11 replies to this topic

[Bryan Wright]

Someone at work gave me a some feather off of the pheasant that he shot this weekend. There are complete wings that he cut off for me. What do I do with them. I have them in the freezer right now. I know Borax is probably what is going to be suggested but do I just completely immerse it in the borax? There isn't a lot of meat that is visable so do I get the borax just all ove the dang wing? Another guy is dropping off some feathers for me as well that he got on the hunt this weekend as well. I don't know what condition those are going to be in but it should be interesting none the less.

[ikerajala]

my grandpa just sent me a huge bag of pheasant feathers from minnesota.there were some wings included that he just salted heavily.now I wonder what kind of flies you tie with pheasant primaries?wet fly wings?shellbacks on nymphs?

[utyer]

I get most of my pheasant feathers from hunting friends. Every year, I ask for any tails, and about every three years or so, I try and get a full skin or two. I like the feathers from both the cock and hen.

My method for pheasant wings is to clip the primary and secondary flight feathers off with wire cutters. Then you don't have to worry about drying out the flesh in the wing. You could pluck or clip off other feathers (wing coverts,) too if you want.

Wash all the feathers off in dish or laundry detergent then air wipe down with a paper towel and stroke into shape. After they air dry, store them in a baggie with some moth balls. Store them away from your other materials for about a month. Then examine for any signs of vermin.

The larger wing flight feathers can be used for wet fly wings, and or nymph wing cases.

The most commonly used ringneck feather in fly tying is the tail feather. Used in the ever popular Pheasant tail nymph, among others. Pheasant tails can also be used as knotted legs, and wing cases.

There are a LOT of good body feathers on the cock pheasant, and I like the hens for soft hackles. Different body feathers from the cock pheasant can be used for caddis and hopper wings, cheeks and fins on streamers. I even use some for fan wings on dry flies.

When you get a skin, you want to scrape off any flesh or fat. Then wash the whole thing off using dish soap again. Spread salt or borax on the skin, and spread out skin side down on a stack news paper (several pages thick.) Use un iodized salt. Either the salt or borax will draw moisture out of the flesh. A hair dryer could be used to help the feather drying process, but I havent fout that necessary.

Full skins I like to cook in the microwave after they are dried for a couple of days. Give it about 15 seconds on high, twice. Then store the same way you would the wing feathers away from your other materials.

[rebelsqk]

Borax or salt will work... You can even mix them... Just get off all the flesh you can. Then press the end firmly into borax or salt. I would use borax an just dust the wings well. Hang up for a day then clean off the red an wet stuff. Press end into borax/salt again check again in a day or two repeat if needed. Don't forget to bag them with Moth ice ect. for a few days before letting them come in contact with your tying materials

Or better yet pluck the feathers you want an let them dry for a week. I would give the guy some flies made with pheasant an
explain to him what feathers you used then he will know what you would like. Such as the tail clump ect.
I get bucktails an hide pieces every year for giving a few jigs or bass bugs. Even if the person does not fish a little something made from their animal makes them remember you the next year!

As for what to tie? See what works. Experiment some, who knows what you may come up with... Practice never hurts an they can always be used for sunfish.

[Bryan Wright]

ok so one guy yesterday brought me two great skins full skins from the head down. He removed the tails seperat and these things are scraped really well. I have tehm sitting with the borax on the skin side and dusted the feathers. My question is what do I do wtih the heck and head? The neck is in tact and not cut or split. What do I do with it?

[utyer]

Assuming you want to keep those fine neck feathers, you will have to clean out the neck. Continue the cut up the under side of the bird right up under the beak. Use a razor knife with a sharp pointed blade. When you have split the skin, you should be able to peal back the skin and feathers. Get ahold of the neck and remove all of the flesh that you can . Put the neck meat and bone in a baggie and put it out for the garbage. Freezing the baggie until the night or morning of garbage day is a good idea. Most of the skin can then be coated with borax. The borax should draw out the moisture, and dry out the skin.

You will still want to wash out the feathers. Then re-dry the skin side.

[Bryan Wright]

Thanks I will have to try to do that tonight.

[Bryan Wright]

So I was able to save most of the neck. Thanks. I have been drying them with the borax for about a week now and every thing is very dry and ready to be washed off now. Do I just wash the whole cape and feather in shampoo or dish washer detergent? Then just let them air dry or can I toss them in the dryer and let them tumble dry on a no or low heat setting? (this worked great for the fur I got from the taxidermist)

[utyer]

I have never tried to run a bird skin through a clothes dryer, and I'm pretty sure my better half would have serious objections to me doing this.

Just wash out the skin in soapy water (I use Woolite. and just a little.) On loose feathers, I put the reathers in a jar with and shake it all up. With the skin, I would use a plasic bucket or tub to wash out the feathers. Of course, you will now have rewetted the skin side, and need to spread it out on newspapers with the feather side down and re sprinkle the skin with salt or borax. Use just enough to cover the skin. Then press several layers of newspaper on top of the boraxed or salted skin, and flip it over.

With the feather side up, you could gently blow dry the feathers with a hair dryer (no heat.) Let the skin dry for a few more days. and bag it up in mothballs for storage, and later use.

[Bryan Wright]

Thanks for the instruction Utyer. I will try that and see how things come out. I can't wait to use some of these feathers I really like the purplish ones around the neck there so pretty. OK I think I just lost my cool card by saying pretty but dang it I don't know what else to call them.

[Chase Creek]

Bryan - In Boy Scouts, when a youth does something wrong with his knife, we cut a carner off his card that allows him to carry a knife. If he gets all four corners cut off the card, he has to earn another card.

My "cool card" has been round for a looong time.

[Bryan Wright]

Bryan - In Boy Scouts, when a youth does something wrong with his knife, we cut a carner off his card that allows him to carry a knife. If he gets all four corners cut off the card, he has to earn another card.

My "cool card" has been round for a looong time.

Good to know!