Spring turkey feather care

[stringstretcher]

Being that it is almost time to start chasing those thunder birds, I thought I might suggest a few things to help you to save and get good feathers.

First thing is if you cut the wing off the birds, please take the time to put "Twenty Mule Team Borax" on the meaty part.  Cut down into the meat and apply a very generous amount to stop the odor/decay/and insects.

Second, take the wings, feathers, how ever you take them off and put them in a freezer for at least a week, preferably two minimum.  This will kill anything that is still living in the feathers

If you take them out of the freezer and are going to store them any length of time before grinding or using them, make sure to store them in "AIR TIGHT ZIPLOCK BAGS, OR CONTAINERS" along with a little borax or what I use is cedar pet bedding.

If you leave them out in the open, moths are going to get to them, no matter where you are.  So take the time to preserve your harvest and have feathers worthy of making arrows.

And last, if you are going to ship feathers to someone, don't take them out of the freezer and ship them with meat on them if they are not coated very very good with borax and sealed up in a good air tight bag.

[bendbig]

Good info. I sure would hate to loose my hard earned trophy wings. Thanks.

[BTW]

Good stuff, thanks!

[Mike Vines]

You forgot to add...Send to you for the best ground natural turkey feathers I have ever gotten.

[magnus]

Great tip Stringstretcher! Hopefully I'll be able to use them. I'll second what Grapes said. Send your feathers to Stringstretcher if you want the best ground feather you've ever seen!

Keeping the Faith!
Magnus

[swp]

Sorry Stringstretcher, I didn't see that you were a sponsor here also.

[NoCams]

We just go ahead and cut the primaries off with a pair of dikes at the base of the quill so no meat to spoil or stink. Put them in seperate bags LW and RW and now send to stringstretcher for awesome service and feathers quick fast and in a hurry !!!

[LC]

I just snip the primaries off with dikes like NoCams. Put in trash bags seperating L and R twist the top and that's it for me. I've never lost a feather to moths, must just be lucky or we've got no moths in my area. Been doing this way for about 20 years with zero loss.

[stringstretcher]

LC as long as it is air tight, like you are doing, you will not get them.  But storing feathers in an open plastic grocery bad is asking for trouble.  And thanks everyone for the compliments.  An no problem swp, I am not in competition with anyone, just trying to help others and myself a little bit,

[acolobowhunter]

Stringstretcher knows what he is talking about.  He just sent a bunch of my feathers back.  Wow, great work.  I am going to send more.  Lets support our sponsor and give him something to keep him busy.  You will get the best product in return.
I always put my feathers in the freezer after removing from the wing with dikes.