Hello, I am a relative newb to fly tying, at least dry fly tying, and also very fortunate to have most of my materials given to me by fellow tyers over the years. However, nearly all of the hackle feathers I own are loose and unorganized into bags. Can somebody recommend which types of feathers, or perhaps what parts of loose feathers are best for tails? Seems that using longer fibers off of random feathers doesn't produce a very good support for my flies. Also, can you substitute something else for tails such as hair?

Thanks in advance,
Jigga