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Natural wind checker

simple man

simple man

New Member
Joined
Oct 1, 2017
Messages
38
Location
Kingston,ga
This fall i want to start using milk weed or something similar. This morning i was searching for milk weed. I came across some cat tails. Never did find any milk weed. I tried separating one of the cat tails. it seemed to float ok. However it seemed like it was a little to moist. Has anyone ever tried drying these out and using them ?
I did come across some Thistle. Who uses Thistle seeds or tuft and how do you store it ?IMG_1825[1].JPG IMG_1824[1].JPG
 
I used to use them back in NJ. Once dried they are pretty good, as wind indicator. We used to dry them and burn them for mosquitoes.
 
Never tried cat tail but I guess it would work.
If I, as a land owner, caught someone on my property releasing thistle, they would be thrown out permanently. The stuff is evil. We should be killing it, not spreading it.
Milkweed is the best and there is no reason to transfer it from the pod. Leave it in there. Wrap a rubber band around the pod so the floaters stay contained, and rig the pod to a clip to hang from your coat. Its always ready to use without searching through a pocket and you won't drop it from the tree....been there, done that.
There is no one alive that can convince me that this milkweed set up doesn't beat any other floater.
This is the way...no 2 ways about it...
837523bcc9009a62429a473e57748c0c.jpg
 
Last edited:
Milkweed is probably the best floater but I prefer marribou feathers because I have a metric ton of them from fly tying, they don’t have seeds, and I can see them farther.
 
Great ideas will also start gathering some of these as I find them. Thank you
 
Milkweed grow everywhere in nj. It grows often near poison ivy in which it is a remedy for itch. If you rub the soap of the stalk it soothes the itch.
 
I see milkweed all over the sides of the roads. Will pick some soon. My backpack has a small breathable pouch on the hip belt. I store my milkweed in there and when my pack is hanging on my tree I can easily reach around and pull some out to test the wind. I've learned a lot about wind currents by using it.
 
There is a milkweed plant that’s native in the NC mountains called fourleaf milkweek (Asclepias quadrifolia).

Any idea if these have pods?

Is common milkweed and butterfly milkweed the same plant?
 
Wirrex said:
Milkweed is probably the best floater but I prefer marribou feathers because I have a metric ton of them from fly tying, they don’t have seeds, and I can see them farther.
Click to expand...

Freaking brilliant. I have some too.


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kelly.jayp said:
Freaking brilliant. I have some too.


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Click to expand...

You won’t be disappointed. Another trick I do is take a small piece of hook side velcro and stick it to the upper part of my bow riser. I grab a chunk of marribou and push it in there for the hunt. You can see at a glance what the wind’s doing in your vicinity then pull off a strand and let er fly to see your stream.
 
Allegheny Tom said:
Never tried cat tail but I guess it would work.
If I, as a land owner, caught someone on my property releasing thistle, they would be thrown out permanently. The stuff is evil. We should be killing it, not spreading it.
Milkweed is the best and there is no reason to transfer it from the pod. Leave it in there. Wrap a rubber band around the pod so the floaters stay contained, and rig the pod to a clip to hang from your coat. Its always ready to use without searching through a pocket and you won't drop it from the tree....been there, done that.
There is no one alive that can convince me that this milkweed set up doesn't beat any other floater.
This is the way...no 2 ways about it...
837523bcc9009a62429a473e57748c0c.jpg
Click to expand...

That's a nice set up. Nice clip.


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Hillclimber said:
Will these dry out alright picking green? Maybe put them on top of the fridge like that?
Click to expand...
Spread them out and put them in a low humidity area like air conditioned room. On a black tray on a sunny window sill in AC, works fine.
Wrap a rubber band around each pod or they will split as they dry and you will have a mess.

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