Why Do You Save Rooster Tails?
Photo by Anthony Hauck / Pheasants Forever
Most pheasant hunters I know, myself included, keep the tail feathers from some or all of the roosters they shoot.
There are hunters who keep the long tail from every single ringneck as their running season tally. Other uplanders will pluck a tail feather or two from a particularly lengthy, “trophy” bird. The showy feathers can be saved to memorialize first birds, final hunts and pheasants bagged over specific dogs – just about any reason you can think of.
The last few years, I’ve saved a few feathers each season for a woman who uses the feathers in her arts and crafts. Starting this year and going forward, I’m going to save one feather from each bird I get over my new dog. There are a few anglers here at the Pheasants Forever national office, one fly fisherman and one musky hunter, who save their rooster tails from hunting season and use them in homemade, handcrafted lures.
Rather than sticking your prized tail feathers in the visor of your truck cab or in a jar on your shop desk, copy the picture above and display ‘em in this simple way fit for the hunting shack or the best room of the house. Just make sure you keep spent shells that actually bagged birds, or be forever cursed in the fields.
Why do you save rooster tail feathers?
Anthony’s Antics Afield is written by Anthony Hauck, Pheasants Forever’s Online Editor. Email Anthony at AHauck@pheasantsforever.org and follow him on Twitter @AnthonyHauckPF.
Tags: pheasant hunting, Pheasants, pheasants forever, rooster tails
6 Responses to “Why Do You Save Rooster Tails?”
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One day my daughter saw a girl in class show a “feather pen” at school. It was a fancy, wildly colored feather with the innards of a ball point pen. My daughter wanted one bad. I found one of my feathers with a big enough shaft, cut the tip off, hollowed it out, glued the innards of a trimmed-to-length ball point and voila! Works with turkey and goose feathers too. The shaft just has to be big enough to contain the pen. Needless to say, I got extra hugs from them that night.
@David – cool idea, very resourceful and thanks for sharing! – Anthony Hauck, Online Editor, Pheasants Forever
They remind me of special times with friends and family. My son Kris died unexpectedly this April and I treasure a picture I have of him with the longest tail from one of our last hunts together.
@Mike – very touching comment, we sincerely appreciate you sharing. – Anthony Hauck, Online Editor, Pheasants Forever
We keep the pheasant tails for use in tying trout flies. The fibers make for great wing cases on nymphs as well as for the tail, body and wing case of the classic Pheasant Tail nymph. The marabou on the after shafts are great for webby legs on other patterns, too.
We’ll also save lots of other pheasant feathers especially the colorful back patches. We coat a foam ball with 3M spray adhesive and layer the feathers for use as Christmas ornaments. We’ll keep some, but mostly give them away to our friends as reminders of a great hunt.
@Tom – that’s making those long tails go a long way. Thanks for sharing. – Anthony Hauck, Online Editor, Pheasants Forever