Duck wing feather use

[Jacktown 0]

I just got a mallard this morning and kept the wing feathers with this odd green color. I see the same green feathers sold online for fly Tying so they must have some use. Does anyone know what they are they used for?

[Jacktown 0]

I also skinned it of course and am tanning the skin with the feathers for future use.

[Jacktown 0]

V

[Guest]

The McGinty wet fly for sure

You're limited only by your imagination

[Jacktown 0]

Thanks den duke

[Crackaig 0]

Those are known as Butcher Blues. Used as wings in the Butcher series of wet flies (except the Hardy version of the Kingfisher Butcher which uses mallard primary; I don't know why.)

Cheers,

C.

[FlaFly 0]

So that's what that is!!!! I found one of those white tipped black feathers in my front yard (I have a creek in front) down in Fla. about a month ago. Couldn't figure out what it was.

[Guest]

The barred flanks are used a lot. The reg wing primaries for traditional wet fly wings. The small white breasts good for fan wings. Might chop the green heads and "dubb" for irredescent stuff but peacock herl does better. Save some dark Gadwall flanks and also wood duck flanks while you hunting too

[redietz 0]

Don't overlook the wing coverts for soft hackles.

[Guest]

If you're curing the skin you'll always have them available. Wet fly wings, streamers and the flank feathers are all around feathers. Now you get any woodies make sure to keep those lemon barred flank feathers for tying wings on Catskill Dry flies!!

 

The really large flank feathers you could also trade to folks who tie crappie jigs and they always want the really large ones. If you want to dye them they're easy to do!!!!!!!!!

 

The last few years my back has kept me from Duck Hunting and I've been extremely LUCKY as a bunch of folks send me feathers instead of just throwing them away!! They don't fly fish but I trade them tied jigs for the feathers.