Wild Turkey Feather Wreath Tutorial

By Sarah Honadel

It may still be winter, but that means spring turkey season is right around the corner. If you’re like me, you’re already starting to prep—and that includes figuring out what to do with your turkey. As a hunter, one of my goals is to use as much of my harvested animal as possible. This not only includes eating the meat, but also the antlers, hide, feathers, etc., depending on the animal.

After harvesting an Eastern Turkey during Kentucky’s spring turkey season, I wanted to find a way to make use of his beautiful wing and tail feathers. I already had a turkey tail fan mounted from the year before, so I decided to make a wreath.

The end result looks stunning, and I’ve received countless compliments on it. The best part: it was almost free, and really easy to make!

What you’ll need:

·         8” round floral foam

·         Variety of turkey wing and tail feathers

·         Masking tape

·         String/twine

·         Materials to add your own touch, such as ribbon, letters, antlers, etc.

Instructions:

Place the floral form on a flat surface and insert the longest wing and tail feathers around the middle of the form. I usually start with spacing them 2-3 inches apart, then continue going around and filling in that first layer. You should end up with about a half inch between each feather. Be careful not to insert the feathers to far, or you could break the form (like I did!).

Continue inserting feathers around the form, up the side and into the front until the wreath is full. For the feathers on the front of the form, you’ll want to insert them diagonally into the form (not straight in), so the wreath is flat. Just add feathers until it looks full and you can’t see any of the foam form. The shortest feathers should be in the front. I also like to slant mine a little to give it more of a circular look. There really is no right or wrong way.

Make sure to insert short feathers into the center to cover the form.

Once you have all of your feathers in place, you should have the basic wreath.

Because there are so many feathers in the form (and I actually broke my form), I use masking tape to cover the back to help hold it together and make it sturdier.

To finish, I added a simple burlap bow. You could use any type of ribbon to make a bow, or use something else like antlers or letters to make it match your own décor or style. Add a string or twine on the back to hang.

Now you just need to hang it! 

Tips:

·         Hang your wreath inside (rather than on the front door), such as over the mantel, to prevent fading and to prevent the feathers from getting wet from condensation that can build up between doors.

·         To dust/clean, use a slightly damp cloth and gently wipe; you don’t want the feathers to get wet.

·         Change the bow and other décor to match the season, holiday or other room décor.

·         You could also make a similar wreath with duck and/or goose feathers, although you might need to use a larger foam form since the feathers aren’t as long.

What crafts have you made with your turkey feathers or other harvests? Share photos in the comments, or share on Instagram and tag @waddysarah and @arrowridgecreations.