Has anyone used snow goose feathers before. I cant find any?????? :confused:
Never used them, but never thought of it. Avaliable by the hundreds around here. Right now, theres no limit until sometime in April.
I had a guy bring me a bunch last fall. They will work for smaller cuts but they are pretty small to make a solid 5". Once you take them off the wing they look very similar to grey goose just smaller. dino
Kyle can you get some right wings???
I've used Canada Goose feather. They worked great. My brother in-law goes goose hunting every year and knocks down a bunch of them. I ask him to bring me the wings for fletching. So far I have a huge pile of NOTHING...what a guy!
:mad:
how big/long are the snow goose primaries? how do they compare to canada geese?
QuoteOriginally posted by Rob DiStefano:
how big/long are the snow goose primaries? how do they compare to canada geese?
Thats what I was wondering?
I used to shoot a lot more of them, but competition from paying outfitters has lessened the ability to go. That was before no limits and unplugged guns. I've not yet started cutting my own feathers even though I have some from a turkey from last season. I need to invest in a chopper. Yes I can get feathers if anyone is interested.
QuoteOriginally posted by VA Bowbender:
I've used Canada Goose feather. They worked great. My brother in-law goes goose hunting every year and knocks down a bunch of them. I ask him to bring me the wings for fletching. So far I have a huge pile of NOTHING...what a guy!
:mad:
don't need to kill a single canada to get a washtub fulla great feathers - the gray gold falls in june! just check yer local ponds, lakes and golf courses.
canada goose fletchings (http://tradgang.com/noncgi/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=2;t=000106)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v82/rfdee/archery/goose1.jpg)
The bright white of adult snows would probably take dye well. Juvies would most likely have a snow camo/smoke look. I 've handled too many to count this year and never thought to use them because I don't have a feather chopper.
The white is what I would like to try. I was not sure what the feathers really look like though.
Like the above, but white. Bright white. I'll try to get a pic posted but I can't shoot one until Monday now.
I go down and hunt SIKA on the eastern shore every Jan.I always check out a few places and pick up all I can find.There great to chop and already have a natural water proff oil in then.
if they're anything like canadian goose feathers in performance, the snow goose feathers could be even better cause of the bright white color. :cool:
I've been missing the boat. At one time, my huntin' buddy had three hogs just to help get rid of all the carcasses we had. Had someone pick up 18 the other day to make jerky. Guess I could have kept the wings. Anyway, FerretWYO is gettin a batch as soon as I get my hands on them.
QuoteOriginally posted by Rob DiStefano:
if they're anything like canadian goose feathers in performance, the snow goose feathers could be even better cause of the bright white color. :cool:
That is what I am hoping for Rob. I guess we will see how it works out.
Thanks Kyle you are a good man.
The primarys are black not white
Lucas is right, the primary feathers of a snow goose are dark colored I think just like a Canadian? I think all the primary feathers on the wild geese I have seen are dark?
Randy I already put the word out that we wanted wings. Now all we have to do is wait on the birds, there're still lofing down south. Got some more canadian wings yesterday.
Holy cow! I am a die hard waterfowl hunter, I had no idea you could use Canada Goose feathers.
What is a feather chopper???
How can I make, or get someone to make me some arrows with goose feathers?
I shoot plenty of geese & could provide my own feathers, & lots of other people if you can mail them.
Swan Primarys are White. English archers used them as well as Greylag Geese (related to our White-fronts) and Peacock feathers. No turkey feathers for the British, till after archery had become a sport.
Lucas
Peacock feathers, interesting. Have you ever seen them used?
QuoteOriginally posted by HUNT 24/7:
Holy cow! I am a die hard waterfowl hunter, I had no idea you could use Canada Goose feathers.
What is a feather chopper???
How can I make, or get someone to make me some arrows with goose feathers?
I shoot plenty of geese & could provide my own feathers, & lots of other people if you can mail them.
check these out, for starters ...
canada goose feather fletching (http://tradgang.com/noncgi/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=2;t=000106)
low profile banana chopper (http://tradgang.com/noncgi/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=2;t=000107)
....
