I did not touch them. I'm under the impression that it's illegal to gather feathers, and I'm the sort of person that follows even the rules that I merely think might be rules.
Having witnessed the sunrise — which was attended by many others, who arrived by running, walking, and biking (even though the entrance has a sign that forbids bikes and a zigzag fence to make it hard to manipulate a bike through) — I got back to the site of the feathers at 6:06:
I'm not sure if the feather that remained is the larger or the smaller feather. The light has changed radically, and I've spent a lot of time comparing the details in the photographs. In person, based on size, I believed it was the smaller of the 2 feathers, and that makes it more likely that someone picked up a feather and less likely that one but not the other blew away.
Google quickly confirms my belief that it's illegal to collect a feather. Yesterday, I saw multiple bikes at my vantage point and a police officer and he didn't seem to be concerning himself about the bikes. I strongly doubt that the government is tracking down the rule-oblivious folk who pick up feathers.
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CNN focus group after the Trump -Collins Debate:
CNN: Why won’t Trump stop talking about 2020 and not 2024?
Voter: Well the first question you asked him was about 2020
LOL
Pretty sure those are Turkey feathers.
That escalated in a hurry though.
The law used to be only raptor feathers.
Talk about over reach.
Looks like a turkey feather, which is one of the types of feathers that it's ok to possess in WI.
Figuring half the people they would charge are children, I can imagine stings for feather scofflaws in parks are probably not a great use of time and resources.
"I did watch the Trump/CNN town hall last night."
You're a better man than I Gunga Din.
"I strongly doubt the the government is tracking down the rule-oblivious folk who pick up feathers."
Unless, of course, the folk in question are Republicans.
"Exceptions do exist for the feathers of legally-hunted waterfowl or other migratory gamebirds, and for the use of feathers by Native Americans*."
Always a carve out, so to speak.
*Via the US Fish and Wildlife Service
The commercial use of migratory bird feathers is indeed regulated:
https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/50/20.91
Over 100 years ago there were commercial hunters who shot birds for food, collected feathers, killed all the deer they could find, and whatnot. Victorian-era women loved furs and feather-covered hats and clothing. Excessive hunting led to Teddy Roosevelt's early environmental protection laws, hunting licenses, and duck stamps. Note that Teddy was a post-Civil War Republican, and how party priorities change over time.
Picking up a random fallen feather for your hat...not commercial use and IMO the government is unlikely to prosecute. But, who knows with today's bonkers three-letter agencies.
https://media-cdn.tripadvisor.com/media/photo-s/02/55/e7/e7/a-feather-in-my-cap.jpg
Those feathers look like Turkey feathers. As a non-migratory bird it is exempted from the “feather rules” of the Migratory Bird Treaty.
I just can’t stand to listen to Trump any more. I heard Vivek on Tuesday. He has my vote in the primary. I also donated and put a bumper sticker on my car. Two firsts for me.
I saw all the candidates in 2016 and 2020. Hands down, Vivek is the best.
Vivek got a standing O. First one I’ve seen.
And he’s a man of deeds; not just words. He founded and ran a successful biotech. He made $600m. Not like he ran a casino (!) into bankruptcy. Vivek has also never been accused of sexual assault.
Watch this guy.
Those feathers look like turkey feathers. As a non-migratory bird the “feather rules” of the Migratory Bird Treaty don’t apply.
Those feathers look like turkey feathers. As a non-migratory bird the “feather rules” of the Migratory Bird Treaty don’t apply.
The American River bike trail in Sacramento is a 30 mile long paved trail with a network of paths along it. The paths upriver are closed to bikes, and a friend got a $200 ticket recently for riding on them. When he asked if they cite the electric scooters, bikes, and mono wheels speeding on the bike trail, the Ranger said no-they go too fast to pursue. I guess that makes sense but still doesn’t seem right.
BTW, the paths downriver are open but there is a large homeless population in that area so it’s a little less safe.
I did not know that. You could have knocked me over with one. IF you picked one up.
MarcusB. THEOLDMAN
"Yesterday, I saw multiple bikes at my vantage point and a police officer and he didn't seem to be concerning himself about the bikes."
So, 1. bikers don't care about rules; 2. police don't care about enforcing rules; 3. in many jurisdictions, people don't care to vote for people who will enforce rules. Our leaders tell you (us) every day that rule-following is for little people (see: border) and rule-enforcement at the discretion of the PTB (see: Santos vs. Hunter).
