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Main Boards => PowWow => Topic started by: DJTJR on October 22, 2011, 05:25:00 PM

Title: feathers after shot on game
Post by: DJTJR on October 22, 2011, 05:25:00 PM
guys after shooting a game animal what is the best thing to do to restore the feathers on your arrow?  shot a doe last weekend perfect hart lung but the feathers on my arrow got really bloody and matted down.  I would love to not have to strip it down and re fletch as i would like to keep the set matched but would love to hear what you all do if anything.  also whats the best way to get them back after getting wet in the rain?

thanks,
don
Title: Re: feathers after shot on game
Post by: Shedrock on October 22, 2011, 05:27:00 PM
I just wash them good, and use an old toothbrush to clean them good. They won't look perfect but still fly good.
Title: Re: feathers after shot on game
Post by: stevewills on October 22, 2011, 05:31:00 PM
clean them,then let them dry and boil some water and hold over the steam itll be real close too the way they were before
Title: Re: feathers after shot on game
Post by: BOWMARKS on October 22, 2011, 05:32:00 PM
I treat my feathers with a product called Dri-Tite,it is used for treating flies for fishing works very well for me in keeping feathers dry in the rain and also cleaning after the shot.

I shot a little button the other day put arrow feather down in sink to soak off blood cleaned off arrow let dry over night fluffed feather back up and its good as new.
Title: Re: feathers after shot on game
Post by: wingnut on October 22, 2011, 06:01:00 PM
Don,

I usually rinse them out pretty soon after recovering the animal.  Stop at a stream or pond and rinse them good.  Let them dry and use steam
to put them back in a line.

Mike
Title: Re: feathers after shot on game
Post by: varmint101 on October 22, 2011, 06:12:00 PM
I just clean them off and go again like the others.  However, the last doe I shot I cleaned it off, shot it in the target and forgot about it.  My beagle ate the feathers off it!  Little twirp.   :)
Title: Re: feathers after shot on game
Post by: dave19113 on October 22, 2011, 06:21:00 PM
Yea, I just wash em and then throw it on my work bench till next time
Title: Re: feathers after shot on game
Post by: A.S. on October 22, 2011, 06:24:00 PM
I wash mine with Hydrogen peroxide. It really gets the blood out good. I'm getting ready right now to clean the one that I killed a doe with 2 days ago.

I let them dry, then steam them back into shape.
Title: Re: feathers after shot on game
Post by: Bjorn on October 22, 2011, 06:49:00 PM
I retire them, write the date and kill on the shaft
(http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q291/bjornweb/DSCN1488-1.jpg)
Title: Re: feathers after shot on game
Post by: LookMomNoSights on October 22, 2011, 07:01:00 PM
This is what you do:  rinse them off with tap water,  as hot as you can stand.  After you get them clean,  (and dont be afraid to ruffle em up a bit to get the crud off!) take a hair dryer, hold the shaft between your fingernails with the point on something where it wont slip out from ya as if you were doing that blow/spin trick and use the hairdryer on hot to spin them out dry.  They come back to perfect shape!
Title: Re: feathers after shot on game
Post by: imhntn on October 22, 2011, 08:58:00 PM
I refletch them.
Title: Re: feathers after shot on game
Post by: customcrester on October 22, 2011, 09:05:00 PM
Just wash then in the sink with warm water and let dry.When dry just run your finger along the feather from back to front to fluff then feather back up and your good to go.
Title: Re: feathers after shot on game
Post by: DJTJR on October 23, 2011, 12:15:00 AM
Thanks guys
Title: Re: feathers after shot on game
Post by: pruski on October 23, 2011, 11:33:00 AM
Dude,  you must try this... i run them under water and wash them good. then take a blow dryer, leave a tip on the arrow, broadhead or fieldpoint. put the tip of the arrow in the bathroom sink, make a V with your left hand index and thum fingernails and let the shaft lay in that V you made just under the feathers. Now take the blowdryer and blow on the feathers, if you move the blowdryer at different angles you can get the arrow to spin really fast, water will fly off the arrow and the heat will dry it fast. My arrows are clean and back in my quiver within 10 min...  try it please, it is easier than it sounds above... steve
Title: Re: feathers after shot on game
Post by: JamesKerr on October 23, 2011, 09:40:00 PM
I just refletch them as I enjoy fletching arrows