I think there should be some usable white, but I could be wrong.
I had a friend that use to get his from some outfitters he made a deal with.
There the same as any other goose and there bright white.
oooo, bright white ... i gotta get me some - left wings!
started using fur tracers on those dark canada fletchings. makes a big difference in seeing the arrow's flight and where it hits. but all white goose fletchings WITH tracers would sure be the cat's meow!
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v82/rfdee/archery/tracers.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v82/rfdee/archery/tracers2.jpg)
Peacock primaries are great! I have 4 dozen of 'em waiting to be ground. They're more like turkey feathers - thicker and stiffer than goose. The ones I have range from a nice coppery brown to white mottled with brown. I like them better than goose, but goose is generally free :)
(http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh236/Prairiedrifter/360161897_0df3f5bb4a_b.jpg)
primaries are dark,secondaries are white
Randy why didnt you ask Sonny on Sat (at the shoot) for a few to try. We have been using Goose for years now. I would let you try some of mine but they are all left wing, Sonny uses the right. I have shot goose cock feather and two turkey for years. I have also used all goose they work great. They are not as durable as turkey but with your carbon shafts you can easly strip and replace. I just finshed making my own grinding jig from a post here on the site. Have used home made feather burner for years as well, an idea I also got from this site. From wing to arrow in my own garage cant beat it.
QuoteOriginally posted by dino:
I had a guy bring me a bunch last fall. They will work for smaller cuts but they are pretty small to make a solid 5". Once you take them off the wing they look very similar to grey goose just smaller. dino
Snow goose feathers are dark grey like canadian geese. They are not white. They look like grey canadians just smaller.
???Is it legal to sell goose feather's. Someone Told me "NO" !!! I think because there FED. MIGRATORY BIRD ???
QuoteOriginally posted by getstonedprimitivebowhunt:
???Is it legal to sell goose feather's. Someone Told me "NO" !!! I think because there FED. MIGRATORY BIRD ???
Bingo!! But no one said a "gift" with a "donation" would be a problem! :archer:
Tread very lightly with the purchase or donation thing. Geese are federally regulated and no sale of any part of the bird is allowed.
I get mine from a war buddy of mine and shoot my own as well. Lots of great feathers and they are way more waterproof than anything else I have shot.
If a buddy sends you some feathers and the fed finds out he recieved anything including a donation in returen both of you can get serious fines and possible jail time.
Just keep it a gift and you'll be fine....
Those would be sweet for 3-d, sometimes I shoot with some fellers that are hard on my pink feathers, lol. And I have heard they are great with water, now all I need is a pink goose to fly over and I will be set :)
they work well. I like the white color. They are generally slightly small than canadan goose feathers. I usually get about four dozen a year.
they are not all the same grey as canadas
QuoteOriginally posted by RGinWY:
Randy I already put the word out that we wanted wings. Now all we have to do is wait on the birds, there're still lofing down south. Got some more canadian wings yesterday.
Sweet
Oh my gosh. This is like manna from the heavens. There are so many geese around here it is crazy. I am going "shed" hunting in June.
Is the quill as thick as a turkey feather?
Do the choppers get dull?
QuoteOriginally posted by Bill Tell:
Oh my gosh. This is like manna from the heavens.
really great fletching for free - how cool is that?
There are so many geese around here it is crazy. I am going "shed" hunting in June.
yup, the moult is time for gray gold huntin'
Is the quill as thick as a turkey feather?
on the primaries of an adult canada, it's thick and bulky. i use both primary and secondary feathers, they all make for perfect fletches.
Do the choppers get dull?
no, silly goose! :D
....
Bill,
Sometime around June, hit the local parks along the Fox -- Fabyan, Wheeler, or any of the other park district properties in St. Charles, Geneva or Batavia. I used to pick up goose primaries while I was out fly fishing, but ended up giving away a few hundred of them years ago. I don't like arrow fletching that I can't see in flight.
