I just started fly fishing after my best friend and I made a pact, for christmas he bought me a fly rod and reel and I got him his hunting licence and a 12 gauge.  This summer I caught 13 trout on the deerfield river with a beauty over 20 inches.  Now that he is tying for the winter before the ice forms on the lakes he needs feathers and I can only shoot what I find.  So here is the tip become friends with hunters and in Mass there are wildlife management areas where they stock pheasant, if you go to these areas in the morning on a saturday you can talk with hunters and get a couple of sets of wings and tails for free.  Plus these guys usualy hunt deer and rabbit so if you can get their number they will call you when they have fur or feathers.  A few bucks is a nice gesture or a frozen trout for dinner caught on a fly from their feathers.  Plus a fellow outdoorsman as a new friend is a great friend to have.  As proof I only shot 2 pheasant, 1 grouse and 2 grey squrriels, thanks to a few friendly hunts on stafford hill WMA I have 6 male pheasant wings and tails two hens three deer tails and rabbit allong with crow, and on top of hunters farms with rare chickens are another great resouce to have for feather.  thank Joe Mazza in western Mass

Awesome tip, Joe. I live on the South Shore of MA, and I gotta ask if the Deerfield is still producing trout this late in the year, and what sorts of flies are putting up the big numbers I've heard coming out of there? I've been putting off a trip to the Deerfield and I'm wondering if it's still worth it to go this season. Also, welcome to the forums and while you're here, check out the Massachusetts section of the forums, down near te bottom of the page. That section could use a little more life.

yes good tip. my boss hunts ducks and pheasant and I had him bring me a bag of feathers.

Brian