An Althousian world (spell check suggested Malthusian!) would be better than the one we've got. But the current one isn't that.
Why on earth would it be illegal to collect a feather that's lying on the ground?
I saw the title of this post that you watched the Trump town hall and my mind flash interpreted the first picture in the posting as a partially opened straight razor. I then focused, and saw that it was two feathers, their shafts touching at an angle.
Relieved for you, but not necessarily for me.
Yeah, I also had the "hey look, two feathers" response.
I feel no need to obey a law that requires colored and white drinking fountains or one that prohibits picking up feathers. Bad reason or no reason.
OK, but is the story of the feathers your complex reaction to the Town Hall? As: This event (the feather, the Town Hall) happened. It is striking. But, as is the rule with feathers, it's better to leave this Town Hall event lying as it fell (not try to shape reaction to it). The wind may blow some part away (Time may change part of our outlook). The color may change or seem to change (Again, events may alter what we think about what we heard on CNN.)
Or perhaps I'm overwhelmed by politics and finding the political in the personal everywhere no matter how hard I have to work to shape on a feather.
And what was the bird - hawk, crow? Magnificent predatory hawk? Jeering crow?
"he [police officer] didn't seem to be concerning himself about the bikes"
What, are bikes illegal too?
@Althouse, let’s be precise about this. My perception is that you will assiduously follow rules that you believe came from the liberal side of the political spectrum. Rules from the conservative side, probably not so much.
"I strongly doubt the the government is tracking down the rule-oblivious folk who pick up feathers."
Just you wait.
I have a beautiful collection of waterfowl feathers from men in my life who hunt. Also pheasant and turkey. I adorn hats with them…and gather pheasant feathers in a vase for thanksgiving decor. I cherish my collection.
You need to carry a little ruler in your pocket which you can place next to the object of interest when you photograph it. Right now I have no clue whether these feathers are an inch long or a foot long. How can we guess their origin (or even just admire them)? Help us help you!
Caroline said...
"I have a beautiful collection of waterfowl feathers from men in my life who hunt. Also pheasant and turkey. I adorn hats with them…and gather pheasant feathers in a vase for thanksgiving decor. I cherish my collection."
I have an extensive collection for fly tying. I don't think any are endangered.
More on Vivek.
1. After the speech, I talked to him and got my picture with him. He put his hand on my back. He was literally on fire. He's full of energy.
2. I put A.M.D.G. on his bus.
3. Trump can't win. Vivek or Ron could.
Watch and learn. THIS guy is going somewhere!!!
"I strongly encourage everyone to watch this masterclass of Congressman Byron Donalds taking on an entire CNN panel of fake news hacks.
Byron Donalds would make a great Presidential candidate one day."
https://twitter.com/i/status/1656474335610060801
"I strongly doubt the the government is tracking down the rule-oblivious folk who pick up feathers."
Unless you have a MAGA hat on. Then you'll be held in solitary without bail for a year, tried and sent to prison for 5 years.
“Did you really think we want those laws observed?" said Dr. Ferris. "We want them to be broken. You'd better get it straight that it's not a bunch of boy scouts you're up against... We're after power and we mean it... There's no way to rule innocent men. The only power any government has is the power to crack down on criminals. Well, when there aren't enough criminals one makes them. One declares so many things to be a crime that it becomes impossible for men to live without breaking laws.
John Henry
Last Vivek comment.
In answer to my question about a NYT hit piece, he said that he's not a whiner.
I'm voting for the non-whiner. I'm done with whining.
I highly recommend listening to this episode of This American Life: https://www.thisamericanlife.org/654/the-feather-heist
It's a good one. Yeah, yeah, I know you hate Ira Glass's voice...
We have an eagle nest in the trees above us at our place up north. Feathers will be just lying on the ground. So yes, I am guilty of moving a couple from the ground onto the porch. I understand the intent of the law, and I understand that I am not harming the birds by moving their discarded feathers 20 feet.
My scofflaw children have an extensive feather collection.
When they say there have been 60 court cases I say the cases were dismissed on procedural grounds, not factual. I go on to say that ballot harvesting as done by Dems where officials go into the homes of poor people dependent on forms of public largesse controlled by these same officials or fellow party members and "help" them fill out forms, I say this has destroyed the secret vote for a large section of the public - the one supposedly loyal to the Dems. And I never get an answer even from intelligent people who are sure they are better informed et who seem startled. Yet these are very common positions among 50% of the US voters.
