Feathers in Excahnge for Charitable Donation

[labs17 0]

I tried to post this in another topic area, but it was recommended that I start a new topic so here it goes.

I was wondering if I provided numerous feathers would anybody be interested in trading/donating some flies made from them to a Ducks Unlimited auction. I am not a fly fisherman, but am part of a Ducks Unlimited Chapter with several fly fisherman that attend our annual banquet. I think that a selection of flies tied from local waterfowl and upland feathers would make an interesting item for our auction and raffle held annually.

I can certainly provide pheasant and partridge. The ducks and geese are always a wildcard, but I would guess I would have at least mallard, teal, wood duck, widgeon, pintail and a few others by the end of the season. You would just need to tell me which feathers you want (what part of the bird) and how to preserve them and I would be willing to mail them to you. I would of course be willing to provide far more than would be needed for the flies I would be asking for in return.

Let me know

[trez 0]

When is the auction? I could tie up the flies you need but am rather busy this week. Give me a few more details....

How many do you want to put up for auction? What type of fish are in the area you live in? etc... With more details, I could organize things to make it happen. I have a few new fly boxes that I could include to put them in.

[trez 0]

If there are others that would like to help out/ get some materials, I am not in need of many materials, just interested in helping. come one come all.... I'm interested in Partridge and Barred wood duck flank, maybe some barred teal.

[labs17 0]

Great! The auction isn't until next September so there is plenty of time. In fact, the thing that made me think about it is that we auctioned a trip to Patagonia at the latest auction. Additionally, our waterfowl season just started here and I thought if there were takers I would start collecting what you wanted now. After your response I sent a note out to a few guys I am on the committee with and asked them to let me know if they end up with a duck that is unusual so that I can get some of those feathers as well.

I live in the Chicago area so guys fish for Trout/Steelhead mostly in Wisconsin as well as Smallmouth and other freshwater fish.

As far as the number that I wold be interested in I guess I would have to leave that largely up to you. I would like it to be a good looking selection that would catch somebody's eye in a raffle.

I will be hunting a couple of days this week and will plan to pluck representative areas on different birds and label them as to type and area of the bird. From there, if they happen to be what you are interested in I will mail them off.

Does that sound good?

Thanks again!

[bluegill576 0]

I'll makesome pheasant tail nymphs which I would need pheasant tail, but I have no idea how to preserve/clean them.

[trez 0]

As for the feathers, if you could pluck them off of the right side of the bird and put them in a zip lock bag and then the left side and do the same, then label the type of bird they are from. That would be the easiest way to use them from this end. Mostly looking for the barred or spotted feathers. The pheasant tail feathers that bluegill576 wants can be taken as a clump with the skin attached and then dried (Borax can help dry it) or plucked out/cut off at the skin.

 

Others may have specific ways they want them taken care of but for me this works and is easier then skinning the bird and drying the skin. This is the best way to get the feathers if the skin is dried properly but it is more work on your part.

[FrequentTyer 0]

This sounds like fun, and a worthwhile cause. I would be happy to tie up a dozen or 2 of something depending on the feathers. Barred feathers, especially wood duck, are nice for nymphs, and a few larger flight feathers may provide biots for bodies.. Anything soft and iridescent would make for some nice soft hackle wets, and if you want to go so far as getting a matched set of wings I could try some traditional winged wets. I'm assuming you would want to showcase the local birds, so choosing recognizable feathers which can be prominently featured in the fly would be best.

Mike.

[labs17 0]

This all sounds great and I really do appreciate the willingness to help out. I will keep you posted on how the hunts turn out and attempt to gather the feathers the way you have recommended, taking care to label etc. by both bird type as well as location.

[riffleriversteelheadslayer 0]

if you get a few teal and wood duck I would be willing to tie up a couple carrie stevens style streamers and put them in a shadow box I would ask you prepare the feathers as trez mentioned

[dazzyd 0]

this sounds like fun:)

 

I'm in the UK - what would postage be???

[trez 0]

It's been a month, any updates???

[narcodog 0]

Yes an update. I just saw this thread, I would help out as I tie Catskill style flies.

[labs17 0]

Apologies for my absence on this. It is proving a little bit more challenging than I had originally hoped.

I live in Northern IL and we are experiencing what can only be called one of the worst seasons in years. There simply has been no migration due to the incredibly warm weather to the north.

While I have been out several times I have yet to harvest anything that is in any way usable for this purpose. For example, the only wood ducks I have gotten were in a marsh that reaks of swamp gas and unfortunately ruined the feathers by the time the birds were retrieved. The only teal I have gotten were destroyed by an over zealous young retriever.

Needless to say, I am disappointed. I will keep trying, but at this point am coming up blanks.

The one thing I have had good luck with is pheasant feathers so should not have a problem with that request.

[BamBudday 0]

I would be happy to help out with flies for the auction!

 

I belong to a group called the AdventureMen and we have a fly tying group at my church. I could always use any feathers/donations to help with my tying classes and I may be able to have the class tie some flies for the auction as well.

 

Please email me with any details of what kinds of flies you're looking for and I'll try to get a list of what kind of feathers we could use.

 

Thanks!

 

Dan

 

[email protected]

[RickZieger 0]

I would tie some flies using pheasant tails.

 

Rick