owl feathers?

[footfootfoot]

Not to mention that Owl isn't nearly as tasty as California Condor.

I kid, I kid.

It's actually tastier.

Kidding, again.

[JW_Halverson]

  Owls are concedered hunters of  the night by most eastern indain tribes. When they did lots of there hunting. Owls were held in high exstreams by shamens. OWLS ARE MY FAVORET BIRDS I even have a owl tatoo. Ofcorse I gobbler hunt.

Here in the Black Hills the largest single predator of the turkey is the great horned owl.  Imagine a 20 lb Merriams gobbler settled down in the roost tree for the night snoring away.....and 3 1/2 lbs of owl hits him at 30 miles an hour!!!  GHO's can exert almost 120 lbs of crushing with each foot.  Poor turkey, hehehe.  Of course all they eat is the flesh on the head and neck since it's the easiest to get to, and by then he is full up and can't swallow another bite.  Come morning, Mr. Coyote has an all you can eat buffet on his hands!

[bowtarist]

ahh...I love the food chain.  Try to show it to my boys every chance I get.    dpgratz

p.s. we had a bald eagle, a turkey vulture and two red tail hawks, in that order, eating on one dead opposom on our little dead end road not more than three weeks ago.  It's a great story really.

Owls are one of my families favorite animals.  If you ever have a red tail circling your chickens, put your hands together and make the "whoo cooks fer youoo" a couple of times and that hawk is out of there.

[John D]

Even if legally obtained, feathers from geese and ducks (migratory) can’t be possessed-though there must be exceptions.

Even if you find and pick-up feathers-you can’t possess them.

I'm not sure I'm understanding this: does this include the Canada Goose and Mallard Duck for which states open a permitted hunting season?  Or the molted feathers that others have suggested collecting?  Or are these birds not migratory (maybe I don't understand migratory)?  Please clarify if possible.

Thank you,

John
Boise

[RDK]

John:

This is quite a topic, I find it confusing also-- and I’ll try to clarify.  I need to have a disclaimer though.  I am licensed attorney: licensed to practice law in Michigan and Federal Court.  I don’t practice law -I farm full time-but I do help out farmers and folks dealing with State and Federal regulatory law when I have time. (Also I was in county prosecutor’s offices for a time and have had some practical experience doing some game law prosecutions)…… What I am writing is not legal advice.

Some excellent summary information on your question is at:

http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/birds/birdlaws/index.htm#violate

http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/about/faqs/birds/feathers.htm


You’ll see that the legal definition of “taking” includes even finding feathers, nests, eggs—and that even means molted feathers and drops. Exception: IF the taking is allowed under regulation.

My understanding is that you can possess feathers from your legally taken non-migratory game birds.  The question specifically is if a person can possess feathers from migratory game birds that have been legally taken-again check the specifics of your state game laws.  As I mentioned earlier-this is a strict liability law and possession is all that is needed for a citation—This gets to the sobering example Sadiejane shared—how would she prove the “soft feathers” were not from an owl? Or how does one “prove” specific feathers from non-migratory birds were legally obtained?Or worse, from species protected under the Migratory Bird Act?

Migratory is also defined legally.  For example resident birds that are a migratory species are considered migratory.  Each state has lists of protected species-and I listed earlier the only species I could find that can be legally taken without a permit—unless specified by an individual state.

It is very important to check your State’s game laws…typical state summaries will read like this involving resident waterfowl (for example):

Canada geese, like all native waterfowl in the United States, are protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. Under these laws, it is illegal to hunt, kill, sell, purchase, or possess migratory birds or their parts (feathers, nests, eggs, etc.) except as permitted by regulations adopted by the Secretary of the Interior, USFWS (U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service) and the Maryland DNR (Department of Natural Resources. In Maryland, management responsibility for Canada geese is shared by the USFWS, USDA (U.S. Department of Agriculture), and the Maryland DNR. Special permits are required for some of the control methods discussed here.

