Wood Duck Thread: follow-up

Guys,

Allow me to implore any and all of you. Whether you are a tier or not, if you hunt ducks or are friends with duck hunters, never turn down an offer of wood duck skins or feathers, or toss a carcass after breasting the bird for the meat. If you don't want to bother with skins, just pluck the flank feathers and bag them. It might be a good idea to put the feathers from each individual duck into a separate zip lock type bag. There are plenty of us who need and will use those skins or the feathers. Probably any of us who use them would gladly reimburse you and even throw in some flies for your effort. Just post what you've accumulated and you'll get plenty of resquests. By individually bagging the feathers from each duck you'll be able to share your bounty(just an idea).

I'm pretty sure I speak for the majority of tiers when I say, thanks in advance for any consideration.

Allan

[RonMT]

Allen I agree 100 percent. I am on a board down out of Texas and there are a lot of duck hunters on that board. I read a thread a while back and the fellow had just taken 5 large Male Woody's. One picture showed the whole birds and one showed that he had brested them. I PMed him to find out about the skins and they had been thrown out already. I about cried. LOL Anyway he and I have become friends and he is sending me all of his woody skins from now on LOL. Also Pintails. Just have to ask sometimes to get a great deal. Most of those folks are real nice and are willing to help ya out. Ron

[MNFisher]

I come from a family of duck hunters - as are several of my friends. It pains me to think of the huge number of perfectly good feathers I've tossed......

Our duck season is closed for this year, but I'd be interested in knowing just what feathers (besides the obvious flank feathers from Mallards and Woodducks)people would be interested in so I can have them to share with you next year.

We get some Woodies early in the year - sometimes too early for complete winter plumage. Same problem with Teal. Mallards, Redheads, Bluebills, Pintails, and Gadwall are usually in good shape - and in normal years, abundant. We also generally shoot several Canada geese and a few Snows as well.

So here's the question. What feathers from what birds are you interested in? If there is a good reason to skin some I will - otherwise I'll pluck the ones people want.

MNFisher,

First, Merry Christmas.

Second, in response to your questions:

Skinning ducks, at least for me, is a pain in the a**. So I wouldn't ask anyone to do it when plucking is much easier. As far as what feathers, I'll just suggest the barred feathers from drake woodies, mallards, gadwell, teal and similar ducks. Placing the feathers from each duck in its own singular zip lock bag would be very helpful and appreciated by any recipient. On the mallard, the flank and shoulder 'bronze mallard' feathers are the most used. White or other breast feathers are great for fan-wing flies but that style is great for frames but hardly tied these days. Maybe someone would appreciate them. The pintail ducks have some nice barred feathers but I'm not sure where they are on that duck.

Hope I've been able to answer your questions. Hope you keep us in mind next season.

Thanks.

Allan

[LWilliams]

In addition to what Allan highlighted, CDC feathers would be used by many as would the matched wings from the wings (especially Canadas, Mallards and Blacks....).

[billknepp]

I see that Mr. Williams has already chimed in on the importance of matched wings of Mallard drakes ...those are a great source for most wet fly tyers...for flies such as the Mcginty....

This thread brings some pain to me..as I had three whole Mallard drake skins in the freezer when I moved to NY...during that time I was there....a family member unknowing threw them out....I'll second the plucking of the feathers ...

It pains me because of the trouble an older friend of mine went to, To skin those birds for me...

As an aside... Does anyone know if it is Legal to take the female Mallard in the state of PA...as this is a skin I'd really like to have on hand..? for a spent caddis Pattern...or of a shop that carries such..?

------------------
"I've often wondered why it is that so many anglers spend so much money on,and pay so much attention to.the details on the wrong end of the fly line.If they took as much care in selecting or tying their flies as they did in the selection of the reel and rod,They might be able to gain the real extra edge that makes it possible to fool a fish that has,in fact,seen it all before" A.K.Best

Everyone wants to excel in this sport but at the same time we let traditionalists place restrictions on our tactics, methods, and ideas. I always assumed that fly fishing was a sport that allowed imagination, creation, adaptation, investigation, dedication, education, revelation? : Fox Statler, On Spinners (Not the dainty Dry Fly kind) "Spinner'd Minner Fly"

"Wish ya great fishing"

Bill




[This message has been edited by billknepp (edited 26 December 2005).]

[OkieBass133]

As a duck hunter and fly tier, my opinion is that skinning just isn't worth it. Unlike a quail skin that I can use almost every feather on, there are relatively few feathers off a duck that I have a use for. When I take feathers from a waterfowl, here's what I typically get-
1. Flank feathers, from the sides of the bird under the wing and going back over the legs.
2. Cul-de-Canard feathers, a few inches up the back from the tail, under a "flap" of larger rump feathers, they are grey and fluffy and grow around the preening gland.
3. Wing primaries (geese and big mallards), the leading feathers of the wing, the source for biots.
4. Goose shoulder, for married wings.

Pull any of those off a bird and give them to a fly tier and you will have a friend for life. You can't go wrong with the first three, almost any tier can use them.

[mickporter]

Are there any wood duck hunters that can export to the UK?

Lemon Duck and Wood duck feathers are terribly difficult to find here, and really really expensive.

[Panman]

Billknepp: It is legal to harvest hen mallards in the state of PA. If you get a hen mallard, gadwall, teal or spoonie try using some of the small brown feathers of these birds for soft hackle. I like the ones that are located just below the head on the back of the neck.

Tim Anderson, Klamath Falls, Oregon

[billknepp]

Thanks panman...I'll be talking with a friend at work tomorrow..have no idea what and when waterfowl seasons are...as I have not ever hunted them..very little else I have not hunted for or trapped...

Do have to confess to FF for um a time or too!....lol..although I would not reccomend this...always ends with a snap of the leader.