Dead Pheasant

[ryguyfi]

Ok... so you see a dead pheasant on the side of the road as you're driving by....


Do you stop to take the tail feathers off?


Strictly hypothetical situation. :-D

 

[pete41]

Why not? :lol:

 

[gfen]

I don't touch the dead.

However, if I did why the hell wouldn't I? That's like $4 saved or something.

 

[McSneek]

As long as it wasn't in the middle of a summer heat wave, it was safe to do so and my pheasnat tail supply was running low. One thing I've noticed though is the barbs on store bought tails which probably come from pen raised birds are much nicer.

My turkey tail feathers were collected after one met an untimely death along a highway. Thing got hit so hard that there were feathers everywhere long after something dragged the carcass away. No I didn't hit it.

 

[dubthethorax]

gfen wrote:
That's like $4 saved or something.

lol

 

[quillfly]

whole thing take it home skin it out borax freeze savings 17.98

 

[Lonewolve]

I did this this morning on the way home from work...someone hit a hen pheasant,i saw it laying ..turned around an pulled a few tail feathers off and some breast/flank feathers, placed them in borax and moth crystals into the freezer ..wait a few weeks, than pull them out an place in a new bag.
good to go
Tight Wraps & Tight Lines
Rick Wallace
BTW if you have a lil drive an are willing to learn you can save a few bucks,but usually its just easier to buy skins from a reputable shop/outfitter that carries flytying supplies,generally they will be already scraped an dried as well as bug treated.

 

[Maurice]

I do and I also carry a tail stripper in the car....good for squirrels. Although I typically only harvest the red squirrels tails as the grey ones are plentiful around the house.

Reach down, clamp at base of tail, step on the buttocks and stand up.

Take home spilt tail and salt or borax. Sometimes I don't even treat it. and they rarely stink. Musn't be much fat on the hide.

 

[sandfly]

if you liberally coat with borax, you won't need to freeze..I have all my stuff in borax out in garage right now wait 3 weeks and store in rubber maid with moth balls that's it..Only ever had one case of bugs and that was in the 70's..

 

[JohnnyUtah]

Absolutely stop and pick it up. Great feathers on a pheasant skin, not just the tail.

Sandfly is absolutely correct. No need to freeze. No creatures on this planet that likes to eat fly tying materials can tolerate borax. Salt yes, borax NO WAY.

Also borax does not dry the skin as even believes, it keeps all the bacteria, fungi and insects away from the skin so the air can dry it out without rotting.

Salt will dry the skin but will not keep away bacteria, fungi, or insects. It also dries the skin stiff. Its more difficult to handle a skin when it has been dried this way.

As sandfly said, 3 weeks is minimum for dry out time. I like to go more in 4-6 weeks.

 

[zerodrag]

I'd spend the the 5 bucks and avoid the doctors bill But now when my buddy shoots them and salts them for me then I'm all for it.

 

[JoeE]

If it is juicy and stinks only the tail feathers; if it is fresh I’ll skin the bird (have done it more than once).

Joe E

 

[WildTigerTrout]

ryguyfi wrote:
Ok... so you see a dead pheasant on the side of the road as you're driving by....


Do you stop to take the tail feathers off?


Strictly hypothetical situation. :-D

Yes I would and have more than once.

 

[Tups]

On the #OOPS# bird there is a patch of body feathers with a light greenish tint just above the tail. Pluck these out - they make a swell soft hackle called the Carey Special.

 

[Tups]

I've been censored, so I'll revise: The feathers are found on the male of the RN Pheasant, often referred to as the c*ckbird by the hunters among us.

 

[Flytyer14]

I'd wash the tail feathers in warm soapy water. that'll clean the dirt out of the fibers on the feathers and they'll be just as good as any other...