Owl feathers

[JacksonCash]

Had a fellow offer me some owl feathers. Not sure what the laws are regarding them, I imagine it varies by species. Can anyone fill me in before I have to do some actual research? Also, are they any good for fetching anyway?

[warpath]

If you're not a registered Native American or Falconer, leave them be. If you are either of the two, you can make some dead quiet arrows!!!!!

  G

[Dharma]

Jackson, federal law forbids possession of raptor feathers. Believe it or not, that law actually applies to all birds except legally-taken game birds or feathers from commercial sources. And with the exception of pigeons, sparrows, and starlings as far as wild birds go. Owl feathers would make quiet arrows, but they don't have a lot of stiffness and they're pretty fragile compared to turkey feathers. Traditionally, owl feathers were not often used for fletching. The most popular feathers were the same as today: turkey feathers. They're stiffer and more rugged than just about all raptor feathers and were easier to acquire. When you're spending half a day on an arrow your life depends on, practicality overruled the "cool" factor. So when you fletch with turkey feathers, it's still as authentic as ever.

[JW_Halverson]

I have full sets of primary, secondary, and tail feathers for our screech owls, great horned owl, kestrel, redtail hawk, and ferruginous hawk.  I am allowed to keep those feathers for only two purposes: 1) Imping.  That's the process of repairing a broken feather.  2) Education.  And the education HAS to be conservation oriented an accurately reflect Federal Regulations.

If I were to use one of those feathers on an arrow, it would cross the line into "personal use" and my entire federal permit could be pulled without warning. 

Honestly, I do not believe a Native American could technically use raptor feathers for fletching, the exception as I read it has the exception for religious and ceremonial purposes only. 

Remember, all it takes is for you to have ONE encounter with law enforcement over a small issue like this and your record will permanently paint you as a law breaker.  If someone else in your part of the country shoots a raptor, your name will come up on the list of lawbreakers to look at.  Every game check by an officer will be colored with his suspicion that "you are up to it again". You can't buy a reputation at any cost, but they are pretty easy to sell for cheap. Turkey feathers are cheap. 

[JacksonCash]

Thank you all for the information, I new this was the right place to come to. Will definitely be passing these by.

[Dharma]

The feds are pretty serious about it, too. Some Hopis here got in trouble with the feds over catching eagles. Now, in their religious beliefs, they've always caught fledgling eagles and raised them. But these guys didn't have some permit or something. Was it right? Well, no. They were doing this before there was such a thing as a "U.S. federal government". But them's the rules now. Now, around here, Navajos and Hopis almost all have eagle, hawk, or flicker feathers hanging off their rear view mirrors and the cops don't bother them because there's some "wiggle room" on it. They can argue their pickups are their new horses and the feathers protect them.

But there was another guy here who was fletching arrows and making dreamcatchers with raptor feathers and he got caught. But then at a local second-hand shop, I saw a Native-made ceremonial bow and it had a hawk feather tied on it. Whoever took in the item didn't know it was a real hawk feather and there it was for sale at $20. And in the parking lot of the supermarket here, there was a hawk feather that had been tied to someone's rear view mirror that must have blown out. I could tell because it was tied with sinew with beads on it. Maybe it was laying there for some Navajo who needs it to find.