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Tips for selecting deer hair

Deer hair textures - Different animals have hair with different textures - and different uses

Intro
Hide chart
Hair textures
Hair types

Stacking
Cleaning
Muddlers
The author

It's not trivial to choose hair for a wing like this.
Photo and fly: Hans Weilenmann
Explanations:

  • Fine
    • - Will not flare; excellent for wings and tails
  • Medium
    • - Will flare to a limited degree, maximum 45 degrees
  • Coarse
    • - Will flare to almost 90 degrees; used for clipped hair body flies like muddlers and bass bugs

    Type Texture Stiffness Length (") Length (cm)
    Elk      
    Bull Medium   1-2½ 2.5-7
    Cow Coarse   1½-2½ 3-7.5
    Yearling Medium   1½-2½ 3.5-7
    Hock Medium   ¼ 0.6
    Mane Fine   3-6 7.5-15
    Rump Coarse   2½-4 7-10
    Deer      
    Body Coarse   1½-2½ 3.5-7
    Neck Medium Soft ¾-1¾ 2-7.5
    Texas whitetail Fine   ¾-1¾ 2-7.5
    Early season Medium Stiff ½-¾ 1-2
    Yearling Medium Soft 1½-2½ 3.5-7
    Antelope      
    Generally Coarse Brittle 1-1½ 2.5-4
    Caribou      
    Generally Fine   ¾-1½ 0.6-4
    Moose      
    Body     ½-2 1.5-5
    Mane Coarse   2½-8 7-20

    <<< Previous Hair chart Next Hide types >>>


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