Duck Feather Removal

[firewhatfire]

I have a fella gonna give me a wood duck he has in his freezer. He froze it whole to train his dog with and after his first few attempts realized his family made his duck dog into a lap dog.

Does anyone know what I need to do to make this usable?

Phil

 

[KenV]

If you are planning to sell feathers or products containing feathers from wild birds, there are federal and state laws you need to look into. If it is not a wild bird, having a paper trail would be a good idea.

Federal and State enforcement staff prowl the internet looking for violations.

 

[firewhatfire]

Just using them for practice, I figure its gonna take at least a birds worth to figure how to cast them properly.

 

[Jim Smith]

You can remove the feathers and wash them gently in liquid dish detergent and warm water. Rinse themout well with cool water and set them between two paper towels to dry. Make sure that tyou lay them flat as they will pretty much remain in the position you dry them (i.e. twisted or bent). I also tie flies and make the occasional fly rod and I have never run into problems selling either flies or a rod where I used duck feathers (or any other migratory bird for that matter). If you try to sell them as duck feathers, you could possibly get into trouble, but if you cast them into pen blanks I doub't you'd have any difficulties at all.

Jim Smith

 

[KenV]

Take care that they stay with you. A local artist recently paid a $2000 fine, and could have been charged with a felony for use of feathers.

Yes, it was inadvertant and that is probably one reason it was not charged as a felony.