MY ARCHERY KIT

[Sindara]

Whoa! What a super idea! Now, being very much a neophyte in the archery stuff, I have absolutely no idea of how to go about making bow, arrows, the fletching end, or anything else, BUT do very much appreciate the idea of a small kit to have with you! Also, would love to know about any tutorials on anything to do with archery!

[Manveruon]

I was just thinking about your original post. You said that you collect feathers from pelicans, geese, etc. You should check about that- you may be in possession of migratory bird species feathers in violation of federal law without even knowing it.

All it would take is the bad luck of being in Ranger garb and running across a park ranger or conservation officer who gets curious and instead of cutting you a break, confiscates your arrows, has the feathers analyzed, and later has you charged with possession of the feathers without permission.

Yikes, there's a scary thought! I've always had some serious problems with those laws, honestly. I get WHY they're there, I just don't necessarily think they work. It just feels overly restrictive.

[RikJohnson]

Most Laws are overly restricted and stupidly enforced even though the initial intent is good.

I had a Russian friend from Siberia who was licensed to import fossil ivory from Siberia.
He made a half-million dollars selling the stuff as pistol-handgrips until the laws changed and the govt shut him down for importing ivory.
Then they revoked his green card and deported him for being unemployed.

He gave me some scraps that I made into needles and if the govt wanted, they could possibly arrest me for possession of an extinct animal.
YET, when I called them because someone broke into my car at a pawn shop and i told the police I had a photocopy of the thief's drivers license, witnesses and a videotape of the crime, they were not interested in making possibly the easiest arrest of their career.

But then, when my son was killed two years ago this month, the coroner told me they needed to investigate it as suspicious and the local cops told me that they would investigate IF I paid them $20,000. otherwise they would list it as a simple drug overdose and ignore the killing.
They refused to even look at the tire marks in the dirt where his body was dumped and he dragged himself 20' seeking help that never arrived.

ok, I'm back on my I-hate-cops rant so will sign off.

[Manveruon]

Good lord. I just hate stories like that. I'm inclined to say that not all situations of that nature tend to go that awry, but I am also inclined to say that the system is pretty broken (no matter what side of any particular fence you stand on), and needs to be seriously re-worked. Sad to hear you've had such awful personal experiences with it.

[Greg]

Let's tone this down a bit, shall we...



As the only member of this boards I'm aware of who is legally permitted to possess and maintain a "collection" of Protected Bird-of-Prey feathers through my State and Federal Falconry licenses, let's unpack this a little bit. This law is tricky even for myself, as when people find out I have a Red-Tail, I am often surprised at how quickly those people reveal that they make Native American artwork and "Need" me to "unload as many spare feathers on them as I have"...as though they'd be doing me a favor. Just happened at work last week. ANYwho...

Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918
The law's intent was to curb the inordinate amount of shooting of migratory birds for the sale of parts, such as feathers, beaks, talons, etc. Feathers, as you know full well, were the biggest motivator here. There is a provision in the law which allows for proven peoples of Native American Ancestry to acquire through humane and legal means, feathers of appropriate species for use in "bona-fide tribal religious ceremonies." This usually applies to Golden Eagles, Bald Eagles, and Red-Tailed Hawks, since they were the most commonly revered.

For OUR purposes, migratory birds can be divided into two classes: Game and Non-Game birds.

Strictly speaking, ALL migratory birds are protected by this law, and as such, none of their parts can be possessed. But the government took one look at that and said "Well crap...we'll never be able to enforce this. Duck just tastes too good."

So they altered the list of some 800 birds included in the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, and partitioned it into Game and Non-Game classifications. The biggest allowance this makes is simple: Migratory birds classified as Game birds are protected fully by the law...until opening day. At that point, it's open season (literally) on them TO ANY PERSONS LEGALLY POSSESSING A HUNTING OR TRAPPING PERMIT ALLOWING FOR THE TAKE OF SAID SPECIES. At which point, their parts are all yours, to do with them how you please.

Now, if you hit a goose on the road with your car, pull over and find it to be well beyond the land of the living, can I pull out its primaries and fletch my arrows with them?

That's a tricky one. The Goose is a game bird, and is regularly shot and eaten all of the time. If you have a hunting license, no game warden will stop you after a simple explanation of what happened, provided that the bird doesn't go over your possession limit, and the warden didn't watch you hit the gas and swerve towards the goose.

For those of you who do not hunt or do not currently possess a license, the possession of Game bird feathers will not be questioned in general because any and all licensed hunters who take the bird legally are 100% permitted to SELL those parts of the carcass in any way they please, to anyone. They shot it, it's theirs, and you could have gotten those goose feathers from anywhere, or anyone, completely legally.

