Scott,

Your typically well tied fly pattern. I have a question for you and maybe you've tried this and not been satisfied? Why not tie in the wire, bring thread toward the thorax, tie in the pheasant tail. Then wind the pheasant back to the wire, tie down with a turn of wire and wind the wire to the thorax tie in point? The pheasant is secured. The wire doesn't need to be 'countered' and it locks in the body throughout. Just asking. Value your opinion.

Allan