QuoteOriginally posted by Jason R. Wesbrock:
... I don't like arrow fletching that I can't see in flight.
that bothered me a bunch, too - but bright white or hot pink fur tracers fixed that pronto.
I never much cared for those tracers. Aside from the fact that they don't get along with my high anchor point (it's hard to shoot with a blob in my line of sight), they didn't work so well when they got wet.
I notice that you have bright yellow feathers in your avatar. I use those and bright orange. They work very well.
If anyone wants any free goose primaries, I'll pick them up this summer and save them. I can usually find a few hundred in a day without much problem.
yes, for sure - with yer eye to the shaft those fuzzies are totally in the way, too bad.
yellow and orange are good, but i think hot pink is best and that's what i'm using now. better yet if i used a bright white cap but i don't like wraps or paint.
geez - unnaturally funky hot pink fletches versus the organic beauty of barred grey or dull grey canada, what heresy. :D
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v82/rfdee/archery/feathers.jpg)
QuoteOriginally posted by Rob DiStefano:
geez - unnaturally funky hot pink fletches versus the organic beauty of barred grey or dull grey canada, what heresy. :D
As long as I can see them in flight and they fall out the other side wet and red, I'm good to go.
;)
QuoteOriginally posted by Jason R. Wesbrock:
QuoteOriginally posted by Rob DiStefano:
geez - unnaturally funky hot pink fletches versus the organic beauty of barred grey or dull grey canada, what heresy. :D
As long as I can see them in flight and they fall out the other side wet and red, I'm good to go.
;) [/b]
yep, dat's why i'm going with hot pink 'n' tracers. ;)
QuoteOriginally posted by Jason R. Wesbrock:
Bill,
Sometime around June, hit the local parks along the Fox -- Fabyan, Wheeler, or any of the other park district properties in St. Charles, Geneva or Batavia. I used to pick up goose primaries while I was out fly fishing, but ended up giving away a few hundred of them years ago. I don't like arrow fletching that I can't see in flight.
I will do so. If I get a whole bunch I will post up free feathers later on.
I worked in a fly shop once and I know that the only way to be legal is to give them away.
Randy, you can buy them cut and chopped from Raven Arrows in Idaho. They do a great job of making fletchings.
I sure do love my dyed hot pink feathers....but hate how they soak up rain no matter what they are treated with. I'm gonna have to find and chop some goose feathers for a rainy day, literally.
I have treated some turkey feather fletchings with a flyfishing fly dressing (kind of a gel that melts in your fingers) that works pretty good.
QuoteOriginally posted by snag:
Randy, you can buy them cut and chopped from Raven Arrows in Idaho. They do a great job of making fletchings.
How can they do that??? It is illegal to sell part of a canadian goose???? Is is a domestic type feather or something?
QuoteOriginally posted by JC:
I sure do love my dyed hot pink feathers....but hate how they soak up rain no matter what they are treated with. I'm gonna have to find and chop some goose feathers for a rainy day, literally.
I love me some pink fletchin too :goldtooth: , shows up good on film. I treat mine using that powder stuff and it works to an extent . . .
From what I've heard from Rob D. and others, nothing compares to the water resistance of natural goose feathers. I've not had good luck with any of the feather treatments so I should just bite the bullet and fletch up some goose and find out for myself.
Just cut some snow geese. Not impressed with the length of the white feathers. Might work for 4 fletch guys but they seem thin.
I think I'm going to get a "pet" swan.
QuoteOriginally posted by Chris Shelton:
QuoteOriginally posted by snag:
Randy, you can buy them cut and chopped from Raven Arrows in Idaho. They do a great job of making fletchings.
How can they do that??? It is illegal to sell part of a canadian goose???? Is is a domestic type feather or something? [/b]
They can do it if they have a license for sale and they buy the feathers from a retailer that is raising the geese domestically for consumption.
