Several years ago I was contacted by Danny Gear as he was looking for a source for Kori Bustard tail feathers. Danny had seen live Kori Bustards at the National Zoo and fell in love with the tail feathers. He does not tie flies but is a Native American Powwow Dancer. He wanted to create a Dance Bustle using the feathers. His forefathers wore a Bustle (mounted on the back) a Roach with Drop Feathers and a Visor unlike the Plains Natives that wore the Headdress we are familiar with from the old Cowboy movies.

Just prior to contacting me Danny had just spoken to P Castleman at Castlearms who told him he would "be able to get him a whole tail for $5,000". The price of Kori at the time was extremely high but that quote was outrageous. Even though he works for NASA in a management position he couldn't afford to pay $5,000 for 12 feathers. In fact he wasn't interested in paying the $75 to $125 per pair that I was charging at the time. I put him in touch with a person on the West Coast that was raising Kori at the time. He struck a deal with her trading Native American Art done by both Danny and his wife Klynn. With the feathers he received Danny was able to build what he calls The Bustle that Ruled the World, pictured above right.

Danny has since become one of my closest friends in life and rarely a day passes that we don't talk on the phone about feathers of some kind or another. He is as resourceful as anyone I know at uncovering hidden treasures. He was also instrumental in convincing the Kori SSP to adopt the Free Kori program. He is also a premier Feather Crafter as you will see in the photographs to follow.



The row below starts out with three fans Danny has made, Bald Eagle, Golden Eagle and Banksian Cockatoo. Picture 4 shows hoew the Cockatoo Fan lights up in the sunlight. The last 4 pictures in that row dipict Danny in his Dance Regalia. Notice the Visor in the second to last picture, it's Hornbill Tail feathers.



The row below are pictures of his family and as you can see they all share his love of their Native American Heritage and are Powwow Dancers. The first picture was taken in 2004. You see Danny's wife Klynn, Danny his daughter Alicia, his oldest son Daniel and their children son Wagitci and daughter Winona. They call her Nona. The next, taken in 2005 is of Klynn, Danny and their children followed by shots of Klynn and Danny preparing to enter the festivities. The last two pictures in that row are of Alicia Danny's oldest daughter.



Below we have Nona walking with Danny's middle son Michael following Danny into the arena and Michael and Nona standing together. Next it's Danny fixing the straps on youngest son Wagitci's Fancy Dance Bustle followed by Wagitci standing proud waiting for his turn to perform. The next pictures are of Nona who appears to be the sweetest little girl in the world. Danny says that's only a facade and she is in fact a Holy Terror.


The row below shows a couple of samples of Klynn's artistic skills and finall what I think is a subliminal message Danny is sending me.