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What can you use turkey feathers for. Can you substitute them for Pheasant tail ? They look great looking for ideas. Thanks

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You can use turkey for a myriad of different things:wings and wing cases,bodies (like you mentioned, tails on may flies etc...use your imagination and be creative!

I have an entire skin from a turkey I killed many years ago.Theres enough on it that I never have to buy turkey again!

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Tail feathers can be used anywhere pheasant tail is called for. They're just darker.

 

Wings provide slips for winged dried and wets.

 

Wing primaries provide biots.

 

Body flats work like the tail, also good for parachute and wing posts. iridescent too.

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I use the barbs off the tail or wings feathers in place of biots. The turkey feather barbs are tougher and hold together better.

 

Rick

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Use the search and you'll find an endless number of uses. Because of your post, I went through some links, and reacquainted myself with. uses I've forgotten. Use your imagination. It's so much fun

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I thought it was the secondaries Fisherboy - that provided biots? Although I'm sure the primaries could be used... I just thought I saw somewhere (that I cannot think of right at the moment... was it Fly Tyer Mag????) that the secondaries were where commercial biots came from.

 

BCT

Primaries are the still feathers up front. They produce biots on the leading edge, and longer biot-like fibers on the trailing edge. If you need a longer biot body those fibers work well.

 

 

Secondaries are the softer feathers in the back. Those fibers are perfect for winged wets and dries. Wingcases, leg fibers, etc.

 

 

I'll take pics when I get home.

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