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Feather Thief

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Just completed reading this book and though it had a couple of points of interest I found the portrayal of fly tiers as a dangerous bunch laughable. The author Kirk Johnson hired a body guard for an interview because he didn't know quite what to expect! Really ? If he really hired one at all. I'm glad I borrowed the book and did not buy it. If you are interested in reading it I'd recommend doing the same.

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This is still a subject in the classic tying material world, between museum / natural science world people keep eye balling the fly tying world calling the dreaded feather and hair police. I have been stopped on the US/ Canada border crossing after customs saw my fly tying set up in the RV. No dogs but a search of my material looking for polar bear, seal, and "other" material and being reminded of the $10,000 fine for bringing it into the country. Most museums and schools have changed policy about who has access to their collections., not just mounts, many maps and other irreplaceable items have vanished to be sold on the black markets of collectors. As for his personal safety after the book I am with you 100%, maybe he was expecting a "whip finish" and hired a escort to protect him from the dangerous tying underworld or found a rooster head placed in his bed. After all the online finger pointing and lecturing I probably would not be interested in the book 99% of tiers have little interest in such rare material.

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I read the book and found it interesting. The guy burglarized museum and stole rare bird skins, profited from their sale, and basically skated. I'm talking about flies for $2000 each as they were from endangered species. I have zero sympathy for him although he is a very talented tyer.

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Yea, It was crazy. Edwin Rist. He has a little brother named Anton and they were both Full dress Atlantic Salmon fly tiers. Just kids!!! Awesome flies! Gorgeous! Fine Jewelry on hooks! What puzzles me is, I don't think by any means they are hard for money. I might go out on a limb and say they might eat from a silver spoon. SO why he was compelled to steal them, when it appears to me they could easily afford them, (or daddy could for them) is what is crazy to me. I think easy money lead to the thought of easier money is the case.

Go look at their flies. Some of their flies would cost 50-100 bucks to tie, EASY! Some WAY more than that! Lets see,, Uh,, ten bucks a feather for Indian crow,, there are five pair of those alone, UH,, get the picture? They have chatterer, Indian crow, all the actual feathers on them. None of the materials for these flies is cheap. I know because I have many of them. (None of which were purchased from Edwin's black market feather emporium.. LOL..)They obviously could afford them when they were both too young for jobs. So they must have had a bigger allowance as kids then I had..LOL. Things that make you go.. HUH? He only got a suspended sentence and had to pay back some serious money (I wander where the money came from) for a super burglary and money laundering. He was going to buy a new flute and pay for some of his studies. WHAT?? Now he was an American going to a foreign school. Right? In London. Actually the whole thing kind of &$#issed me off. Looked like a case of Daddy Warbucks to the rescue to me. UH! Thanks for reminding me.. LOL.. Now I know he's probably not a hardened criminal or a threat to society, so lets just slap his little hands and send him back to his spoiled little life. Lesson learned? To me , He's one of the worse kind of criminals,,A money spoiled, legal dodging brat!! Have a great day! :)

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I've never even seen this book, let alone read it. Now, after reading all this, I am glad I haven't.

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Good book. Well written and hard to put down. Trafficing endangered species is a crime punishable by hand chopping and testicle removal. Duck and pheasant feathers are one thing. Toucan and Cotinga are another. These rare birds are vanishing rapidly. And there is an active black market. On Ebay for instance, anytime you look. I'd trade the birds for the smugglers and the users anyday.

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If you have time to listen to it here is a link to the pod cast that talks about it. It is very interesting.

 

https://www.thisamericanlife.org/654/the-feather-heist

It as a very interesting story, which I first heard from John Mc Lain. I remember Edwin selling these on the trading floor, said he needed a new flute.

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If you have time to listen to it here is a link to the pod cast that talks about it. It is very interesting.

 

https://www.thisamericanlife.org/654/the-feather-heist

It as a very interesting story, which I first heard from John Mc Lain. I remember Edwin selling these on the trading floor, said he needed a new flute.

 

Did they sell? Was that on this forum?

 

How unlikely that a trout guide in NM would have an ornate classic salmon fly in his tackle on the stream? Weird story of Johnson's involvement.

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As a child I pulled eight feathers off the last Dodo bird in the Museum of Natural History in NYC. I guess now is a good time to sell them. Opening bid will be a soul..............

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