Some native american are able to sell things too so they may be part of a nation.
I used to get canadian goose feathers when we hunted them in Washington. They make great fletching that are waterproof. Not as durable as Turkey but very quiet.
Mike
So, if you don't like dark fletch, and the tracers are out, why not splice the tail end with a bright fletch? Or if you 4-fletch, 2 goose and 2 bright fletch! It's all good.
I have 2 bottles of Duck oil, that works pretty good!
QuoteOriginally posted by frank bullitt:
So, if you don't like dark fletch, and the tracers are out, why not splice the tail end with a bright fletch?
I think you gave me another project Frank. I like that idea.
Thanks snag I will check them out.
QuoteOriginally posted by dino:
QuoteOriginally posted by dino:
I had a guy bring me a bunch last fall. They will work for smaller cuts but they are pretty small to make a solid 5". Once you take them off the wing they look very similar to grey goose just smaller. dino
Snow goose feathers are dark grey like canadian geese. They are not white. They look like grey canadians just smaller. [/b]
misinformation can cause many problems. This is a picture of a snow goose wing. They do have white feathers (http://i557.photobucket.com/albums/ss13/dvshunter/CIMG0061.jpg)
This is a great thread. I just got a bunch of goose wings from a hunting buddy and I am busily splitting / grinding / etc.... I plan to make up half a dozen rainy day arrows with the goose feathers. I am going to have to read some threads on here for splicing and give that a try. Bright pink or flourescent yellow spliced into the back of the goose feather would take care of the visibility issues.
I am excited about being able to use them in wet weathers. Living in western Washington means I get rained on as often as not when out in the field. During late season is pretty much rains every day.
this is a picture of a wing from a "blue" as in snows and blues.
(http://i557.photobucket.com/albums/ss13/dvshunter/CIMG0060.jpg)
they have cool looking gold highlights on the older birds.
I just don't know why I have never considered waterfowl feather,what a great idea. Thanks for sharing this.
QuoteOriginally posted by DVSHUNTER:
misinformation can cause many problems. This is a picture of a snow goose wing. They do have white feathers (http://i557.photobucket.com/albums/ss13/dvshunter/CIMG0061.jpg)
The primary flight feathers aren't white though :) The primary coverts, secondaries and tertiaries are white.
All birds have 10 primary flight feathers, with the exception of some songbirds that only have 9. The last 2-3 more closely resemble secondary feathers though (equal amount of feather on both sides of the quill) and aren't as stiff. I use 9-10 of them on geese and turkey and the secondaries on turkey. The secondaries on Canada geese are only about 6" long total... work great for tangential fletching, but nearly impossibly to get a good grind and chop out of.
great post jeremy. The white feathers are small, but I have good luck with them on my arrows. Four in feathers are the normal for these.
Ok so there was a lot of learning that occured in this thread. I was hoping that the white feathers in a snow would make fletching but a few people have advised other wise. I just got back some Canadas from wtpoops that he was nice enought to grind for me. I thought I would put the most useful part to practice.
So look what I made tonight.
(http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii51/rburtis1/utf-8BSU1HMDAwMTItMjAxMDAzMTgtMTk0O.jpg)
I think that it will work.
To cool !!! Great look !!
That looks cool. Is the white snow goose or turkey. Doesn't matter what it is still looks too cool. Did you use a burner because they look perfect.
Bill the white is turkey.
I use a chopper. I cut them twice to get the clean edges.
What do you mean, "you cut them twice"? I'm not understanding what you did there.
QuoteOriginally posted by Steve O:
What do you mean, "you cut them twice"? I'm not understanding what you did there.
For some reason when I cut feathers in my chopper the quill on the bottom causes a little wave in the edge of the feather. So with the quill cut I chop them again to smoot the edges. I also found that if you cut them all to length so they are just inside the blade at the ends that it works better as well.
When splicing I use everything in full length. Once the splice is in place I chop them. It seems to make a little better cut. over the splice itself.
