Author Topic: Pulling turkey feathers off the wing?  (Read 4167 times)

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Savate

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Pulling turkey feathers off the wing?
« on: April 22, 2009, 07:04:50 pm »
I wasn't able to harvest a turkey with my bow (no big surprise there) but I did ask my buddies (who are NOT archers) to save me some right-wing feathers from the turkeys they got.  I'm making my rivercane arrows with Cherokee fletching... ;)

So today I get a WHOLE WING from a friend.  Before I just start YANKING feathers off the wing, is there any special way or special prep I need to do to the feathers or wing so I don't ruin or break these feathers?  ???

Offline jaybird

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Re: Pulling turkey feathers off the wing?
« Reply #1 on: April 22, 2009, 08:33:23 pm »
I use a pair of side cutters to cut the quill at the bottom of the feather

Offline boo

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Re: Pulling turkey feathers off the wing?
« Reply #2 on: April 22, 2009, 08:36:58 pm »
just cut the feathers with a pair of wire cutters if you are going to use the feather for arrows. if you want them whole take a raiser knife to the meat between the feathers and pull them out. 
Boo

Offline ricktrojanowski

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Re: Pulling turkey feathers off the wing?
« Reply #3 on: April 22, 2009, 09:50:31 pm »
What happened to all the left wings?  I have a home for them .  ;D   I just cut the feathers close to the base with a pair of pruners.
Traverse City, MI

Offline Pat B

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Re: Pulling turkey feathers off the wing?
« Reply #4 on: April 23, 2009, 12:27:24 am »
Armondo, as they said above...side cutters are the quickest.
Make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes!    Pat Brennan  Brevard, NC

Offline billy

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Re: Pulling turkey feathers off the wing?
« Reply #5 on: April 23, 2009, 10:42:38 am »
I do what everyone else does:  I cut the feathers with some wire snippers just where they come outta the skin on the wing.  I NEVER use that far up the quill anyway, and trying to jerk those big feathers out of the wing requires a lot of muscle (and you can damage the feathers if you slip). 

Just cut them, or use a hacksaw to saw thru the quill.  Hell, you could even burn the quill with a very small flame, but that's risky.  Not to mention it would smell up the whole house, so do it outside! 
Marietta, Georgia

Offline Scowler

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Re: Pulling turkey feathers off the wing?
« Reply #6 on: April 23, 2009, 11:43:09 am »
I just use a heavy pair of scissors.  Just cut the feather off as far into the wing as possible.

Offline TRACY

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Re: Pulling turkey feathers off the wing?
« Reply #7 on: April 23, 2009, 12:26:10 pm »
As said before. Get the left wings and tails while you're at it, especially doing 2 fletch with cain. That'll take the pressure off while trying to get one with your bow :D

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

Offline PeteC

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Re: Pulling turkey feathers off the wing?
« Reply #8 on: April 28, 2009, 04:05:32 pm »
All I've ever used was a heavy pair of scissors,they cut easy. God Bless
What you believe determines how you behave., Pete Clayton, Whitehouse ,Texas

Offline mullet

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Re: Pulling turkey feathers off the wing?
« Reply #9 on: April 28, 2009, 06:48:13 pm »
 I just zip down along the meat with a razor knife, but then again, I'm saving the wing bones also.
Lakeland, Florida
 If you have to pull the trigger, is it really archery?

Offline lowell

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Re: Pulling turkey feathers off the wing?
« Reply #10 on: April 28, 2009, 10:23:36 pm »
I have used my band saw but just this year I started chopping them with a hand axe as low as I can figure where they will give me plenty of feather to work with. ;)
My son says I shoot a stick with a stick!!