Author Topic: illegal feathers?  (Read 25799 times)

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Offline Tetsuoh

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illegal feathers?
« on: March 28, 2013, 03:29:47 am »
What feathers are not legal? especially in Ohio?

And on that note, does anyone know where I can find out the laws for my state on what birds I cannot hunt as well?

I've got the government sites bookmarked for, The departments of fish and game, and the department of natural resources.

LOTS of laws, just can't find what I'm looking for evidently.
"In a world full of green, you'd be surprised how many want to see it burn. In a world full of cold grey, you'd be ashamed to see how many remember the green."

Offline sleek

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Re: illegal feathers?
« Reply #1 on: March 28, 2013, 04:03:17 am »
Do not use any bird of prey. It is very bad to do that. Do not use song bird feathers. Also bad ( though I think its dumb ). If after looking things up, I have questions, I just call my game warden. Usually, they are nice guys. Havent met one I didnt like ( despite the fact that I got fined hefty once for accidentally catching a fish in a cast net that wasnt supposed to be caught that way. ) Anyways, call the warden, he will help you out.
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Offline JackCrafty

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Re: illegal feathers?
« Reply #2 on: March 28, 2013, 04:50:18 am »
I remember my first conversations with game wardens.  They went something like this, "Well, anything that you can't buy at a store like Micheal's or Hobby Lobby is probably illegal.  I wouldn't trust the internet unless you know for sure that feathers come from farm-raised birds".

That's pretty much it, if you want to be safe.

If you want to get persnickety, and enjoy risk taking, you can use feathers from legally harvested birds that you have hunted and killed or your buddies have hunted.  These are in addition to farm-raised bird feathers.

Texas, my home state, is a not a "feather friendly" place and anything that looks like a wild bird feather will get you a fine if you can't provide documentation on the source where they were purchased.  And just because a bird can be hunted in Texas doesn't mean you can possess the feathers.  That's right, boys and girls.  They have to be attached to the bird or in the garbage.


I get all my feathers either from friends out of state or from internet feather dealers.  I've never used feathers from birds that I've hunted in Texas.  I don't even save the ones I find at duck ponds here any more.  I had a box of those but I threw it out.
« Last Edit: March 28, 2013, 05:04:51 am by jackcrafty »
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Offline sleek

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Re: illegal feathers?
« Reply #3 on: March 28, 2013, 06:57:40 am »
I believe every state has a wanton waste law. And I do believe not being able to use parts of the game animal for uses other than eating is wanton wasting. I would be very interested in knowing what it takes to get a law amended.
Tread softly and carry a bent stick.

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Offline TRACY

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Re: illegal feathers?
« Reply #4 on: March 28, 2013, 07:31:55 am »
There was a huge thread last year about this and it has a. Lot of good info in it. Try a search for feathers or owl feathers.

http://www.primitivearcher.com/smf/index.php/topic,31302.0.html

Several other posts on the topic too.




Tracy
« Last Edit: March 28, 2013, 07:37:53 am by TRACY »
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Offline Atlatlista

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Re: illegal feathers?
« Reply #5 on: March 28, 2013, 09:13:13 am »
The fines are based nationally on the migratory bird act.  Technically, at a minimum, you cannot possess any part of a federally recognized migratory bird for any reason.  Raptors tend to get you the biggest fines.  You have to have a license to possess the feathers, usually in association with a falconer's license (in which case you can only keep the feathers of your own bird, and only for imping, not for use in craft projects).  You can also have educational raptor permits which allow you to keep feathers for educational or imping purposes but not for use in craft projects.  So far as I know, there is no way to legally use raptor feathers in arrows in the United States.
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Offline TRACY

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Re: illegal feathers?
« Reply #6 on: March 28, 2013, 10:01:12 am »
Technically, at a minimum, you cannot possess any part of a federally recognized migratory bird for any reason.

Atlatlista

You might have forgotten about legally harvested waterfowl such as ducks and geese. I have used the primaries for several years as they are great for fletching and legal if originally taken in a legal manner.

