So i ask this question because i just don't know the answers. Why do we only use turkey feathers to fletch arrows, why not duck or goose for their water repellent properties? Is it just because it is the industry standard or is there another reason? Seams like there could be a lot of other options out there with good thick feathers that would work really well, thoughts?
jdoc
Goose was the go-to feather for the English longbowmen of long ago, but there are a heck of a lot more turkeys being raised for food these days, in North America at least, and consequently a lot more turkey feathers available than from any other large bird.
I think Stash laid it out pretty well, turkey feathers are more available. Any feather large enough and stiff enough should work as well.
I just want to know which breed has that crazy flourescent orange plumage and what does the meat taste like:wink:
I grind and cut Canada goose feathers often. Heck, I found a buzzard this past summer in the road and robbed his feathers too. Anyway.... goose and buzzard feathers aren't as stiff as turkey feathers, plus you can't dye them just any ol' color you want. 
Well, European swallows, AKA Barn swallows, are pretty small. Couple of ounces. Couldn't carry a 14 pound arrow, not even if 2 of them picked it up together.
If you're talking African swallows, you need to be more specific. There's your West African swallow, Cecropis domicella, your Angolan swallow, Hirundo angolensis, your Ethiopian swallow, Hirundo aethiopica, your South African cliff swallow, Petrochelidon spilodera, and a whole pile of others.
Thing is, most of your African swallows are non-migratory, so they generally wouldn't come across any 14 pound arrows. African arrows tend to be tiny.
![]()
Now, you can have your South American swallows, like your Chilean swallow, Tachycineta meyeni, and your Andean swallow, Haplochelidon andecola, which might live in areas where the native people of the Amazon rain forest live, and these people traditionally used these real long arrows.
![]()
So I'm thinking, South American swallows would be the biggest of the swallows, so their feathers would make the best fletching. From among the swallow family, anyways.
If you're talking African swallows, you need to be more specific. There's your West African swallow, Cecropis domicella, your Angolan swallow, Hirundo angolensis, your Ethiopian swallow, Hirundo aethiopica, your South African cliff swallow, Petrochelidon spilodera, and a whole pile of others.
Thing is, most of your African swallows are non-migratory, so they generally wouldn't come across any 14 pound arrows. African arrows tend to be tiny.
Now, you can have your South American swallows, like your Chilean swallow, Tachycineta meyeni, and your Andean swallow, Haplochelidon andecola, which might live in areas where the native people of the Amazon rain forest live, and these people traditionally used these real long arrows.
So I'm thinking, South American swallows would be the biggest of the swallows, so their feathers would make the best fletching. From among the swallow family, anyways.
Angolen. I was able to get enough from several pairs that I caught flying coconuts over into Michigan.
I have really been enjoying my bald eagle fletchings and i found out they taste like pheasant! Who knew?
Camelot is a silly place. This diversion from the original topic is a silly discussion.
Both can be avoided, though it's far easier to avoid a silly place than it is to avoid a silly discussion.
Both can be avoided, though it's far easier to avoid a silly place than it is to avoid a silly discussion.
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
