How To Pluck A Pheasant Or Grouse

Shooting a pheasant, partridge, quail or other chicken-like birds isn’t difficult, but it does require patience. The reason is that unlike ducks or geese, these birds have relatively thin and loose skin – the skin will tear easily if you try to rush it. You think it’s dry plucking – you just have to start plucking the feathers. I swear by it, and I’ll pull dry hair most of the time. There are a few tricks to doing it, which I’ll get into in a bit. Read: how to pluck a pheasant Read more: how to get a hazmat suit in disaster 4 much faster. To do this, you need to take a large bowl of water and let the water come to a flake temperature. What is the burn temperature? Steam, but not boiling – not even boiling. If you need a number, shoot at 140°F to 150°F.

Do it one by one. Scaling only works when the fur and skin are warm. Once they cool down, you’ll have a soggy mess. Work quickly and efficiently.
Once you have hot enough water, pluck each pheasant, partridge, or quail tail feather. Then grab the bird’s head or legs (I made it with feet) and submerge it in the water. Keep him under 3 to 5 seconds. Lift it out and let it drain until the water stops flowing. Repeat this until a wing feather comes out easily, anywhere from three to seven indentations.
Pull out the feathers while it is still warm. Start with the wings. Next pluck the large hairs along the outer edge of the udder – be careful as they can tear the skin easily. Then do flank feathering movements on the thighs, then the neck, and ending with the back and the rest of the legs. Take your time. Very important. Brush each hair as needed, especially around the breast – you want it to look good and not tear.
The feathers on the wings are easier to shed than the feathers of a duck, this is the most difficult part of a duck to pluck. But the outer edges of a pheasant’s breast – especially around any shot hole – are the hardest part, in my opinion. Once you’ve shot the hole, hold the skin down with your fingers and pluck the feathers one by one with your other hand. That’s the only way to get rid of them without tearing the skin.
When you’re done, cut open the bird’s intestines (save the liver, heart, and gizzard to make Giblet Bolognese Spaghetti Sauce) and rinsed. Dry the bird thoroughly with a paper towel, insert a clean tissue into the hole, and place the bird on another paper towel in a covered container in the refrigerator for 2 to 7 days. Pheasants, partridges and quails age this way.

This method applies to all highland bird games. All are biologically related, and all have pheasant-thin skin. In my experience, Grouse, quail, and finches are generally better off with dry plucking than with wet plucking, although dry plucking will take longer than wet plucking. Pigeons, peacocks and doves, unrelated to the others, are very susceptible to dry feathers. Read more: Aethoxysklerol Varicose and Hemorrhoid Therapy A few words on dry plucking: I mostly do this with birds that have been hanging for a few days; you can still pluck wet feathered pheasants, but the longer you hang them, the more weakened your skin will be.

Start with the wings and back as you would for fresh or scaled pheasant. Remember to pluck, not pull. Use a quick flick of the wrist to pull one or three feathers quickly, while using a few fingers of the other hand to secure the skin down. Under no circumstances should you try to get more than a few feathers at once, except on the back. You will break your skin.
Plucking the front edge of the wing requires you to tug on some of the feathers – not the skin – and pluck it back towards the body. Do this a few bristles at a time, making sure not to stick the skin.
Thighs are the easiest to pluck. Be sure to pluck the knee, as this is where you want the foot to be amputated.
The neck has some areas that can be easily extracted, but areas that are loose or flaccid are more difficult to remove. Use your thumb to secure the skin on your back or breast, depending on which side of your neck you’re working on.
There are two types of feathers on pheasants or other upland birds: quills with a stiff core and feathers underneath. The bottom bristles pluck with ease, while the quill bristles are guaranteed to tear the skin if you pluck incorrectly. All feathers are located on the flanks of the bird, in the hollows on the neck and in the center of the breast.
To pluck the quills correctly, secure the skin down and in one motion, yank each feather out the way they are attached. It is very important to make only one or two feathers at a time when you have these feathers, on the neck, each breast and the sides of the bird.
The wings are fairly easy, but notice where the wings meet the body – this shoulder area is prone to tearing.
Save the breast for last: The hairs along each side of the breast are nitrogen cocoon, but the small central hairs are easy to shed.