Author Topic: how to stop bugs from eating my feathers  (Read 12965 times)

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Offline Ed Brooks

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how to stop bugs from eating my feathers
« on: June 21, 2016, 12:38:14 pm »
I was going to get my darts out and take pics of them lastnight, & I found a couple of my feathers have been someones lunch. can / should I use raid to spray them or would something like neem oil work to spray on them to keep the bugs away? What do you do to keep them away?
I have my good cut feathers in a 5 gal bucket with a lid and some borax for now, but I  cant do this with arrows and darts. Ed
It's in my blood...

Centralia WA,

Offline Aaron H

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Re: how to stop bugs from eating my feathers
« Reply #1 on: June 21, 2016, 01:02:45 pm »
Why couldn't you build a box to fit your arrows and darts and sprinkle some borax in the bottom if that?

Offline Ed Brooks

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Re: how to stop bugs from eating my feathers
« Reply #2 on: June 21, 2016, 01:15:01 pm »
Why couldn't you build a box to fit your arrows and darts and sprinkle some borax in the bottom if that?
I guess that could be done also but I'd like to find something to spray on them if I can. thanks tho. Ed
It's in my blood...

Centralia WA,

Offline jeffp51

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Re: how to stop bugs from eating my feathers
« Reply #3 on: June 21, 2016, 02:44:29 pm »
is this before or after fletching?  I made some arrows for my kids and they left them under their beds--no more fletchings.  Standing in a corner or off the ground, I don't seem to have a problem.  I keep unfletched feathers first in the freezer for a while to try and kill whatever might be on them, and then in ziplock bags.

Offline Ed Brooks

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Re: how to stop bugs from eating my feathers
« Reply #4 on: June 21, 2016, 02:56:25 pm »
is this before or after fletching?  I made some arrows for my kids and they left them under their beds--no more fletchings.  Standing in a corner or off the ground, I don't seem to have a problem.  I keep unfletched feathers first in the freezer for a while to try and kill whatever might be on them, and then in ziplock bags.
The bugs hit my fletched darts standing fletching up, in the corner of my bedroom. My unfletched feathers are in the bucket. Ed
It's in my blood...

Centralia WA,

Offline Aaron H

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Re: how to stop bugs from eating my feathers
« Reply #5 on: June 21, 2016, 03:46:41 pm »
I have heard that the freezer won't kill mites

Offline Pat B

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Re: how to stop bugs from eating my feathers
« Reply #6 on: June 21, 2016, 03:58:21 pm »
I haven't tried it but you might try spraying them with Permanone spray. It is sprayed on your cloths to prevent ticks and chiggers while you are in the woods. You can buy it at WalMart and other places. It is labeled for spraying on cloths and not on your person. Any bug that touches it will DIE!  I'd do a test first to be sure it doesn't adversely affect feathers.
Make the most of all that comes and the least of all that goes!    Pat Brennan  Brevard, NC

Offline DC

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Re: how to stop bugs from eating my feathers
« Reply #7 on: June 21, 2016, 05:57:09 pm »
Moth balls work but then your arrows smell like Grandma's house :D

Offline tipi stuff

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Re: how to stop bugs from eating my feathers
« Reply #8 on: June 21, 2016, 07:57:25 pm »
I get bugs in all kinds of things; Buffalo robes, feathers, etc. I am constantly trying to keep my stuff from being eaten. You can buy aromatic cedar at places like Lowes, Home Depot, etc. Make a box, long enough to store your arrows in. It doesn't have to be fancy; a cardboard box will work. Line it with the cedar. You can just glue the cedar in there (or make yourself a really nice cedar box, like the ones my NDN friends store their feathers in). Freeze the arrows for about a week, remove from freezer for a few days, and then freeze again for about a week. Remove from freezer, store in box anytime not being used. I know,,,,,, overkill, but I got tired of things eating my work.   Curtis

Offline bjrogg

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Re: how to stop bugs from eating my feathers
« Reply #9 on: June 22, 2016, 07:31:20 am »
I've never tried it haven't had problems yet but I think I'll try it on a few after reading this post. I've heard of guys putting feathers in microwave for a bit to kill mites.
A hot cup of coffee and a beautiful sunrise

Offline mullet

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Re: how to stop bugs from eating my feathers
« Reply #10 on: June 22, 2016, 08:51:05 pm »
Spray with Permanone or Pemethrin . Or keep them in the freezer. I dust my full turkey mount down every couple of months with a feather duster sprayed with WD-40. Read that in Outdoor Life Magazine years ago.
Lakeland, Florida
 If you have to pull the trigger, is it really archery?

Offline stickbender

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Re: how to stop bugs from eating my feathers
« Reply #11 on: June 23, 2016, 01:18:47 am »

     You can also buy pure cedar oil, for renewing cedar.  It is good for your hands, I also used for fleas on my cat.  No fleas, or eggs now.  Just use a few drops in your hands, and rub your hands together, and then rub against the grain of the hair, and around the neck, and top of the head, and stomach, and tail.  They don't like it, but in a few minutes, the smell isn't quite so strong.  But the fleas are dead, or getting out of Dodge!  Try that, and see how it works.  Just make sure it is pure cedar oil.  You don't want to put to much on your cat, or dog, just a few drops, if that, on your hands, and rub them together, and wipe it on your dog, or cat.  It doesn't take much.  Try a little on a rag, or your hands, and rub the feathers and see how that works.  Roaches,and moths love feathers.  But cedar oil will kill them!  Anywho try it and see if that solves your problem.
                                    Wayne

Offline Peacebow_Coos

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Re: how to stop bugs from eating my feathers
« Reply #12 on: June 23, 2016, 01:34:26 am »
2nd on the cedar oil, also usually just cut and dry cedar boughs to store with feathers, but it might look kind of finny bundled up with your darts in the corner.

Offline bjrogg

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Re: how to stop bugs from eating my feathers
« Reply #13 on: June 23, 2016, 06:31:32 am »
Have to try the cedar oil. My wife loves the smell of cedar.
A hot cup of coffee and a beautiful sunrise

Offline Ed Brooks

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Re: how to stop bugs from eating my feathers
« Reply #14 on: June 23, 2016, 09:54:45 am »
Thank you for all the replies, I will look for some cedar oil and give that a try. Ed
It's in my blood...

Centralia WA,