Unleash Your Creativity: What to Do with Turkey Feathers

The Eastern wild turkey is a beautiful creature, noteworthy for its striking fan and wing feathers. Turkey hunters who successfully bring home a bird might want to save more than just its meat. Any home can benefit from the texture and elegance that turkey feather art brings, and it’s a great conversation starter when you want to share your love of the outdoors and hunting with others.

I knew I wanted to make something with the feathers from my 20-pound tom, so when I tagged my first turkey in May 2015, I saved the entire fan and most of the wing feathers. I gladly complied with my mother-in-law’s request to save the majority of the wing feathers for quillwork because she is a calligrapher. I therefore used the five wing feathers I still had to create a work of wall art, giving the otherwise black-and-white feathers some color by “dip-dying” them.

There are many ways you could customize this do-it-yourself art piece, and the best thing is that it will look just as distinctive as the feathers you use. The fact that four of the feather tips are flattened from the tom strutting and rubbing the feathers on the ground is, in my opinion, the coolest aspect of the feathers I owned. I adore how this project turned out; it gives the wall it is hanging from more texture and beauty. This could wind up as a piece of wall art, or a baby’s mobile, or outdoor décor. There are a lot of options to make it your own.

Turkey feathers, those vibrant and intricate plumes, are more than just a byproduct of Thanksgiving dinner. They hold a wealth of potential for creative expression, adding a touch of nature’s artistry to various projects. Whether you’re an avid crafter or simply seeking inspiration, this guide will ignite your imagination with a diverse range of ideas for repurposing turkey feathers.

Embellish Your Home Decor with Feathery Flair

Wreaths: Craft stunning wreaths that exude rustic charm or festive elegance. Interweave turkey feathers with natural elements like twigs, berries, and pinecones for a touch of woodland whimsy. For a more refined look, pair feathers with metallic accents and shimmering ribbons.
Centerpieces: Create eye-catching centerpieces that elevate your dining table or coffee table. Arrange feathers in a vase, incorporating dried flowers, branches, or decorative stones for added depth and texture.
Wall Art: Transform feathers into unique wall art, showcasing their natural beauty. Arrange them in geometric patterns, create intricate mosaics, or let your imagination guide you in crafting abstract designs.
Dreamcatchers: Embrace the cultural significance of dreamcatchers by incorporating turkey feathers into their intricate web. Adorn them with beads, charms, and other embellishments for a personalized touch.

Enhance Your Fashion with Feathery Accents

Jewelry: Craft exquisite jewelry that reflects your personal style. Use feathers to create statement earrings, delicate necklaces, or eye-catching bracelets. Combine them with beads, gemstones, or leather for a touch of sophistication.
Hair Accessories: Adorn your hair with feathery flair. Create headbands, barrettes, or hair combs that add a touch of whimsy and elegance to your hairstyle.
Costume Embellishments: Elevate your costumes with feathery details. Use feathers to create wings for a fairy costume, a headdress for a Native American warrior, or a tail for a mythical creature.

Explore Creative Crafts with Feathery Finesse

Feather Painting: Unleash your inner artist by using turkey feathers as paintbrushes. Experiment with different colors and techniques to create unique and expressive artwork.
Paper Crafts: Incorporate feathers into your paper crafts, adding texture and dimension to greeting cards, bookmarks, or scrapbooks.
Mobile Art: Create whimsical mobiles that dance gracefully in the breeze. Suspend feathers from a wooden frame or hoop, adding beads, ribbons, or other embellishments for visual interest.

Practical Applications for Turkey Feathers

Fly Tying: Utilize turkey feathers in the art of fly tying, creating realistic and effective lures for fly fishing.
Fletching Arrows: Enhance your archery skills by fletching arrows with turkey feathers, ensuring stability and accuracy in flight.
Compost: Add turkey feathers to your compost pile, enriching the soil with nitrogen and other essential nutrients.

Beyond the Craft: Other Uses for Turkey Feathers

While turkey feathers are often associated with creativity, they also hold value in various other domains.

Native American Culture: Turkey feathers hold significant cultural and spiritual meaning for Native American tribes, often used in ceremonial attire, headdresses, and other sacred objects.
Insulation: Turkey feathers possess excellent insulating properties, making them suitable for use in clothing, bedding, and other applications requiring warmth and comfort.
Fertilizer: Turkey feathers can be processed into feather meal, a valuable fertilizer that provides nitrogen and other nutrients to plants.

Ethical Considerations When Using Turkey Feathers

When utilizing turkey feathers, it’s crucial to consider ethical sourcing practices. Ensure that the feathers are obtained from birds raised in humane conditions and not from wild populations. By supporting responsible feather producers, you can contribute to animal welfare and sustainable practices.

Turkey feathers offer a wealth of possibilities for creative expression, practical applications, and cultural significance. Whether you’re a seasoned crafter or simply seeking inspiration, let this guide ignite your imagination and embark on a journey of feather-inspired creativity. Remember, the only limit is your imagination!

Prep your mount

If you want to paint or stain the dowel you’re using as a mount, do it now and let it dry. Perhaps all that’s needed for an antler or a piece of wood, like the one I used, is a thorough dusting before string is attached.

Apply painter’s tape

Place painter’s tape close to the tip where you want to apply the paint, taking care not to damage the feathers. I placed my tape straight across the feather about 2-to-3 inches from the tips. If you wanted to try a chevron pattern, stick the tape on the feathers in a v-shape.

How to Properly Care for your turkey feathers

FAQ

Are turkey feathers used for anything?

While feathers are often considered a by-product of poultry production (and often a waste by-product), some producers raise poultry specifically for their feathers. Feathers are used in a number of decorative products such as boas, feather fans, masks, costume accessories, bird ornaments, and even earrings and flowers.

What are most turkey feathers used for after the turkey is plucked?

The first thing to keep in mind is that nearly the entire turkey can be used for something. The wing bones can be transformed into turkey calls, the primary wing feathers into arrow fletchings and the secondary wing, tail and body feathers into fishing flies.

What did Native Americans use turkey feathers for?

For centuries, the birds’ feathers also played a role in ceremony and were used to make blankets and tools—traditions that continue among Southwestern tribes today. The turkeys’ wing and tail feathers make excellent arrow fletching, and their fluffy down creates durable, warm blankets, Weahkee says.

How do you save wild turkey feathers?

After cleaning up the fat, place the tail flat on a large piece of wood, cardboard, plastic foam, or something similar. Spread the feathers the way you want them to dry and place books or other weights on the tail as you would on the wing. You can pin some of the feathers to hold them the way you want them to dry.