Squirrel tail in the road!

[melk]

Well, I had been seeing this mostly black squirrel running around my neighborhood for a while. I told my wife if he buys the farm I would love the tail. This morning he did, not by me! Interesting, I had done buck tail and doing a squirrel tail is different! Not much to it. So, I carefully split the tail, removed the bone, scraped what little there was inside and nailed it a board. Lots of Borax and waiting now. It was interesting to note some of the hair came off very easily. But I think I'll have a nice black bunch of squirrel hair to use!
Mike

[NJTroutbum]

Mike, more than likely the hair coming out is just due to the season. They are actively shedding winter coats.

[51BC]

It's possible that you scraped it a little more than you needed to and got some of the hair roots. For squirrel tails I generally just rub some borax into the end (where it attached to the squirrel) and pin it up in a dry place with good air circulation. No need to split and scrape.

[David Parker]

Mike;
IMO, No need to even remove the bone.
I collect road kill squirrels each year (especially Greys) and all I do is cut the tail + bone off at the squirrel's rump, wash in a saturated solution of warm water + 20 Mule Team Borax, then hang vertical indoors to dry, by using a fish hook and line hooked into the cut skin. After a day, I run my fingers in reverse direction thru the hair to fluff the matted dried hair and then let it continue to dry for another week or so. The internal bone will eventually dry hard and straight making the tail much easier to work with. Dried in this manner has always worked well for me. Store in a container with moth balls and your other hair items. Leaving it outdoors to dry is not a good bug free idea.
Been doing it this way since the 80's ever since my first store bought squirrel tail dried with tail bone intact came into my possession.

[melk]

Thanks all. I'll save that info for future reference. I did leave most of the hair intact! David - does it matter which end the tail hangs by - end or rump? That may seem like a dumb question, but I hate to waste a good tail.
Thanks,
Mike

[David Parker]

Mike;
I hang it using a fish hook hooked into a piece of skin at the cut rump end. That way it hangs straight as it dries. I just leave it hang in my fly room for a month or more, then pack it away with my other squirrel materials.
Be aware of your local wildlife rules though, for some have certain restrictions regarding possessing such. AND NEVER pick up any animal w/o wearing disposable gloves, for you never know what it might be carrying.

[melk]

Thanks David. I'll do that the next time. Yes, I take precautions as I heard a Fish and Game employee years ago mention she got some dread, not horrible but not good, infection from road kill.
Mike

[philip43]

Hi All. David Parker is correct. Check your local game laws. I live in NY and I would only "possess" a squirrel tail in my car during the open squirrel season. I have a Small Game license, which is on my person all the time. Adios Philip

[David Parker]

Here in Ontario Canada I am allowed to collect road killed animals for use in fly tying as long as they are not on the endangered/threatened list, a raptor or a migratory song bird. Waterfowl are fair game because they can be legally hunted during open seasons. The only stipulation here is that I must inform our MNR that I have acquired a fur bearing animal by going on their web site where a registry has been set up for folks like me to compile a personal file on what I have in my possession. I print off that file and always take it with me whenever I do tying lessons or volunteer demos, just in the event that someone questions how I acquired those materials and then calls the cops on me. One always has to be legal in this game of ours or it could land you into serious problems down the road.