Can you use other feathers on a turkey for fletching?

[Gary Rieck]

Sandhill crane X2 ?

[Charlie Lamb]

I'm sure Sandhill Crane would be fine as well as peacock. It comes down to a matter of availability.

[amicus]

I think there needs to be a certain amount of stiffness to fletching. I once tried guinea feathers, they looked awesome but made a lot of noise.

Gilbert

[halfseminole]

It all depends on fletching shape.  Different cultures have valued different feathers for many reasons, many which have very little to do with each other.  There are arrows from the Middle East with single layers of parchment for feathers, and ones with carved wooden vanes.  Most of their fletching is softer than ours, and much of it only reaches 1/4" in height.  That opens up a lot of feathers to them.  Turkey tail feathers ẃere often used by the Southeastern First Peoples, while the Plains groups used raptor feathers.  As many different cultures that developed archery are there successful ways to fletch.