Tail Fans

[TauntoHawk]

Does any one else not keep All their turkey fans? I always put the beard and spurs on display but unless their is a significance to the bird I dont keep the fan. I have the fans from my first bird, my only double beard, my biggest, and 2 from the year me and my father took 4 birds in 4 days all over 20lbs and we made a display of them together.

I just dont have the room for them, but my buddy acts like im tossing the beards in the trash when I say didnt keep them.

[troutfisher13111]

I don't keep mine either. I don't have the room to keep them all. I just have one displayed with multiple beards. I also only keep spurs over an inch.

[strutstopper]

I toss them all the time. I have one from the first bird I ever killed, and thats it. I'll keep the ones from other subspecies, after I start my slam.

[stinkpickle]

I keep 'em if they're in good shape.  I don't do much else with 'em anymore, though.  I have a stack in the garage.   

[bird]

I donate mine to the Black Hawk County Conseration Board for the Hartman Nature Reserve Center for use in their Interpretive Education Center where they teach kids and adults about nature and history.

[troutfisher13111]

I have saved a few feathers for tying flies, but I don't use too many. Sending free ones to other tiers is very generous, and it insures that much more of the bird is being used. Great idea!!

[savduck]

I only keep the ones that represent a  "first" of something. First bird in a new county, state, first new subspecies, first double beard, etc.

[vaturkey]

  Here's a Christmas wreath my wife made out of some tailfan feathers.



    vaturkey   

[troutfisher13111]

That would be great and appreciated!

[GSLAM95]

I have not kept all of mine in the past but I do keep most of them now. 
I have added more since these pics, used them to make a chair rail type display in the man cave...

[VanHelden Game Calls]

 

Crazy room!!

I no longer display my fans.  I have 3 displayed but now I just keep them in the freezer or pluck all the feathers.  I have a box full and just use them for crafts or give them to those that need them for crafts.  I am hoping to start painting on them.

I also keep all the wing feathers, I cut them off.  I use to give these to a traditional archer for fletchings.  But recently I have been making arrow feathers for our cubscout pack for the arrow of light awards, I make a illuminated arrow for every scout getting the award.

I have recently even passed on pic of my birds.  I have so many and they all look the same year to year.  I do display the beard and spurs.

[WNY Bowhunter]

If I had the room to display them I'd keep all of them.

[Dan Smith]

There are a number of people who purchase fans for $8-$10 a piece for use on decoys, displays, etc.

[tha bugman]

I usually don't keep them.....I pull the middle tail feather out of the fan and keep it in my truck....this year I kept them all but I am going to make a 20 year display with them for my anniversary to the sport.

[barry]

Whe I first started this madness 30 some years ago I dried and displayed each one. Then with more success came less room so now we do save the fans and wings but they are given to our turkey dog for off-season training