I have a recipe that calls for “woodchuck guard hairs” to make a tail. I’ve never used woodchuck, and have no idea what it’s like.
What could I substitute in its place?
Andrew
I’ve often wondered the same thing. The next time I’m in Pennsylvania I’m going to off one of those little bastards and get a lifetime supply.
i use mink tail and even raccoon seem to do the job…
Andrew…take a look at the “All Chuck Caddis” in the fly archives. That will give you an idea of what it looks like. It’s mostly black with white tips. Most flyshops carry it…hope this helps…Jason
Gray Squirrel back guard hair is good as is the guard hair on a hares mask. Hope that helps a might? Ron
Benjo
I know you are tongue in cheek but if you do just be aware they are greasy critter infested critters.
You can get badger from ‘Coffin Creek Furs’
[url=http://www.flytyingfurs.com/index.htm:f00b0]http://www.flytyingfurs.com/index.htm[/url:f00b0]
A great company to deal with, I ordered some mallard and teal wings and Ken threw in two woodchuck tails as a gift. They don’t seem to mind small orders for hobby tiers such as my self.
[This message has been edited by kengore (edited 18 March 2005).]
Comme to Idaho this spring I shoot about 50 every spring And with my swift about all that is left is the tail.
Don’t make the mistake I made 12 years ago gonna save money and whack a chuck and skin and scrape and cure and… lets just say I washed with diluted bleach stored with mothballs and the critters I got from that chuck ate through every feather and fur I had … so disgusted I quit tying for almost 10 years .I still quarantine all feathers and skins I buy for a long time .Feathers from the ducks and geese I kill are frozen and thawed many times, washed and then dried, stored in bags with moth crystals , separately from all others.
Mike
Rich
You need to crawl within at least 200
and use a Hornet or a Bee.
I use Woodchuck for the Llama Streamer. You can get a piece that will last quite some time from Hunter’s for $2.00 - here’s a link:
[url=http://www.huntersangling.com/:85d15]http://www.huntersangling.com/[/url:85d15]
I freeze all the fur and feathers that I get from the wild. The fur then gets thawed and pickled in denatured alcohol for several weeks/months, then dried (after all that it dries in a day or so). I have not had a problem with critters by doing this. I have had a critter problem with feathers that I have not frozen first.
Namekagon I can’t hit much past there anyway but I only shoot from the truck!
Andrew Mann, Is there some unknown reason why you want to use a substitute instead of the real thing?
Woodchuck 
I Use a Thompson Center 22-250 with a silvertip 40 gr Winchester Bullet. I’ll drop’em from 0-275 yds. Longer than that I use a (custom) hotter load and that will go to 400 yd. I managed 76 last season from the farms surrounding me and about 9 on my place.
If I skined them it might not be pretty, I just keep most of the tails.
Philip
You guys need to load or caliber down…
think of all the good meat you’re wasting.
old geezer…is that a T/C contender you’re
using for those 400 yder’s?
Just kidding…not that it can’t be done.
Regards
nam
Pats Man,
The reason is simple…I don’t have any woodchuck and want to tie a pattern that calls for it.
Andrew
Ok, Now let me ask this. If someone told you a good substitute and you did not have it what would you do?
Nam, its the Encore T/C, and more are shot at 150-275 yds.
Philip
I look into… my fly box, and think about all the elements I should consider in choosing the perfect fly: water temperature, what stage of development the bugs are in, what the fish are eating right now. Then I remember what a guide told me: ‘Ninety percent of what a trout eats is brown and fuzzy and about five-eighths of an inch long.’ - Allison Moir.
I wonder if he ever fished Saltwater 
Pats Man,
I was hoping that someone would suggest a substitute that I have at my tying bench. If I didn’t have one, I’d simply move on to another pattern.
Andrew