Upland Game Feathers

[Kudu 0]

I'm new to the fly fishing and tying world but have fished and hunted my whole life. Upland hunting is my true passion. I have always thought it a waste to discard all the beautiful plumage from the birds. I know pheasant is a staple but what about the feathers from bobwhite, ruffed grouse, woodcock and the occasional oddball bird. Are they useful for any certain patterns? Wild turkey?

[riffleriversteelheadslayer 0]

all the upland game birds are great for soft hackle flies and wild turkey is used in most wets for the wing

[rockworm 0]

I agree with what RRSHS said. Game birds have excellent feathers for wet flies. Of the ones you mentioned, woodcock is especially prized amongst soft-hackle enthusiasts. Many North Country flies call for the use of small feathers from their wings; specifically the marginal coverts (found along the leading edge of the wing) and the undercoverts (found on the underside of the wing adjacent to the marginal coverts.) It would be easy to overlook these feathers, but they make the best collars for soft-hackle flies. The woodcock wing primaries and secondaries also supply first-class masterial for building the wings on traditional flies and caddis.

 

Here is a link to a step-by-step for a North Country fly using a marginal covert for its hackle:

Waterhen Bloa

[jhammer 0]

I've used many types of fur and feathers from the animals I've taken. Everything from opossum to pheasant.

[creekwalker 0]

As of right now I have a few wild ring neck cock pheasant skins and tail clumps to trade or sell. I also have 2 hen lady amherst skins but they are still drying.

[Markbob 0]

PM sent

[riffleriversteelheadslayer 0]

pm sent also

[creekwalker 0]

Thanks for the PM u guys.

[ashley 0]

and the occasional oddball bird.

 

 

All the other birds are very useful but this one is beyond me.

 

Being in the UK I don't see the ones (apart from the pheasant and woodcock) very often but just this week I got offered some woodcock.