Arrows and Fletching
Arrows need to be stabilized because archers don't want to go to the trouble of pulling back their bows, aiming, and then watching their arrows tumble around instead of flying straight. While it looks like the arrow is going perfectly straight, it is actually wobbling. It's the feathers or plastic vanes at the rear of an arrow that provide the stabilization. Adding feathers or vanes to an arrow is called fletching, which is the traditional meaning of the word. The bow and arrow were invented about 22,000 years ago and writing only 5,500 years ago, so we don't know to whom we owe thanks for that handy invention.
Archers who prefer to have their arrows fletched with plastic vanes have offered being less expensive than feathers, greater durability, producing less noise, and ability to be used in the rain as their reasons.
What advantages do feathers have over plastic vanes? Plastic vanes can become too stiff when it's cold and too limp when it's hot, and it can be harder to get them to stick to the arrows. What about hunting in the rain? Non-toxic Fletch-Dry powder should waterproof your feathers for days. Feathers are lighter, make your arrows fly faster, tolerate variations in conditions better, and are also more apt to fly well even though the archer has made a mistake.
Although duck and goose feathers can be used for fletching, turkey feathers are popular today. Why are those birds called "turkeys" when they're American birds? Well, the African Guinea-fowl had been reintroduced to Europe by the Turks, so the British called them "Turkey-coq/Turkey-cock," or "Turkey" for short. ("Coq" is French for "rooster".) When the Pilgrims came to the New World, they decided to call the big wild American fowl they saw by the name from back home. Yes, the name we use is borrowed from the British name for an African bird. In Turkey, turkeys are called "Hindi". As in Arabia, Poland, and Russia, the Turks call the bird by a name that indicates the bird is from India. Given that Native Americans were long called "Indians" by mistake, it's almost fitting.
Turkey feathers are popular because they are durable. If you don't have wild turkeys on your homestead, you could buy wild turkey feathers. You could also buy domestic turkey feathers. Just be sure you have bought wing feathers. For greater durability, use primary wing feathers. The secondary wing feathers can be used for your practice arrows. You also want to make sure that all of the feathers on an arrow come from either the right wing or the left wing. Don't mix the two because they make the arrows rotate in different directions. You will get a clockwise rotation from right wing feathers while left wing feathers rotate arrows counter clockwise. If you use a right helical clamp/right-fletching jig to fletch your arrows, use right wing feathers. Use left wing feathers if you use a left helical clamp/left-fletching jig. You might run across a recommendation to use right wing feathers if you're right handed and left wing feathers if you're left handed. Apparently, that's not true, so ignore that recommendation. If you didn't pluck the feathers from the wings yourself, how do you tell if they came from a right or left wing? Hold the large end of the feather so it facing toward you. The other end of the feather should be held so that it curves down as if rain were rolling off it. The direction the smooth side of the arrow points toward will tell you whether it's a right or left wing feather,
If you want naturally barred turkey feathers for your arrows, use bronze turkey feathers. However, domestic turkey feathers can be dyed in a barred pattern. Regardless, it is important that it's a turkey feather when making your arrows.