Also be aware of the fact that possession of Eagle feathers without the proper federal dispensation (for any one of several very good reasons) can land you in the scheiss. This has been brought up here on previous occasions but since I've spent the last year recovering banged up birds under a permit from the DFW, I've had to basically swear that I won't take or keep any feathers from the birds that I rescue.

Pheasants, as I understand it, are either farmed or not included in the list of protected birds so there shouldn't be a problem...

...UNTIL you run into someone who thinks that he knows more than you do and decides that he feels like mouthing off. You were in the food line? Was this fella in the beer line?

At least you got off easy...I seem to remember one of our kilted brethren telling a story about being confronted by a drunken dude who insisted that the Xsmarkser was wearing "his clan tartan" and that he had to take the kilt off right then and there or violence was going to ensue. The alcohol-impaired challenger was, reportedly, subsequently restrained by his fellow clan members and the Xsmarkser went on his merry way.

Just another example of something that was being kicked around on the "Kilt Do's and Don'ts" thread: there's a right way and a wrong way to let someone know how to fine-tune their kilt outfit. Polite and constructive and don't pontificate!

Best

AA