For this reason, it is an unwritten rule (which I have discussed at length in person with a Federal Warden) that collecting the shed feathers of GAME SPECIES is not frowned upon, nor enforced against because it would simply be stupid to...there's no telling where the dude with the cool arrows at the faire got those feathers, and there's no one on God's green earth with half a conscience who will arrest the eight-year-old collecting goose feathers at the local park.

So where does that leave us?

Play it safe...stick with Game Bird species. Don't collect pelican feathers...that's asking to be questioned. If you aren't sure what bird the feather came from, leave it be. If you ARE sure, and it's a protected bird...please be smart. One of my former co-workers with the Parks Service decided he would ask me for one of Maia's juvenile tail feathers when she moulted (my first Red-Tail, four seasons back, if you weren't on the boards yet) so he could use it for educational programs "Since I've already got an adult tail feather...I thought the two of them together would make great interpretive tools..." So we have a federal employee admitting to his unlawful possession of a BIG-TIME no-no directly to a person who is in the best possible place to report him...and is asking for more contraband. PLEASE, be smart about whatever you do. I won't tell you what to do with what you find, but I'm hoping you'll take this as some suggestions, and act smart as a general rule.

Goose and Turkey feathers are all any of us should really need for fletching, at any rate. They provide great performance, are readily available, and Turkeys aren't even Migratory...they're classified as upland game birds, so possession of their feathers will never cause a controversy...even if you insert a turkey into your radiator out of season.

End of lecture, class dismissed.

[caedmon]

Stupid question. I raise Ducks & Geese for food. How do they count, and can you tell the difference between wild and domestic?

[Straelbora]

Let's tone this down a bit, shall we...

(Edited for brevity):

End of lecture, class dismissed.

Greg: Thanks for shining some light onto the subject. The original posting about collecting the feathers was like an itch I couldn't scratch. Years ago, I took a tour of the FBI's lab in Oregon that processes these kinds of cases, and I especially kept thinking about the pelican feathers.

Had the 1918 law not gone into effect, I suspect we would have lost the egret and a bunch of other bird species following the passenger pigeon.

[Straelbora]

Stupid question. I raise Ducks & Geese for food. How do they count, and can you tell the difference between wild and domestic?

Easy: in North America, most migratory ducks and geese fly in from Canada. They go, "Quack, eh" and "Honk, eh."

[Greg]

THAT, sir...was histerical, and absolutely asinine. I don't know whether to put a gun in my mouth or fall over laughing.

Always putting a smile on my face, Straelbora.

Jack, domesticated birds are never in question. There IS a difference, over several generations of captive-bred birds with feather shape, particularly on the primaries, much like the differences in dorsal fins between wild and hatchery-bred trout...but I am not sure on the specifics. If you can show the warden your coop/housing facilities, or other evidence of your domesticated birds (like piles of poop, etc) you won't have a problem. But you'll also probably not have a problem ever anyway, since you live in a place that doesn't go nuts over feathers like California does...

[Ringulf]

As far as the waterfowl that are migratory and considered game, as long as you have a hunting liscence I thought you were covered for having the feathers.
Many taxidermists get liscences even if they are not hunters themselves for that reason, however I am not sure of the actual legality now that this is brought up.
As a Bird carver I have had friends who have maintained aviaries of species that are farm raised (bread?) but purchased from outfits like Stolemans and such. If I had had the room a few years ago I might have done so myself as there is no substitute for live models when doing that type of two or three dimentional art.

[Daerir]

As a Bird carver I have had friends who have maintained aviaries of species that are farm raised (bread?)

I think in order to raise bread you need yeast

[sgainbrachta]

That is a spectacular field kit! Thanks for the ideas, I'll be stealin' some of them!!

[RikJohnson]

That is a spectacular field kit! Thanks for the ideas, I'll be stealin' some of them!!

Steal?

No sir, they are a gift to all who would find them useful.

All I ask is that if you improve upon my thoughts, inform us that we (especially me) may benefit from your experiences.

[Ringulf]

Well said Brother! that is the essence of what I believe, as Rangers, we should be doing for each other! BTW I have already made one up and will be showing it to a few of my rangers next week! It really is an inspired design I don't see too much to be improved on other than perhaps a period carrying device!

[sgainbrachta]

Wait... nobody said anything about helpful...

Was that in that darned 60-page Gondorian Barrister's declaration thing I had to sign?

Dangit.