To day I took my wife to Michaels craft store and found a section full of feathers, of all types and for a reasonable cost. Also all size beads. 1000 for $2.99 a pack, I was like a kid in a candy store.I fished for many years and only recently tying flys. Story–Past summer Daughter and son-in-law invited the wife and I to a camping experience, actually we are invited quite often. Being an early riser, 5AM I was having a cup of coffee. and I heard the call of a peacock. When the grand kids were up and fed i took them for a walk to find the peacock. There he was facing a female with his tail feathers spread out beautifully.All I could think of was I wish i could get one of those feathers to tie flys. So I slowly :roll: walked around the cage to his rear. Just as I got in position he moved,. After a while I gave up. Lesson “go to a craft store it saves time.”
I hope you were going to cut a feather off and not pull it. You would have had one large and very mad bird chasing you. On second thought, that would have been the story of a liftime for your grandkids.
Michaels and most craft stores are a gold mine for foam, beads (even Czech beads), wire, storage boxes, floss
I should have bought stock in Michael’s
I always feel a little sheepish browsing through the beads at Michael’s with all the young folks.
The other day I was tying some #6 Hexagenia Limbata nymphs and found that I did not have the Spirit River X-small eyes called for. Having a brain storm, I decided to purchase some small black beads and strung two of them on a piece of .021 leader material at a close distance, super glued them in place and cut the leader behind the second bead. WALLA, I had perfect eyes for the nymph. Michael’s is great in an emergency.
A “Pulling Feathers” story:
When I was 18, (just a few years ago 
) We were on a deer lease in Del Rio that had tame turkeys running around the ranch yard. After watching the tom strut around and spread his tail for the better part of a week, I figgered one of these feathers would look real good in the band of my cowboy hat.
Now remember, these are tame birds, so it was no problem to walk up to em at any time. I waited and watched until he commenced his strut again, then walked up behind him and grabbed ahold of his tail. Right in the middle.
You never heard such a ruckus. That tom probably figgered it was dinner time and he was invited as the main course. He didn’t want to be where I was and wanted everybody in the county to know it.
He’s trying to fly off, I’m determined to get them feathers, and neither one of us is givin’ up 'til he wins.
That big bird dragged me about 6 feet forward and through a half circle before them tail feathers let go. (At that time, I was close to 6 feet tall, but only weighed about 140 pounds.)
Once he got loose, he ran off and went into hiding for about an hour. My Dad asked me what the he… (you get the idea) I had done THIS time, and I showed him the 3 some what mangled feathers. He just shook his head.
A little while later we saw that tom out in the ranch yard again. I know it’s the same one, cause when he started his strut again, there was a 3 feather gap in it.
Right in the middle.
Kirk
Geeze, you probably ended any chances he had with the ladies for that season…
I have witnesses to the contrary, but this IS a family site!!! :lol:
Kirk
My mom “used to” have a male peacock that was the meanest ole’ cuss you’ve ever seen until I was headed out to quail hunt one morning and it sneak attacked my yellow lab Becky and all the kicking and screaming I could do wouldn’t get him to go away but the boom stick… I mean the coyotes took care of him… and I got a really nice stock of really cool feathers to add to my tying desk. I hate thinking my mom actually believes that coyotes really killed that bird but she would skin me alive if I told her it was number eights to the head from spitting distance.
Steve
My experience has suggested that just about any live animal will resist being plucked of feathers or fur for fly tying purposes. Smaller animals will often demonstrate an amazing foot speed and broken field running ability. Larger animals may flee if you’re lucky but more than likely will stand their ground and demonstrate their ability to use claws, beaks, wings and/or teeth. Above all do not try to dry shave a badger, a wolverine or a bear cub (even a small patch). 8T 