Like everyone else here-I’m concerned about this topic. Regulatory laws often defy common sense.......  I think it is important to be aware and again reference the excellent comments made by others earlier; from their practical experience- if I get some time I can do more complete research on this topic if anyone is interested.  Where would that get posted??

Thanks,

Ron

[Bevan R.]

Thanks Ron. Not being sarcastic but there are allot of laws that defy common sense in my opinion. That said, I just look at feathers and wish I could use them. I am given goose wings and turkey wings by friends that hunt them with proper permits. But after reading this, I am a little concerned about using anything except obvious commercial products.

[Pat B]

Ron, we are always interested in the legal(and illegal for obvious reasons) aspects of our sport. It would be great if you have the time to post any info you can find. I will sticky it up top for all to read.
 Bevan, I believe you would have to get cought up in a "sting" for the turkey or Canada goose feathers you use to be a problem and having your sources vouch for you would probably clear you of any liability.  Plus, I'd almost be willing to bet that you and I probably know more than the average game warden about the legality of the feathers we use. I've asked local game wardens about specific common game laws that they couldn't answer or just didn't want to answer. 

[RDK]

Thanks Pat--will do.

Just a couple of comments.

The only time I have seen anyone get tagged under these sorts of laws was when they gave a DNR enforcement officer grief-or they had violated our State hunting/fishing laws and the State choose to extend the criminal complaint. So-the possession issue was an add-on to more serious offenses.  Or used as an entry to provide probable cause for a search triggered by some suspected gross offense.   The other cases were when people were-innocently-selling art work that had feathers from birds protected under the Migratory Bird act-colored song bird feathers-in those cases someone looking at the artwork called it in.

I think it is important to be aware.  Definitely be aware of the harsh laws regarding raptors and the issues dealing with migratory birds.  The non-migratory birds-turkey, pheasant, grouse are in a  different category and just check the game laws.  From what I can see the primary problem would be the illegal sale.  The PA crowd is pretty darned knowledgable, and also respectful of nature

back to work--kidding and calving--- fun times

Ron

[bowtarist]

That's good info Ron. 

Good luck freshining, kidding.  I used to be the one spending the night out in the barn while the dairy goats were freshining.  Some good times some stressfull, all memories of the farm life and animal husbandry.

dpgratz

[John D]

Thanks, Ron, for taking the time to walk through that.  I've got a list of poultry farmers I'm going to contact and see if they might be a good source in the right season; I'm safe with farm raised turkey, right?

Its a good idea, Pat.  This thread kept me out of trouble.  I've been watching for roadkill feathers and could have put myself on the wrong side of the law.

Thanks,

John
Boise

[Spitch]

Wow! That was great Ron. And thank you to everone else....Did not know thus was such an important issue....

Going to look up Cali game laws now 

[Pat B]

Most of the migratory bird laws are federal with state support. The main migratory bird law was passed in the early 1900s to stop the feather trade to adorn womens hats. It is a good law to protect all birds and in nature, nothing is wasted! Not even molted feathers

[footfootfoot]

Heading to Raptor Fest 2012 in an hour. They will be releasing a rehabilitated snowy owl at noon. 2000 people are expected to attend.

Link to news article since I think Raptor Fest's servers crashed

http://www.glensfallsregion.com/event/winter-raptor-fest-33693/

[sadiejane]

RDk-
or any others who might know the answer(s)

i was thinking about this same issue while working on a cupla deer hides a pal gave me. he had picked them up free of charge from the processing place in his small town during deer season last fall. they've been in the freezer since.
i was in the alley scrapping off excess meat/tallow and a fella i didnt know in a pick up truck drove down the alley.
i waved he didnt-but it was pretty obvious i was working some sorta hide. and it is not deer season of course.
and i have nothing to show where these hides came from. once i get em tanned they will look more or less like something commercial...
but in the meantime they are raw hides.( for now i just have em salted and drying till i can get to work on em)
anyhoos i was thinking about asking my friends to get something in writing from the processor "just in case"

[Bevan R.]

Good point Sadie. I am working on a deal with a local game processor. If I get a chance, I might make up some kind of form to print off and have them sign with the data on it.