Jump to content
Fly Tying
ksacane

Wild Turkey Feathers

Recommended Posts

Well, I shot a Rio Grande gobbler last spring, and I saved the skin. I know I can use the secondary wing feathers for a lot of things, and I'm mounting the tail. What other feathers have any of you used for tying?

 

Thanks

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

The tail feathers are used for winging on wet flies, and salmon flies. Tail feathers can also be used just like pheasant tails for nymphs. The back and breast feathers make excellent wing cases on nymphs. The marabou (under shafts) are also used in nymphs, streamers and leaches. Lot of uses for lots of turkey feathers. I use the primary wing feathers for biots. The smaller tail feathers make excellent herl bodies.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

REally none of those feathers are good for tying. You should send them all to me. I will pm you an address. I like to make my thursday night tutus from them!

 

 

 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

The smaller tail feathers also make excellent Spey hackle (an example of this can be found here www.beaucatcher.com/Tying_Projects.html). The bronze body feathers are articularly lovely collar hackle feathers for streamers, and steelhead flies. There isn't a feather on any of the wild turkey species that can't be used for tying flies.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Every single feather on that bird is good for tying something one some certain fly. Got it? I have rarely ever possessed a feather that I couldn't find a tying purpose for. I mean there are some feathers that just won't cut it grade wise but in general you have tying material from that bird that should last you quite a long long time. As stated before, don't display the tail feathers, use em! If you want to display something about the turkey, mount the spurs and the beard. I have had a couple of really cool hat bands made that use the beard and accented with the spurs. Just my 2 cent's

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Thanks for the replies. I thought that most of the feathers could be used, but I didn't have any patterns that used anything other than the secondary wing feathers. This help a lot.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...

×
×
  • Create New...