And E Jean Carroll doesn't seem like the kind of woman who attracted Trump - neither incredibly beautiful nor incredibly lush. She does seem like the kind who would have slapped my face if I said she only pretended to make moves on men she was attracted to and was really a faithful wife. And a churchgoer who thought lying was wrong.
I'm not really sure why it's OK to spend money we don't have which will result in a default someday soon but it's not OK to say there is going to be a default so let it happen over an effort to rein in spending. But I'm not good on economics; I can't really understand acquiring more debt than we can ever pay.
Trump never insults anyone he expects to have to engage with in a real negotiation. That explains his statements about Putin and Xi.
It's Trump who re-armed this country and its Trump's weapons stocks and new weapons (in the hands of the Ukrainian Army) which are defeating Russia. That was their purpose. There's nothing to save them for. Moreover, if we are running out of effective combat stocks after we used $40 billion of our defense stock while we spend $640 billion a year on defense - maybe we need to look at priorities. Power lunches in DC and social engineering all in place of munition purchases?
And you notice Armed Forces recruiting is following the Bud Lite model - insult the base, the guys who have really fought, and expect recruiting numbers to rise.
That's just a law that will only be enforced as a pretext for a prosecution that they want to do anyway for other reasons, like the fact that Santos's unemployment payment of $534 passed through an out of state server. It's good to have plenty of these kinds of laws handy, and you can bet that if Trump had been seen picking up an egret feather on one of his golf courses, he would be in manacles right now.
Some lady gifted Hillary with a "dream catcher" (which includes feathers) and Hillary had her arrested.
PIcking up a spare feather wouldn't violate the spirit of the law. Collecting feathers is illegal, because if it wasn't, you have heartless dumbshits out there killing birds for their feathers and selling them.
Obviously, it probably doesn't apply to birds that can be hunted. So if you kill 'em during hunting season, you can keep the feathers. But who needs a duck or Turkey feather.
It says something about the USA, that we have people committing assault and even homocide and being let go by Soros DAs or given 10,000 dollars bond, and we have people like Althouse who worry about violating the "dont keep that feather law".
Some of our Deep-blue Cities like Chicago or Detroit have turned into free fire zones, and scenes of "Mutual Combat" with homocide clearance rates of 50 percent or less.
I wonder how many people in those cities collect feathers of wild birds.
"I'm under the impression that it's illegal to gather feathers, and I'm the sort of person that follows even the rules that I merely think might be rules."
So you've obviously never enjoyed the forbidden ritual of tearing the tags off your mattress.
You haven't really lived...
The MILs beau is Nez Perce- the indians with the feather not the dot. They can pick up and keep feathers, yah. The beau gifted an eagle feather to my wife, which is a great honor. She's keeping it, so no process crime needed to pick us up...
Yankee Doodle arrested!.
how did cop know there were 2 feathers?
hint : NSA monitors this blog and send down instructions.
Professora scores feather in cap without picking any!
WTF is Begley going on about?
Does he have a new boyfriend or something?
And he’s a man of deeds; not just words. He founded and ran a successful biotech. He made $600m. Not like he ran a casino (!) into bankruptcy. Vivek has also never been accused of sexual assault.
===========
watch out now: Old Casino Rule was House always wins = Government never run out of money
so if Trump bankrupt casino = more player / punter friendly??!!
FED/Treasury may declare bankruptcy? more beneficial than stopping ocean rising
Why on earth would it be illegal to collect a feather that's lying on the ground?
==========
recall pussy that grabbed canary and had feathery maw!?
that is tantamount to admitting you killed bird [time place method unknown] = precedent cited in Jean Carroll ?
Dave Begley: "Last Vivek comment.
In answer to my question about a NYT hit piece, he said that he's not a whiner.
I'm voting for the non-whiner. I'm done with whining."
We'll, apparently not your own. But to each his own I always say!
Dave Begley: "More on Vivek.
1. After the speech, I talked to him and got my picture with him. He put his hand on my back. He was literally on fire. He's full of energy."
Describe, in detail if possible, the crispness of his pant creases.
David Begley: "And he’s a man of deeds; not just words. He founded and ran a successful biotech. He made $600m. Not like he ran a casino (!) into bankruptcy. Vivek has also never been accused of sexual assault."
