally differently when someone starts tying flies, lots of good stuff other than the meat. Thanks a lot

[m_grieb 0]

i just keep everything. if i dont use it in two years, i throw it away.

 

Matt

[natedubay 0]

I generally cape the whole thing and have it around until it starts to get pretty picked over. Then you'll have a good idea of what feathers you use the most and can selectively pull off the birds in the future. There's other posts on here on how to preserve them, it's not hard at all. My advice is make sure you get off as much fat as possible with a brass brush, wash, blow dry, then borax the skin. It'll keep that way for years.

[Spanky29ca 0]

I generally cape the whole thing and have it around until it starts to get pretty picked over. Then you'll have a good idea of what feathers you use the most and can selectively pull off the birds in the future. There's other posts on here on how to preserve them, it's not hard at all. My advice is make sure you get off as much fat as possible with a brass brush, wash, blow dry, then borax the skin. It'll keep that way for years.

 

Thats great info, I'll be checking all of that out about preserving them for sure. Thanks

[troutguy 0]

I like a large tablespoon to flesh a skin. Some brushes will cut a thin skinned bird, plus the fat sticks in the brush. Flesh the skin, borax and flesh any areas that fat remains again after a drying a couple of days. I pin them to a piece of plywood flesh side out if they are big like a turkey or goose. A piece of cardboard is good for anything small. I have a young quail the just got its adult feathers that died in the cage to skin tomorrow. I have several quail but none this small. Save anything. I traded a wood duck, grouse and quail for a nice three weight Diamondback rod, reel and brand new line to fellow tier that just had to have them.

[JSzymczyk 0]

i just keep everything. if i dont use it in two years, i throw it away.

 

Matt

 

good advice, except for the throw it away after two years part. I've gone back to unused pieces of creatures I've killed (and other materials) after more than twenty years.

 

I have the remnants of a fox squirrel tail, the best one I have ever seen, which I killed when I was 14 or 15, thirty years ago. It has probably two flies worth of hair left.... Someday I will decide to use it and it will be gone, that might be in another 30 years if I'm lucky.

 

In that respect, fly tying materials are exactly like firearms.... if you get rid of a material or sell a gun, someday you'll wish you didn't do it.

[natedubay 0]

Some brushes will cut a thin skinned bird, plus the fat sticks in the brush.

 

So am I the only wierdo with a dedicated brush for this? Yea, it does stick in there. Having ham hands doesn't help, so take it easy...

[m_grieb 0]

i just keep everything. if i dont use it in two years, i throw it away.

 

Matt

 

good advice, except for the throw it away after two years part. I've gone back to unused pieces of creatures I've killed (and other materials) after more than twenty years.

 

I have the remnants of a fox squirrel tail, the best one I have ever seen, which I killed when I was 14 or 15, thirty years ago. It has probably two flies worth of hair left.... Someday I will decide to use it and it will be gone, that might be in another 30 years if I'm lucky.

 

In that respect, fly tying materials are exactly like firearms.... if you get rid of a material or sell a gun, someday you'll wish you didn't do it.

yeah i am the same way. i just kind of meant feathers, because my feathers usually dont stay good quality after two years.and i canjust get more. as far as furs, yes, i do the same thing

 

Matt

[riffleriversteelheadslayer 0]

I use a brass brush on a drill set really low to get the fat off works great and gets it done in about 1/2 the time

[Gregg A 0]

Keep the whole skin, because if you have it, you'll eventually find a use for most of it, or know someone who can. The important thing is to dry it out correctly and use Borax.