Ton of grouse feathers...

[Roper]

I've harvested a lot of grouse feathers over the past few years. Just recently I've been dinging out the man cave and all my extra stuffs gotta go...

any takers?

[salt dog]

So Roper, when collecting feathers do you do anything to them to preserve them, kill bugs, or what not?

[kodiaksalmon]

I'd take 'em Roper...but I've got serveral skins of my own.

Which is how I store them- I skin the bird leaving wings and feet intact, Borax it to dry it out, and hang it on my materials rack. I've had complete grouse and pheasant skins hanging for up to three years now. They seem to do just fine and don't stink or fall apart.

Jeff

[Roper]

So Roper, when collecting feathers do you do anything to them to preserve them, kill bugs, or what not?

Nope, haven't thought about it, tell ya the truth. Just pluck 'em..

Have you been out this year Jim???

[salt dog]

Oh ya....with the Met closed gotta have something to do after projects are completed. My experience was like yours, kind of spotty on the grouse. I've picked up a few, but I have not really done any of the serious mountain hiking it takes to get to my honey holes for blues, just cruising the FS roads to get altitude, then hiking the ridge lines for ruffed grouse.

Leaving the Valley early last Sunday about 7 a.m. to go home gave me a big surprise: I had to slow the car to let about a dozen wild turkey hens cross the road. Man was that cool. I've been surfing the internet since to see what it takes to play that game. My older brother got his first tom with a bow this Fall down in Fulton, CA area. Got his first pig on a bow too. You know anything about shooting Turkeys?

[salt dog]

Thanks Jeff, I'll try borax.

Hell of a lot of Valley quail this year. One of my favorite quail spots used to be along a seasonal river bed parallel to the river bank up from the town of Methow, but three new homes just went up along the bank and discretion made me avoid dropping birds on their doorsteps. Some people wouldn't see the humor in that.

I've been checking out spots on public land near good steelhead runs to try to see if I could do both in one day; pick up a steelie in the morning, bust some birds after lunch. So been hiking a lot with my dog pre-season to check things out, hunting without shooting so to speak. My buddy got a double last weekend, and I over shot two, then blew the ass end out of another one. Need a little time practicing. :o My buddy says its my eyes.....they get too big when I see birds break. :eek:

[Roper]

You know anything about shooting Turkeys?

I've been checking into turkeys also. There's a bunch that roost in the trees below the house in Oroville. I was thinking about putting in a food plot for them out back and one for deer in the front.

Turkey is early morning finding your spot. Look, start calling, wait, call, wait, etc. If you're lucky you'll get one to stick his head up and BANG! It takes some scouting like you're doing with your dog now. Find where they roost and where they feed. Kinda like finding grouse coverts...

I'll probaby blast over the hill Dec 9 and 10 to drop off some materials for the last cabinet in the kitchen. Will you be at your place?

[salt dog]

I was going to go over this weekend, but they are getting hammered by snow from this storm; I got caught in the snow Sunday, had to chain up and all, what a pain: driving 15 mph behind some soccer mom in a mini-van all the way over the hump.

I will go over either the first or second weekend of December, probably for 4 days; still got 2 last projects to get done before the Holidays and the real snow flies. You just doing an over nighter?.....that's a tough haul!

[salt dog]

...I was thinking about putting in a food plot for them out back and one for deer in the front.....
Have you looked at any feeder stations for the birds?

[Josh Benjamin]

i turkey hunted this spring for the first time ever. oh my gosh i'm pretty sure i'm addicted. we did nothing right...i'll just get that out of the way right off the bat. no scouting, no nothing. we found that using a crow call to locate them was very effective. my buddy and i each called in and killed 2 toms a piece this spring up by colville. do yourselves a favor and try it. it is an incredibly large amount of fun and a rush when they gobble their heads off at 20 yards from you. can't wait for spring. we have a much better idea of the area this year and where the birds are etc. and next spring definitely won't be such a half-arsed trip. any time you have the opportunity to call a wild animal in is a huge rush for me.
and they're pretty good eats too.
:beer2:

[seanengman]

Never tried turkey hunting, kinda sounds fun.

[John Hicks]

Roper,

I'll take some of those. I can always use some more feathers. My wife will understand wont she?

[chadk]

Roper, when the water drops, I'll meet you at that spot we discussed recently and take some off your hands if you have any left. Should be some dollies and steelhead in there once the levels go down again.

You never did tell me how you did there....

[Roper]

Roper, when the water drops, I'll meet you at that spot we discussed recently and take some off your hands if you have any left. Should be some dollies and steelhead in there once the levels go down again.

You never did tell me how you did there....

that's because my sorry ass never got there...PM with phone number sent

[SteelieD]

Roper,
I'm a new tyer, so I can use whatever I can get my hands on. If you've got any left, I'd be glad to help get rid of some!:D

[Roper]

Roper,
I'm a new tyer, so I can use whatever I can get my hands on. If you've got any left, I'd be glad to help get rid of some!:D

PM me with your address....:thumb:

[YAKIMA]

Roper, still have any left? I could use one or two...

Greg

[Roper]

So I goes to da box and what to my suprise, dey ain't grouse feathers, dey's pheasant feathers, so's youse guys is gettin' pheasant feathers in da mail tomorrah. Hokay? If not, trow 'em out.

Howse dat for Lawn-guy-land lingo, eh??? Brooklin' mebbie...:confused:

[SteelieD]

That's cool! Thx.

[YAKIMA]

How could I complain? They will still work just fine...

Thanks Roper,
Greg

[SteelieD]

Thanks Roper. More ammo for the vise!!! I really appreciate your generosity!:beer2:

[nomlasder]

Howse dat for Lawn-guy-land lingo, eh??? Brooklin' mebbie...:confused:


Read more like Jersey to me.;)

[John Hicks]

Roper just got the feathers in. Gonna send you some flies as soon as I get them tied up. Maybe some soft hackles for ya.