They just look smart. How are they flying for you?
They fly great. I like goose because it is softer and seems to be affected less off the shelf. Now with the visability solved I may use them more. They do take a while to make though. :bigsmyl:
Nice thread,lot new stuff to learn.
Sorry but I have more questions for you. Are you using the three rivers cut in your chopper? How long of a fletch are you cutting? Lastly, how do you make the splice first and then chop them?
I am using a 3R chopper in the 4 inch sheild cut. I will take a few pictures of the proccess this evening.
Randy--that makes sense--my arrows will look better now.
He is a little bit of a build allong on how I have been splicing feathers.
I start of with full lenght or uncut feathers.
(http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii51/rburtis1/feathers001.jpg)
I start by cuting the barbs off of the quill with a razor blade and grind the base smooth with a dremel tool.
(http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii51/rburtis1/feathers002.jpg)
(http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii51/rburtis1/feathers003.jpg)
Next I grind all of the soft white material out of the white peice leaving only the thin hard outer layer of the feather.
(http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii51/rburtis1/feathers004.jpg)
Use a little supper glue to glue the white feather to the base(or quill) of the goose feather. Make sure that the white feather barbs and the goose barbs are touching or they will not lock together. I use my bitz clamp to make sure that everything is aligned while glue. It can be done by hand though.
(http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii51/rburtis1/feathers007.jpg)
(http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii51/rburtis1/feathers008.jpg)
Now you have a spliced feather that just has to be cut or burnned to shape.
(http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii51/rburtis1/feathers009.jpg)
Next You Chop.
(http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii51/rburtis1/feathers010.jpg)
After the first time my chopper leaves a little wave in the feather so I cut it one more time to even that out.
(http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii51/rburtis1/feathers011.jpg)
This one did not turn out perfect but hey it works.
(http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii51/rburtis1/feathers013.jpg)
Then after many hours you get this
(http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii51/rburtis1/utf-8BSU1HMDAwMTItMjAxMDAzMTgtMTk0O.jpg)
Yup I will be trying this tonight.Thanks
Looks good Ferret! Thanks for the visual!
Nice job Randy!
Thank you so much. I learned a ton from this thread.
I've been wanting to splice for some time now...Great post and thanks for sharing...
Thanks Ferret! I tried it last night.....looks great! The dremel tool has made it much cleaner and the fit is good without wasting any feathers from the results of stripping them. The only thing is when I would strip them I could use the piece I stripped off. By using the razor blade you cut off the quill and throw it away... so either way I guess there is some waste. But the results are sure better your way! Thanks, David
Glad it helped you out snag. I had a bit of a learning curve before trying this. I had always done but splicing before. Tommy Clumposted a thread with his method a while back and I just refined it to fit my needs.
Today I bought a dremel grinding wheel like you have in the picture. I only had a rubber abrasive wheel last night. It took longer to grind them and had a tendency to pull at the thin base layer when you got down there.
I've been using them for a few years. They have a very high oil line and stand up well. I like the way the color has different hues of gray.
Very labor intensive but a GREAT result !!
It is a little labor intenive but a lot of fun when you are done.
Nice job, Ferret :thumbsup:
So Ferret, does this mean if I make arrows like these arrows I'm guaranteed to shot a bull like yours? Or does it just mean I'm guaranteed to look good trying? :confused: :biglaugh:
I dont know about gauranteed to shoot one but those arrows sure will look good going through the chest of one when you do get him. :thumbsup:
Awesome! Thanks for the info!
You noticed that the TrueFlight full length white are a smaller diameter quill than a "real" turkey feather or a goose feather? The ones I have been using are noticable different. It's like the commerical birds aren't as mature a feather. I wonder I can find a better match? I guess some snow geese feather...?
I have noticed that they are a little different. I take care to line the barbs up. Once the glue for the splice is dry I grind them even if I need to.
Wild, Free range birds, taste awhole lot better, too!