Snow Shoe Hares feet Sub

What can I use as a substitue for Snow Shoe Hares Feet. I can not get any in my area. Information would be appreciated. John

Send me your address again and I will stick a couple in the mail… Our rabbits all have four very big feet and we sometimes whack and stack them in unreal numbers… :wink:

There is no really good substitute… Except yarn…

Wish I could find an arctic hare to shoot. They are so enormous it has to be seen to be believed. A snowshoe is a big bunny, but the other is bigger than the average fox.
art

I would think…CDC…or Calf Tail

I use poly yarn as a cold bunny foot hair substitute.

Not as subtle in it’s coloring, but the flies fish the same. A judicious use of a permanent marker and they look good, too.

Buddy

Hap thanks for the super kind offer, I just sent you a PM. Thanks to Duck, and Buddy also for the kind info. John

If you do a search on ebay for rabbit feet, you’ll find several collections of rabbit feet available as well as one person selling Snowshoe Rabbit feet. Just a thought in case you wanted some colors other than natural white.

p.s. If you buy the colored rabbit’s feet, you should have enough to hang one on your vest for good luck; not that it did the rabbit any good:)

Jim Smith

I just went to Fran Better’s home page…I was sure he’d be selling the SS rabbit if anyone did… this is what I found

I CAN NO LONGER DO WHAT I HAVE DONE FOR SO MANY YEARS. AS A RESULT, THE PRICE OT MY BUSINESS HAS BEEN DRASTICALLY REDUCED!! Having been recently inducted into the Fly Fishing Hall of Fame, after 46 years, I am ready for this change. to retire and write more books. The price on my entire operation (Sport Shop, restaurant, apartment building, motel and gift Shop) has been drastically reduced to induce a quick sale. Also willing to discuss the sale of the Adirondack Sport Shop Business alone. A great reputation and chance of a lifetime for the right one. It is a turn key operation that includes all stock on hand. Willing to train and act as consultant for a time to insure the large number of old and new customers. Call 518 - 946-2605 or cell phone 518-524-0011. Only serious inquiries. Fran Betters, Box 125, Adirondack Sport Shop, Wilmington N.Y. 12997.
I did find a number of shops that sold them packaged both by Hairline and Orvis
I get mine from English Angling Trappings

bassman,

Here is a link to where you may purchase “snow shoe hares feet in different colors”:

http://www.jsflyfishing.com/cgi-bin/category.cgi?&category=71000&start=24

Thanks again to all of you for your help. John

Bassman,

Keep in mind that there is a difference between rabbits feet and snowshoe hares feet. The hair texture is different.

REE

Thank you for that important info Ron. That is something I did need to know. John

Take a look at the hair on red fox feet… At least the ones here walk on hair very similar to snowshoe hares…

Or go to the sponsors page stone river outfitters were i got all my fly tying stuff and at a good price

hap and nyfisherman, thanks for the additional information. I will look into those. John

Hap thanks a lot I just received the SS Feet you sent they great. I really appreciate that If I can ever help you out please let me know. John

I use SS feet for anything that calls for CDC. It floats like a cork and doesn’t give up after the fish hits it. You can tie a heck of a lot more flies for the same dollar investment too. AKA “Poor mans CDC”.

Thanks for the info MATO, I appreciate all the help I can get. John

Bassman
Happy to hear they made it. I especially like them for parachute post material. Once you get the foot cut a little for access they seem to produce the material easier than anything except antron yarn. The yarn wastes time though because you have to wrap it with much more thread and glue it to make a good post. The rabbit foot hair is much stiffer and takes far less time to tie in.

As an aside, my pet tying peeve is cutting hair at half length. Well, actually anything other than right at the hide. When cutting rabbit feet hair it is hard to get in there for the first couple cuts, but once you get it started the trimming gets easy.
art sounding grumpy :wink:

Hap, I find that if I cut the feet lengthwise (seperate the toes) you get real quick and easy access to the full length of hair right from the start…

Also because of the taper (or lack of) I find that trimming SS hair on the fly doesn’t look too bad at all.

Easiest way to get to the good stuff is just grapping the middle toes, and pull apart - no need to cut, they will separate nicely lenghtwise. also a good idea if you want to dye them - or use a permanent marker to color the hair. Another alternative is getting your hands on some arctic fox feet - similar texture, slightly softer, but much whiter…and a little longer in the fibers…use the hairs in the toe area for wings, and the heel hair for dubbing…, you’ll notce, that the toe hair is much stiffer than the heel area (or whatever you call it) ss hare that is…
Ulrik