Interesting little tidbit on deer hair

[TheCream 0]

I have been on a Bow River Bugger kick lately, it's a pattern I plan to fish a lot this coming season. I was rummaging through my deer hair bins and found a patch I have had for a while that was a body (not belly) patch in a burnt orange coloration. I instantly thought crawfish color combo on a Bow River Bugger. I quickly found out why I never used that patch...the hair was so oily and slick you literally cannot hang onto it. I stack it in the stacker, get it in my hands, go to lash it down and the hair slides and shimmy's around and can't be controlled. 80% of the hair would end up falling to the floor. On a hunch, I thought why not clean it with shampoo? Maybe that would knock the oily nature of it down. I used some hotel sample shampoo I stole from who knows where, washed it well in the sink with that, and dried it back out. It worked surprisingly well. It's still a bit slick, but it's manageable. So if you get a patch of deer hair that has slick hair, scrub it with shampoo. Might save you from pitching a patch of usable hair.

 

[Meeshka 0]

Nice Bugger and save with the shampoo!

[Cold 0]

Good stuff!

 

I guess this also answers the question of what to do if your deer hair has dandruff...

[Dubs 0]

Blue dawn dish soap works well for me cleaning hide before preserving

[mikechell 0]

I really like that bugger/deer hair headed fly.

[Fletchfishes 0]

nice tip, thanks. Also loving the look of that fly... is it basically a crystal bugger with a couple rubber legs thrown on and a Muddler head?

[TheCream 0]

nice tip, thanks. Also loving the look of that fly... is it basically a crystal bugger with a couple rubber legs thrown on and a Muddler head?

 

Conehead Bow River Bugger. Essentially a bugger with rubber legs, cone and deer hair on the head.

[Piker20 0]

Also like the look of that. Are you making a 360deg collar of hair or is it shaped to provide a swim direction?

[trevinski 0]

Very nice! Super clean trim job on that. Are you just using a razor blade?

[TheCream 0]

Yes, 360 degree deer hair head/collar, yes razor blade.

[JayWirth 0]

This happens sometimes with deer tails. I make sure there is no fat left on skin and scrape it off if there is; wash in warm water with dish soap, set outside in the sun to dry (anywhere really is fine) - good as new.

[nittro 0]

Great fly!

This is one I will add to my son's arsenal.

[oldboyjim42 0]

Great tip, ... do you ever attempt to lubricate an old dry bucktail (or other item) with hotel conditioner? ... ie .. when they are so dry they do not spin well?

thanks

Jim S neubie

[TheCream 0]

Great tip, ... do you ever attempt to lubricate an old dry bucktail (or other item) with hotel conditioner? ... ie .. when they are so dry they do not spin well?

thanks

Jim S neubie

 

I don't spin deer hair, I always stack it, so I'd never want it slicker and harder to control.

[Henrik Thomsen (DK) 0]

As always. Wash all natural materials to remove fat and other unwanted things like dust from feathers (birds do dust bath).

Also wash all dyed materials. Better to get excess dye out in the sink, than on your fingers. And if the material bleach too much, better it is before tying...