How to keep feathers dry?

[Thebear_78]

After a very miserable weather day moose hunting I was wondering what everyone does to keep their feathers dry.  I had mine in a shopping bag, seemed to keep them pretty dry, drier than my rain  gear left me, but not terribly conducive to getting off a quick shot.

I doubt anything would have worked today though because it was heavy driving rain, cold and windy.   We where all wet and freezing by noon.   Constant wind of 15+ and gusts up to 35+ and rainy so hard we had to bail the boat out 4 times.  Only saw one lone cow for our efforts but still a good day hunting.  Water levels were several feet higher than normal and places that are usually dry had water over my boots in them.

Being alaska in the fall if you don't hunt in the rain you don't hunt.  I have a cat quiver that works quite well but not when using a packframe,   My two hunting bows both wear bow quivers.        

I have heard of people using spray on camp-dri and a powdered arrow waterproofer, I've even heard of special vanes made for use with traditional bows.  

what do you all use?

[frassettor]

just a ziploc sandwhich bag over my feathers. I'm with you though, you can't get a shot off quick with that method

[Benny Nganabbarru]

Shoot 'em from a fast bow! Nah, they're pretty good even when shot from a slow bow.

[Roger Norris]

The few times I have hunted in the rain (I'm against it for bloodtrailing reasons) I have used sandwich bags on each individual arrow...it worked well, and i have shot them with the baggie still on, they stay with the bow.

[stagetek]

Try No Snow. It's a spray. A bit pricey, but works very well.

[Blaino]

Originally posted by stagetek:
Try No Snow. It's a spray. A bit pricey, but works very well.

yep, just a thin mist and your good to go.

[NoCams]

Get with magnus on here and see if he has any goose feathers ground and chopped. He took over stringstretchers feather biz and he used to keep goose feathers. Pull up the old thread by Rob Distefano on testing goose feathers against turkey feathers, pretty amazing. If you cannot get goose feathers then even real unprocessed turkey feathers are much better than store bought feathers in the rain due to oil content.

Make sure your bow and arrow combo has been bare shafted well and even if your feathers are matted down you will still get decent flight. We wet our feathers down on purpose with broadheads before season to make sure we can still get good flight. Was worried to death about wet feathers till we tested and confirmed it was a non issue after we did our homework bareshaft testing. JMHO.  

[Bjorn]

Black Magic Tire Wet works pretty good let them air dry for about a week to get rid of the stink and wipe off the nocks they get slippery.

[bosteldr]

Check in at the fishing department.  Look up the Fly Fishing gear.  They have sprays and powders for dry flys to keep the water off.  It also works on the feathers on arrows.

[Jim now in Kentucky]

As hinted above, a drenching rain should be a signal to call off the hunt unless you are hunting where there is no underbrush where an arrowed animal can disappear. When it's pouring rain, THERE IS NO BLOOD TRAIL.

The $.02 of others besides me.

[ishiwannabe]

No snow or some other dry fly treatment. And if it is pouring, try the drop in baby bottle liners. I don't advocate hunting in a downpour, but I have had mnay close encounter right after the rain stops.

[Margly]

Fly fishing powder works for me.

[Rick Butler]

I'm with ishiwannabe, baby bottle liners work great with bow quivers.

[bentpole]

All great info here. You ever try banana cut feathers? For some reason my hunting Buds and I have found them to be the best type feather for hunting in rain and snow. They stay dry the longest. Just something else to consider. If you do hunt in the rain though make sure you hit'um good. Don't want to lose that deer.Unscented hair spray if you can find it and GINKS Fly Dressing. Ginks is unscented keeps dry flys floating almost forever. Small amount on your fingers and rub into the feathers. If you really want to hunt in a drenching downpour use a stick on elevated flipper rest and arrows with plastic vanes. You'll have to readjust your nock though.

[lpcjon2]

Food grade silicone spray works like a rain coat for feathers.

[Shakes.602]

I have been know to use a Fine Mist of the  Scotch/3M  Waterproofing Silicone. the Stuff you Spray on your Wool hats to keep the Water repellant...... The  Official Name  escapes me at the Moment, as well the the  CAN  I own!!  

[killinstuff]

Do your arrows fly poorly with wet feathers? Mine fly fine, no need to fool around with waterproof stuff that doesn't last anyway.

CJ

[Benjy]

I use "Camp Dry" out of the camping department at Walley World. Its a spray to use on Tent seams.

[Bobby Urban]

Fletch some with vanes and practice with them.  If your arrows are tuned well they fly just fine and make the need for waterproofing obsolete

[americanhunter7]

+2 to Benjy and lcpjon2, for Camp-Dri and Food grade Silicone.