as difficult is is to swallow sometimes, you are correct. the federal migratory bird act includes ducks and geese. but there is a provision for these birds as there are legal hunting seasons. it appears, from what i've been able to find out, that duck and goose feathers also need to have yr hunting permit/tag or whatever your state dispenses to show you legally hunted these birds.
this is taken directly from a govt sites FAQ page
"Some key provisions of the Act are worth keeping in mind:
* Wording of the Act makes it very clear that most actions that result in "taking" or possession of a protected species or its parts or products is a violation of the Act. Specifically, the Act states:
"Unless and except as permitted by regulations, …it shall be unlawful at any time, by any means, or in any manner…to pursue, hunt, take, capture, kill, …possess, offer for sale, sell, …purchase, import…any migratory bird, any part, nest, or eggs of any such bird…"
* It is a "strict-liability" law, meaning that there is no requirement for law enforcement agencies to prove "intent" to violate the law. That is, if you are found in possession of a protected species or its parts or products, you are automatically in violation of the law.
* The provisions of the Act are nearly absolute; "...except as permitted by regulations ..." is the only exception. Some examples of permitted activities that do not violate the law are legal hunting of specific game birds, legitimate research activities, display in licensed zoological gardens, and bird banding under an appropriate permit.
* The Act covers the great majority (83%) of all native birds found in the U.S. Many of the species not covered by the Act are covered by the Endangered Species Act , other Federal laws, or state laws, many of which are as stringent as the Migratory Bird Treaty Act . In the lower 48 states, all species except the house sparrow, feral pigeon, common starling, and non-migratory game birds like pheasants, gray partridge, and sage grouse, are protected.
* Penalties upon conviction can be severe. "
please know i am not trying to scare anyone. have no agenda relating to this, nor necessarily agree nor abide by it completely(i do have the good fortune to be a card carrying member of my tribe, which exempts me from these regulations, to a degree). it just seems necessary for all of us who share these interests to have a good understanding of laws we may not even know pertain to our pursuits.
now after all that. geese are molting right now, and esp in urban areas, are quite plentiful(and are no longer "migratory" in many urban areas-have even become downright pests-seems the law should be re-examined in regard to this fact). goose feathers make good fletching, can be legally hunted and the feathers can be legally possessed with different degrees of permits(or none at all) depending on yr respective state. if you are concerned or want to make sure whats legal in your state, contact yr local wildlife management folks to find out what they require. dont be surprised if they have no clue and must get back to you after they find out for themselves.