Just steer clear of raptors and protected species and you should be fine :)

Tracy
It is what it is - make the most of it!    PN500956

Offline Ryan_Gill_HuntPrimitive

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Re: illegal feathers?
« Reply #7 on: March 28, 2013, 10:09:29 am »
Remind me Never to hunt Texas, Jackcrafty.  My tolerance for government rules that make no sense at all, (when I am a law abiding citizen) is running dangerously low.    Main laws I agree with completely,  Don't shoot hens in the spring, no deer hunting in the spring and when young are still vulnerable....  but the vast majority of government laws are ridiculously typed from men in suits sitting behind desks. They may feel there is no need for perfectly good feathers, but who are they to make that decision.  The older I get I start supporting the Native American "We belong to the land" mentality and not the modern- "we own the land" ideal.    so much goes to waste in this country b\c fancy government officials have no sense of sustainability. meat, deer antlers, feathers, furs..all wasted each year because of heavily taxed automobiles.... heaven forbid, I "illegally" pick the deer up, eat it, tan it's skin for clothing and cut it's antlers up for knapping tools and knife handles.   what I would give to be a fly on the wall when the world does melt down and every asset is invaluable.... then have someone come take a deer meat out of one of those fancy "important" people's mouths and say "sorry, this deer was not killed by legal means...therefor we cannot eat it. It must rot to waste in a ditch while mouths are hungry..it's the law you know."
                        I am normally quite quiet on most internet topics and try not to stir the pot...but every now and then you gotta pull the pressure relief valve.  I mean come on.....molted feathers, we can't have them.....  how simply ridiculous when you break it down.  Next thing you know we won't be able to use dead trees for fire wood.....
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Offline JEB

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Re: illegal feathers?
« Reply #8 on: March 28, 2013, 10:11:11 am »
Just a suggestion but use the strongest and most legal feather out there.  Wild Turkey feathers.

Offline PrimitiveTim

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Re: illegal feathers?
« Reply #9 on: March 28, 2013, 10:28:32 am »


Remind me Never to hunt Texas, Jackcrafty.  My tolerance for government rules that make no sense at all, (when I am a law abiding citizen) is running dangerously low.    Main laws I agree with completely,  Don't shoot hens in the spring, no deer hunting in the spring and when young are still vulnerable....  but the vast majority of government laws are ridiculously typed from men in suits sitting behind desks. They may feel there is no need for perfectly good feathers, but who are they to make that decision.  The older I get I start supporting the Native American "We belong to the land" mentality and not the modern- "we own the land" ideal.    so much goes to waste in this country b\c fancy government officials have no sense of sustainability. meat, deer antlers, feathers, furs..all wasted each year because of heavily taxed automobiles.... heaven forbid, I "illegally" pick the deer up, eat it, tan it's skin for clothing and cut it's antlers up for knapping tools and knife handles.   what I would give to be a fly on the wall when the world does melt down and every asset is invaluable.... then have someone come take a deer meat out of one of those fancy "important" people's mouths and say "sorry, this deer was not killed by legal means...therefor we cannot eat it. It must rot to waste in a ditch while mouths are hungry..it's the law you know."
                        I am normally quite quiet on most internet topics and try not to stir the pot...but every now and then you gotta pull the pressure relief valve.  I mean come on.....molted feathers, we can't have them.....  how simply ridiculous when you break it down.  Next thing you know we won't be able to use dead trees for fire wood.....
The reason there are so many illegal feathers is because there used to be market for feathers and it almost caused many wading birds to go extinct.  The government has outlawed the possession of certain feathers because it could create a demand for them.  Even if most people are attaining them without harming the birds if people are buying them, then someone is bound to go out and start shooting the birds and selling the feathers illegally.  It's the same reason that you can't keep any native species of snake in Georgia as a pet.  They don't want collectors going out and selling native specimens.
Florida to Kwajalein to Turkey and back in Florida again.  Good to be home but man was that an adventure!

