Acquired a full grouse

[Fatman]

Hugh I do everything that Denny does and with Borax you really don't soak it in. As Denny said when you get that meat out the wing and have the skin all washed tack it out and get the borax down in the cut where you got the meat out and then just cover the rest of the skin completely with the borax. I keep an eye on it and if I see any wet looking spots I use an old table spoon to lift it off and put some fresh borax on that spot.

I go 10-14 days but that's me, now Denny he's probably forgotten more than this kid will ever know about feathers LOL. One thing always seemed strange about the borax though, it seems to act like a bug repellant. Denny any thoughts on that one????????

Fatman

[Denny]

I am not sure if using Borax one will find it to be a bug repellant or not?? I just refuse to trust something as important as eliminating all bugs in whatever state they be. I use No Pest strips, cut to one inch wide strips, wrap loosely in saran wrap so they do not come in direct contact with either my hands or the hackle. Do not know if they would cause any problems but again, why take the chance. Many experts tell why you should not use them?? Whatever toots your train. Everyone is authorized a personal opinion. I trust NPS and I really do have many more pieces of hackle than any tier to protect. ( I trust only one other method and that is using the method I have gone to school and have been authorized to do by the UDSA for shipment into Australia. Very expensive and dangerous for one not totally familiar and one must have the proper equipment. So I will not even go into that one.) Keep it simple and have fun, go fishin and or tie flies.
10 - 14 days is fine. Like I said, depends on the temp where you hang / dry them. Caution: Too long on the cardboard might make them very difficult to remove. Do not hang in direct sunlight. Sunlight can and does damage hackle. Yes, if you see hackle displayed in a shop and see direct sunlight hitting it. Be careful. Just laying on your tying bench where direct sunlight will hit it is BAD! Put it away after tying.

[ducksterman]

It was mentioned above hanging the pelt skin side down...e.i. feathers exposed. I do it skin exposed...what do you do ,Denny?

[hap]

They end up looking better if the feathers are up. The pressing will crumple them and they will take a set if the dry that way. If they are on dry cardboard with a bit of borax they will dry plenty fast. I usually fluff the feathers before drying the skin as they look much better in the end, IME.

[Denny]

Like Hap says, Feathers out in the open. Flesh side to cardboard as the cardboard also draws out oils, into the cardboard
Also like Hap says: you can then comb and or brush, carefully so as to lay the feathers back where they were when on a live bird.
Be gentle.

[melk]

Many thanks to all! Keep the suggestions coming! I did a bucktail this winter that turned out fine, so this will be my foray into feathers. The whole bird is now in the freezer for its' "kill the bugs stage", then I'll skin it and try the Borax. Did the salt the last time, because that's what I had!
Thanks all! Any other thoughts - keep'em coming!!
Mike

[Daniel J]

I did these a couple of years ago. They're from a ruffed grouse.
1233grouse_flies_1.jpg1233grouse_salmon_fly.jpg

[hap]

Many thanks to all! Keep the suggestions coming! I did a bucktail this winter that turned out fine, so this will be my foray into feathers. The whole bird is now in the freezer for its' "kill the bugs stage", then I'll skin it and try the Borax. Did the salt the last time, because that's what I had!
Thanks all! Any other thoughts - keep'em coming!!
Mike

If the freezer actually killed the bugs they would all die out in northern climes... The freezer does NOT kill much other than adult bugs and nymphs... It is the eggs that survive freezers easily. They do not survive the chlorox in the wash water. Last fall near Tok we found a road-killed moose carcass crawling with bugs. Last winter Tok had a stretch of at least a couple weeks colder than -50 and it bottomed at below -80. If that won't kill a bug, nothing will!

[wsbailey]

This is the best knife for scraping small animals that I have found. The fine serrations prevent damage to the skin(the thinner the skin the lighter the touch) but cut away the fat etc. Bill

http://www.foodservicewarehouse.com/...2sc/p8855.aspx

[51BC]

Just want to add that borax is good stuff for knocking back bugs. We had a bit of a flea infestation a few years back and got them out of the house by sprinkling borax about. It was like living on the beach af a while, but it got rid of the fleas!