I was watching a tying video on the internet and the recipe called for seal dubbing. The tyer said he was actually using real seal that he got when he purchased a Russian military surplus hat made with seal lining.

This sounds plausible because 1.) I doubt there were any Soviets protesting the harvesting of seals without fear of free room and board at the Gulag. 2.) since the collapse of the USSR, there is all kinds of Russian surplus available and 3.) there are hats made from nearly every other kind of real fur (rabbit, beaver, fox, mink, muskrat etc.) so why not seal?

My question is, even if one could buy Eastern European military surplus with furs not readily available in the U.S. is it legal to do so, and would you?

After Googling around on this topic, it does seem like a viable source for seal, but at a steep price. However the amount of seal in one hat would likely last several dozen tyers a lifetime.

Before you scoff at 2 or 3 hundred bucks for a fur hat, consider that buying deer hair in the 3x4 patches at the fly shop makes the entire deer skin cost well over $500 on the conservative side.