Offline JW_Halverson

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Re: illegal feathers?
« Reply #10 on: March 28, 2013, 06:33:08 pm »


Remind me Never to hunt Texas, Jackcrafty.  My tolerance for government rules that make no sense at all, (when I am a law abiding citizen) is running dangerously low.    Main laws I agree with completely,  Don't shoot hens in the spring, no deer hunting in the spring and when young are still vulnerable....  but the vast majority of government laws are ridiculously typed from men in suits sitting behind desks. They may feel there is no need for perfectly good feathers, but who are they to make that decision.  The older I get I start supporting the Native American "We belong to the land" mentality and not the modern- "we own the land" ideal.    so much goes to waste in this country b\c fancy government officials have no sense of sustainability. meat, deer antlers, feathers, furs..all wasted each year because of heavily taxed automobiles.... heaven forbid, I "illegally" pick the deer up, eat it, tan it's skin for clothing and cut it's antlers up for knapping tools and knife handles.   what I would give to be a fly on the wall when the world does melt down and every asset is invaluable.... then have someone come take a deer meat out of one of those fancy "important" people's mouths and say "sorry, this deer was not killed by legal means...therefor we cannot eat it. It must rot to waste in a ditch while mouths are hungry..it's the law you know."
                        I am normally quite quiet on most internet topics and try not to stir the pot...but every now and then you gotta pull the pressure relief valve.  I mean come on.....molted feathers, we can't have them.....  how simply ridiculous when you break it down.  Next thing you know we won't be able to use dead trees for fire wood.....
The reason there are so many illegal feathers is because there used to be market for feathers and it almost caused many wading birds to go extinct.  The government has outlawed the possession of certain feathers because it could create a demand for them.  Even if most people are attaining them without harming the birds if people are buying them, then someone is bound to go out and start shooting the birds and selling the feathers illegally.  It's the same reason that you can't keep any native species of snake in Georgia as a pet.  They don't want collectors going out and selling native specimens.

PT is right.  The "feather" trade for hats got so ridiculous that women were sporting entire taxidermied GREAT BLUE HERONS and other birds on their heads!!!  To get them in their best plumage, they were shooting the birds off the nests to get the breeding plmage, fer cripes sakes.  Killing one bird was not the issue, it was the entire nest that then died.  And since it was most often the female on the nest, that took out a breeder from the population so subsequent nestings were also lost. 

Ultimately, there is no way to tell the difference between a molted feather in your hand from one pulled from a shotgunned bird.  And once that feather has been passed from the poacher to another person, proof is virtually impossible to obtain. 

I've got feathers, as mentioned by Atlatlista, on my Federal Special Use/Education Permit.  Trust me, even dumb old farm turkey feathers are better fletching than eagle/vulture/hawk/owl fletching.  The only difference is the mojo or "medicine" raptor feathers may be ascribed as possessing.  And that can't be measured by science. 
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Offline PrimitiveTim

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Re: illegal feathers?
« Reply #11 on: March 28, 2013, 06:39:40 pm »
Wait, you made an arrow with owl fletching???  So was it super quiet?  I want to see it!  When I'm old and the law doesn't apply to me I want to make an arrow fletched with owl feathers.  For some reason it just seems like the coolest thing to me.
Florida to Kwajalein to Turkey and back in Florida again.  Good to be home but man was that an adventure!

Offline Thesquirrelslinger

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Re: illegal feathers?
« Reply #12 on: March 28, 2013, 06:44:00 pm »
I think I found an owl feather in my yard once, but it was broken and dirt, so I could not be sure. I still have it... is it illegal to possess?
"Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results"

Offline PrimitiveTim

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Re: illegal feathers?
« Reply #13 on: March 28, 2013, 06:45:41 pm »
I think I found an owl feather in my yard once, but it was broken and dirt, so I could not be sure. I still have it... is it illegal to possess?
Yup, way to confess. lol  Hope a DNR dude doesn't show up at your house
Florida to Kwajalein to Turkey and back in Florida again.  Good to be home but man was that an adventure!

Offline bowtarist

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Re: illegal feathers?
« Reply #14 on: March 28, 2013, 09:35:39 pm »
" am normally quite quiet"... ;D :-X Most bird feathers are illegal, just a few you can use.  Twisted, You're crackin me up here.  ;) dpg
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