Feathers used in Buthanese Archery

Gianrico · Post by **Gianrico** » Sat Jun 25, 2005 12:39 pm

Some time ago, surfing and searching on the Web, I find a site on Buthanese archery:

http://www.heide.to/archives/2003_28_02.html

The author of the page says that feathers used in buthanese arrows are: "from birds of high altitiude, usually soft but long lasting".

I wanted to know more about this birds and theyr feathers, and after some researchs i find the bird is the Himalayan Monal. This bird is a kind of symbol of Bhutan. Feathers are still on sale through a few sites:

http://www.euro-fly.com/French_dossier/ ... _rares.htm (see under "EMPEYAN MONAL" - "Plume de queue cinnamon")

I've speaked with a owner of the site, feathers becomes difficult to obtain. The bird is now protected, except perhaps for local use of feathers...
More news on the site of Bhutan Archery:

http://www.bhutanarchery.com/

(click on "Bhutan Archery Federations (BAF)" - "Traditional")

Archery is still very important in the country even if it seems, unfortunately, yet oriented on a less traditional way

Best regards

Gianrico

jack farrell · Post by **jack farrell** » Sat Jun 25, 2005 8:23 pm

Peafowl have upper wing feathers which would be hard to differentiate from the origionals. Save the endangered birds; they are worth more than their feathers.

Good Bhutan link. Thanks. -j-

Gianrico · Post by **Gianrico** » Sat Jun 25, 2005 8:48 pm

Hello Jack,

The feathers that were used was the tail feathers... they have a beautiful cinnamon color.
I've asked to the site owner, there are not many way to substitute it. About birds, I obviously agree with your opinion. I just think the internal Bhutanese consommation for traditional archery was not so big... but that feathers are world-renowned for fly-fishing, or they're used for hawaiaan fans, and this can get many problems.

I finally will use goose feathers. For now, it is not an endangered bird...

jack farrell · Post by **jack farrell** » Sun Jun 26, 2005 5:49 pm

Gianrico; Though Peafowl wing feathers are mottled, the uppers are cinnamon colored, really exactly like the ones at the site you showed. My second choice would be cinnamon turkey tail. When a feather is cut down to a small strip, a certain effect is easier to attain. There is also feather dye. Look into it. -j-

Gianrico · Post by **Gianrico** » Sun Jun 26, 2005 6:19 pm

Hello Jack,

Thanks a lot for your advice. I've hearded of cinnamon turkey but in my researchs on the web I find only spottled, mottled etc., not just plain cinnamon color... I will search better, aniway I'm still searching for shafts at my taste, and shooting for now some carbon arrows...

As you have perhaps imagined

, I'm very interested in historical and aestheticals sides of archery... perhaps one day, when I become really an archer, I will try the way of reenacting.

Thanks, best regards

Gianrico

Bede · Post by **Bede** » Mon Jun 27, 2005 1:23 am

Gianrico,
You might also consider pheasant wing feathers. The Bhutanese arrows I saw had 6 mm high fletching that looked like pheasant to the people with me.

Bede

Gianrico · Post by **Gianrico** » Tue Jun 28, 2005 7:37 pm

Bede wrote:Gianrico,
You might also consider pheasant wing feathers. The Bhutanese arrows I saw had 6 mm high fletching that looked like pheasant to the people with me.

Thanks for your suggestion, Bede. The owner of that site promised me to make en estimation for a substitute of Empeyan Monal feathers. He have perhaps a good contact for brown goose feathers, but I will ask also for a pheasant alternative.

Best regards

Gianrico