Deer or Elk Hair

[UtahFlyGuy]

Fellas..........

I've read that the best hair to use is from a yearling thats when the hair is easiest to use. From the animals winter hide and summer hide how can you tell when the hair was taken? I have'nt noticed anything on a package related to the harvest. So how can you tell what your buying?

I can only think that a summer hide is best for spinning because its thin and the winter hair is best when your compacting the hair.

Anyone know?

This is the link that got me wondering. http://globalflyfisher.com/staff/helm/selecting/index.html

[cheech]

Fellas..........

I've read that the best hair to use is from a yearling thats when the hair is easiest to use. From the animals winter hide and summer hide how can you tell when the hair was taken? I have'nt noticed anything on a package related to the harvest. So how can you tell what your buying?

I can only think that a summer hide is best for spinning because its thin and the winter hair is best when your compacting the hair.

Anyone know?

When I buy hair, I look at two things. I look at how much under fluff there is, and how the tips look. Lots of fluff is bad. I look at the very tippity top of the hair. The black tips should be somewhat uniform.

If I'm worried about the thickness of the hair, that's where the animal that was wearing the hair comes into play. It goes from very thick (cairbou, antelope) to very fine (white tail deer). I tie a ton with cow elk because it floats well and is very uniform.. Western Rivers has the best selection of hair hands down.

[UtahFlyGuy]

Thanks cheech. I've look at Sportmans but I cant find the black tip hair that you use. Does Western's carry that hair?

[cheech]

Thanks cheech. I've look at Sportmans but I cant find the black tip hair that you use. Does Western's carry that hair?

Go buy yourself a patch of Cow Elk from Western and tie some caddis with it. It's great stuff. I have gone through 3 patches in the last year.

I'll try to remember it for the ISE show. I'll show you some examples of good vs. bad (in my opinion which doesn't matter). I'm there Thu evening, Fri evening, and Sat all day.

Cheech

[UtahFlyGuy]

Go buy yourself a patch of Cow Elk from Western and tie some caddis with it. It's great stuff. I have gone through 3 patches in the last year.

I'll try to remember it for the ISE show. I'll show you some examples of good vs. bad (in my opinion which doesn't matter). I'm there Thu evening, Fri evening, and Sat all day.

Cheech

Sounds good. I'll swing by and look for ya there. Thanks again!