squirrel skins

[gqualls]

Recently I have been tying several soft hackle patterns using squirrel. I have a couple of small pieces that will probably last a while. I have looked online at many different places that offer squirrel skins that have been dried and those that have been tanned. My question is ......from your own experience who offers a nice squirrel skin, either tanned or dried? (If they are dried they need to be dried flat) . Fox or Gray woud be fine.


Thank you in advance for you response.

Greg

[new2thefly]

I've never tied with Squirrel body fur but I have used the tails. Road kill has supplied all I need. Remove the tail, toss the rest in the woods, and leave the tail by an ant hill. They will remove any meat and leave it clean for tying. Just remember to get rid of the remaining ants before bringing it in the house.

[alra195]

Greg,

Both ebay & etsy have some listings for squirrel skins. Not sure what you plan is regading your soft hackle patterns but maybe something from either of these site will work for you!

[dudley]

(road kill)

[john52948]

ive been tieing all fur soft hackles for 3 or 4 years now, and I find that using a pine squirrel hide that has been zonked, works best for me it makes it a lot easier to get the end tips straight when inserted in the clip, then you just trim the hide off and insert the section in a dubbing loop. seems like wapsi is usually the supplier to the shops I deal with.

hope this helps

[gqualls]

Thanks for the replies.

I recently got a pine squirrel pelt. Very pleased with the product. I received a gift last month for my birthday that, for me, is pretty cool. It's called a Swiss CDC clamp. Been practicing making soft hackles using oversized hackle, squirrel, and comparadun deer hair. The squirrel soft hackles look particularly good. I can foresee tying many of them in the months ahead, thus the need for squirrel skins. I contemplated road kill as well as fresh harvest but neither really appeal to me. I've seen them on ebay and etsy but I would much prefer to get some input from folks on this board who have purchased skins, if they liked them, and where they got them. Not in a hurry …. the squirrel that I have on hand will no doubt tie be enough to tie 2-3 hundred soft hackles if not more. John 52948 I will check and see if Wapsi has squirrel skins.

Thanks again