Bucktails

[Robert M 0]

I really ate up what was left of my supply of bucktail's tying the saltwater baitfish swap and find I need to replace them. My flytying supply fund is on a starvation diet right now where are you guys getting nice bucktail's at a reasonable cost?

Also has anyone dyed there own? I can get raw northern bucktails from 1.00 to 3.00 plus shipping from a furrier, also are Mule deer tails used also?

 

Robert

[NJ All Day 0]

I know The Saltwater Edge has really nice bucktails, some of the nicest i've seen. But there a little pricy. I picked up my bucktails from the shows in Somerset, at about $3 each and their good. I don't remember what company it is though. Sorry if it didn't help.

[NJL 0]

Robert,

 

 

I can vouch for the Saltwater Edge in Newport, RI about 30 minutes from home. A little expensive but very nice product. I don't dye anything yet, so I can't help you on that.

 

John

[Dustin Guyette 0]

mine are free, because me and the rest of my family hunt. so i just cut them off the deer after they are killed :gun_bandana: :gunsmilie:

[Robert M 0]

mine are free, because me and the rest of my family hunt. so i just cut them off the deer after they are killed :gun_bandana: :gunsmilie:

 

I thought about hitting the local processor this year but South Texas bucktail's don't look the same as the ones from up north.

[agn54 0]

I also can vouch for the Saltwater Edge bucktail, great stuff. Also, Marriotts sells cool pastel colors and the quality is nice as well. I get some local tails from my in-laws. Personally, I love Florida whitetail tails. Because of the warm climate, the hair near the base is not hollow like northern tails and does not flair out too much. I believe Chris Helms sells several tyoes of bucktail for fairly cheap, but I cannot vouch for the quality since I have never bought from him.

[gaeronf 0]

From the deer we hunt, or if we see roadkill that isn't utterly atrocious we will use that.

[Kirk Dietrich 0]

mine are free, because me and the rest of my family hunt. so i just cut them off the deer after they are killed :gun_bandana: :gunsmilie:

 

I thought about hitting the local processor this year but South Texas bucktail's don't look the same as the ones from up north.

 

Yes they do Robert, but don't shun them. While they have less hair, I've found that much of it is really usable. The ones I've been given from Mississippi and Louisiana were very nice for tying small to medium flies. The hairs aren't as dense on the tail or as long as the northerns but the hairs aren't as hollow either so you can tie with more of the tail and they don't flare as much. Kind of like a cross between non-twisted calf tail and northern bucktail.

 

If you can befriend someone in the business, you may be able to trade a bunch of those white tails for some dyed ones or ask them to throw yours in his batch of dye.

 

Good luck,

Kirk

[Capt Bob LeMay 0]

Back in the days when I'd venture into processing or dyeing my own materials (as a commercial tyer I had to quit doing my own.... and instead found more than one reliable wholesaler or direct source for buck or feathers) the bible that I followed was Eric Leiser's FLY-TYING MATERIALS, first published in 1973. Don't know if it's still in print but it will take anyone through the steps needed to clean, de-grease, preserve, or dye natural materials for tying. There might be a more modern book on the topic but it would have to go a long way to contain as much info.

 

Nowadays the stuff availlable in shops or directly from the catalogue is far superior than what I started with (just the thought of some of the low quality materials I used to get in the mail.... is enough to make me glad I'm a lot older..).

Hope this helps

 

Tight Lines

Bob LeMay

[bowfin47 0]

... I believe Chris Helms sells several tyoes of bucktail for fairly cheap, but I cannot vouch for the quality since I have never bought from him.

 

Chris is a great guy who has made his reputation by supplying quality hair to tyers. I don't believe that you'd ever go wrong in purchasing any hair/ails from Chris.

 

Bowfin47

[agn54 0]

... I believe Chris Helms sells several tyoes of bucktail for fairly cheap, but I cannot vouch for the quality since I have never bought from him.

 

Chris is a great guy who has made his reputation by supplying quality hair to tyers. I don't believe that you'd ever go wrong in purchasing any hair/ails from Chris.

 

Bowfin47

 

Yea that's what I hear, and that if you call him he is great about getting exactly what you need. I will definitely buy from him one of these days if I ever quit procrastinating.