Owl feathers

[Wulf 0]

Hi everyone!

 

I've been lurking for a while and now I have a question...

 

I have an owl feather, probably from the back of a wing. About 7 inches long, nicly mottled.

 

Are there any flys that use owl feathers?

 

This forum is great!

 

Thanks,

 

Randy

[Isonychia 0]

Randy,

 

First off, welcome to the forum!

 

That said, it probably wouldn't be a good idea to incorporate any part of an owl feather into a fly, especially if it were going to be fished or displayed. A sharp-eyed game warden or U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service agent could make your life miserable in a heartbeat. Owls, hawks, eagles, falcons and other birds of prey are protected by state and federal laws.

 

The executive director of a raptor rehabilitation center is a close friend of mine, yet I dare not ask her for plumage. It's sacred stuff, and off-limits to us fly-tying types.

 

John

[flyfishingwright 0]

I believe it is illegal to possess any part of prey birds.

[Guest]

I don't know of any old dressings that employed Owl feathers. They are illegal to have, too bad I'd kill for some Eagle feathers.

[Dragon 0]

Hi there,

 

I have to agree with the others :bugeyes: .

 

Here in Canada (Ontario), it is also illegal to posess any part of most non-game birds. ESPECIALLY raptors.

 

I wouldn't even admit to having them. :dunno:

 

Eagle feathers (for example) you can have :thumbsup: IF they are presented (and only one) by a native. And I think they have to give a certificate as well.

 

So the long and short of it is do NOT put it in a fly.

 

 

[steelie 0]

Good Day,

 

Eau contraire... It is legal to posses bird of prey feathers if you fit into one of the following catagories.

 

Have federal permit to allow for possesion.

 

Are of Native American descent. (no permit needed, mostly these feathers are used for ceremonial or clothing purposes)

 

Have purchased an item created by one of Amercan Indian descent such as a dreamweaver, necklace, head gear...

 

However, I don't think I would use such feathers for a fly. Not so much for taking the chance of getting in trouble as much as they are all such magnificent creatures. I would feel horribly guilty. Along the same lines, even if you happen to come across a dead bird of prey, best to leave it be and call your local conservation officer to report it. Most of the time they will pick it up or call the local tribe to take care of it.

 

Steelie

[Joe Hard 0]

I found an Owl dead in the woods and had to get a permit from the department of natural resources to keep it. It was a great horned owl. You should of seen the feathers on that bird. I cant even rember what happened to it now. Yes I did tie a few flies with some of the feathers, and some of the leg marabou was given to my neighbour, he tied some flies as well. This was about 20 years ago.

[longears 0]

spotted Owls would make some good looking Flies!

But, not worth the ticket... You could make a killing selling them to out of work loggers though.

[oldfart 0]

Don't know about the rest of the U.S. but in Iowa you can not possess any part of any raptor, unless you are Native American, and then for they're use in ceramonial dress only. Fines start around $1000 bucks.

Be safe, get rid of it.

[Wulf 0]

yeks!!!!

 

I had no idea there were laws about owl feathers.

 

We have an owl that lives near my house and we find lots of owl feathers around....

 

I guess I'd better get rid of it. I have no real use for it. I just thought since my daughter found it in the yard, I would ask about uses...Now I know, and I will not touch them again.

 

Thanks for the information.

 

 

[polock 0]

if you are going to use it to tie flies you are going to fish with more power too ya, i don't think there are any wardens that will inspect your flies for birds of prey feathers, and if they do, just tell them you bought them at bass pro... i wouldn't display them in shows, but i say if you find a feather use it...

 

one time we saw a deer around our cabin that was acting tame. we took our time and actually got to get up to the deer and feed it crackers and pet it slowly... we called the game warden and told him about it and he asked if we had gun to shoot it cause it wouldn't last anyway. we told him we didn't have a gun so he said well slit its throat. true story cause one of us was the sheriff of the county and we could not believe a game warden could care less about the deer, we let it go but what we learned that some game wardens don't give a damn about conservation and this showed me that a few feathers found here and there if done smart can add to my fly tying collection.

[oldfart 0]

Wulf, There's a BIG difference between killing a tame deer and possessing plumage of a federally protected species. Most game wardens would drool at writting a citation of 1000 bucks for owl, hawk, or eagle feathers. Get rid of them!!!!!!

[zip 0]

I have a set of eagle feathers passed down from my great great grandmother-who is now an elder on the indian reservation in cherokee,nc.I would never think of using them for tying,to sacred

[British mike 0]

Interesting reading guys, There is no such law in the UK and a long time ago someone gave me a pair of Owl wings from a road kill. I researched and there is a classic victorian pattern of a moth that uses the feather from an owl for the winging and it is a rolled wing rather like a classic sedge /caddis pattern.

Now the question is, as I am living in the USA now do I have to get rid of these feathers quick? :dunno:

It wouldnt be a problem as I certainly dont want to get a fine or into any trouble with the boys in blue..

Mike..........................the brit has spoken

[Steeldrifter 0]

Technically yes you would. Laws on things like this are based on possesion, so if you got the feathers overseas legally it wouldnt matter where you obtained them from, if you are on US soil with them then the law applys.

 

Always best to error on the side of caution....(and to not tell the whole world what ya have on a website as well )