Deer
30+ years of experience selecting and processing deer hair
Wapsi’s deer hair products are the finest available to the fly tyer. Our experience in selecting, tanning, cutting, and dyeing deer hair is reflected in the quality of our product. Our deer hair comes from the best quality hides harvested at specific times of the year.
Because deer hair is used for a variety of different types of flies, knowledge of the coat characteristics of different regional subspecies of deer (Whitetail in particular) is critical, as is knowledge of the different types of hair found on each particular coat. Heredity, diet, age, and sex also determine coat characteristics. Because no two hides are the same, each must be examined closely and cut exactingly.
After inspection, great care is taken during processing to insure the deer hair is made easy to tie without compromising the hair’s natural performance characteristics. The end result is belly hair with exceptionally vivid colors yet still easy to tie with, body hair that spins easily without excess under fur, and short and fine deer hair that is straight and stacks easily.
5 distinctly different products, each for a specific fly tying need:
Bucktail
We take great pride in offering only the best quality bucktails to our customers. A special process leaves our deer tails very clean of dye and natural oils. Large tails measure up to 12″ long while medium tails measure up to 10″ long. Hair length and diameter will vary since this is a natural product. Our bucktails are available in 34 colors!
Deer Body Hair
This is hair taken from the sides and the back of the deer where the hair shows the most mottling in color. This hair is very good for spinning bass flies and also works well for down-wings on dry flies. Our deer body hair is cut from soft-tanned hides which are soft and supple. Our deer body hair is available in 22 colors!
Deer Belly Hair
Belly hair has a slightly different texture than body hair and lacks mottling so it can be dyed to a vibrant color or bleached white. Like body hair it is easy to spin and is ideal for bass bugs. Our deer belly hair is available in 22 colors also.
Short & Fine Deer Hair
This hair is much shorter in length and finer in diameter than our standard deer body hair. It is perfect for small flies such as Comparaduns, Humpies, and Serendipities. Available in 9 colors.
“Muddler Hair”
This is deer body hair that has been hand chosen by our experts for tying Muddler Minnows. The hair is the ideal length, taper, and diameter for tying both Muddlers and Hoppers. Only natural (undyed or bleached) hair is available in this prime grade.