It has been predicted that in the "end", the anti-Trump movement would simply adopt wholesale the lefty talking points re: Trump, thinking in some bizarre way that would somehow become persuasive for those republican base voters who have been screwed over by the GOPe for the last 40 years and simply don't trust the GOPe any longer.
I wonder if we are at that point now?
I’d wager the tag on your mattress remains unmolested.
Drago:
Look at Vivek's policy positions. He's not GOPe.
"I strongly doubt the the government is tracking down the rule-oblivious folk who pick up feathers."
Only if you are Republican or a deplorable.
Possessing Eagle feathers are a federal offense. https://www.fws.gov/sites/default/files/documents/PossessionOfEagleFeathersFactSheet.pdf
Ann, just post a few photos of some you have in your house and I bet the Feds DO show up.
But maybe Ann you can 'identify' was a Native American and get away with it... Liz Warren did for many years why not the rest of us?
A kid in Texas posted a photo of him holding a Black Tail Rattlesnake he killed. Texas Parks and Wildlife showed up... he said 'self defense'... TP&W said $1000 fine. He paid the fine.
Real unwise posting crimes you commit. Never know who may show up!
If you can't stand Ira Glass, go to the source and read the book: The Feather Thief by Kirk Wallace Johnson. I can't believe I ever would have picked this book of the shelf at the library or a bookstore, but I found it on my brother's bookshelf after he died. I loved it.
My cat surprised a flock of birds. Should I report him to the FBI?
"Why on earth would it be illegal to collect a feather that's lying on the ground?"
If it weren't there wouldn't be federal jobs.
Original Mike,
What *is* the intent of the law?
Dave Begley: "Drago:
Look at Vivek's policy positions. He's not GOPe."
I am fully aware of that. In fact, Vivek has himself declared he is running as a 2015 Trump in terms of policy. A line I have praised on this very blog for its astuteness.
I wasn't referencing Vivek in my comment........
What if a protected feather fell on your porch or your yard? Would you risk picking it up? Or do other rules apply?
Do none of you folks tie flies?
I quite like Ira Glass, but I still want to read the book. I had forgotten that there was a book. Thanks!
Kirk Parker said...
"Original Mike,
What *is* the intent of the law?"
Not Original Mike. Why? To create graft of course.
The original intent of the law was to protect Bald Eagles and only Bald Eagles. Which were endangers at the time. They aren't any more. I can walk less than a mile from my suburban neighborhood and see a nesting mating pair. On an obscure river in the midwest. But because federal laws create federal jobs it is now illegal to handle any migratory bird feather whether they are endangered or not.
Hearing no response, I will throw into the discussion what I think is the real reason: it's to make it easy for law enforcement.
They're way too many things in our law, both of federal and state levels, where we ban things that are completely harmless in and of themselves, because it's too hard for law enforcement to then distinguish between legally possessed items or legally carried out actions, and illegal ones.
This feather business is a perfect illustration: there is absolutely no harm done to any eagle whatsoever by picking up a feather that is already fallen off the bird. But if you allow people to pick up found feathers, and now you come across somebody with a feather, you have no way of knowing whether they obtained that legally from a fallen feather, or legally by taking it out of a bird (living or dead)
Need I added the whole concept seems to me repugnant to the concept of a free people?
That's a Turkey Feather, completely legal to collect.
Blogger Kirk Parker said...
"Original Mike,
What *is* the intent of the law?"
I assume the intent of the law is to protect eagles from those who would kill one to obtain the feathers, either directly or by trafficking in them. The law precludes the defense of saying "I just picked them up off the ground.
Not saying I agree with the law, but I assume that's the intent.
Paul: "Real unwise posting crimes you commit. Never know who may show up"
Me: That's why I have a few Wyze cameras that record video in my place just in case it becomes my word against the hooker.
MarcusB. THEOLDMAN
"Bald Eagles. Which were endangers at the time. They aren't any more."
Yeah, Wisconsin is lousy with them.
Andrew said...
"I strongly doubt the the government is tracking down the rule-oblivious folk who pick up feathers."
"Just you wait."
There was some lady in Michigan who created dream catchers from feathers she found on the ground. She sold these dream catchers at local flea markets. The Michigan DNR and some fed in charge of endangered species arrested her.
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