Yes, it's a pretty small leap from a Bucktail Caddis to an Elk hair Caddis. However I feel there is more to Mr. Troth's design than just a hair-wing palmered body dry fly. It's a well thought out design, efficient to tie and can be easily packaged to imitate any Caddis species. There certainly would have been an Elk Hair Caddis but I'm not sure it would have been as elegant.