Pheasant Feather Fetchings

[Jesse Peltan]

Do pheasant feathers make good fletchings? Is there anything special I need to know about them when preparing them?

[frank bullitt]

Jesse, I'm sure they would work, I would say the Indians probably used what they could get for fletching. But, pheasants were imported to this country. Try them, and let us know. Good shootin, Steve

[La. bowhunter]

I have use them in the past and they work very well and are no different than any other feather. The only problem is they are short and do not have a very high profile so if you shoot long or high fletching you may have problems. 4 inch or 5 inch in a normal parabolic or shield cut are no problem.

[Jesse Peltan]

I am going to use low profile(7/16in) feathers so that won't be a problem. I see what you mean though about short feathers. I heard they are less durable than other feathers. What's your experience with that? The low profile will probably help either way.

[Jason Jelinek]

Asian archers use(d) pheasant tail feathers for fletching.  They are short, but you could make then longer.

[OS]

I've used tail feathers tied two full tail feathers at the nock end of the arrow point up off the shaft.  Then folded them down and tied at the end.  Made a four flech so to speak and worked ok with small broadheads

[Jesse Peltan]

OS could you post a pic?

[Jesse Peltan]

ttt

[AkDan]

I've used pheasant wing feathers for fletchings.  they arent as stiff.  I dont think I'd used tail feathers though I'm sure they'd work.  Turkey tail feathers makes some purdy fletchings though!

Our local archery group has a flu flu shoot every year however doesnt dictated anything more then 15"es of uncut feather (ie 3 5" feahters untrimmed)....so just for fun I made 4 fletch pheasant feathers for low profile, yet to meet the requirement of a fluflu.  They keep putting targets waaay out there even from the trad stake, really sucks shooting flu flus that far into sooooft ground, you'll loose 90% of them on this course.  They worked great...I think I may even have one I can get a pic for you if I do....but I will say under regular shooting conditions, I dont think they'll hold up long.  I made them for a specific event and after that have done little with them more then a little grouse hunting.

This might be of interest to you.

Crafting the Korean Bamboo Arrow by Thomas Duvernay

Great video it is long but detailed enough of whats going on you'll figure it out easily enough.