Selecting the Right Deer and Elk Hair for Fly Tying with Kelly Galloup

In this video, Kelly will walk you through the various types or deer and elk hair and why you would use one over the over for specific fly tying applications. We have included links to the products mentioned in the video below

[charlesgilliland]

Kelly is a legend. These videos that he puts out are comparable to a seasoned tradesman teaching an apprentice. Thank you!

[stephenrosenfeld]

It's been a long winter here in eastern Canada and I've spent too much time watching YouTube videos on fly fishing, yet I feel like I've never wasted a second while watching any of Kelly's great offerings. Thanks so much for doing these!

[petedufault]

Great video as always Kelly! Thanks for clearing up the Elk Hair Caddis wing issue, thats exactly what I was looking for.

[HalfInsaneOutdoorGuy]

played me a bit of compara-cow when I was in my early 20s. Ah good ol BYU....

[gibbyutah]

Good job Kelly. Great video on deer hair.

[emhankinson]

I've been tying flies for 30+ years and this by far, has been the best explanation on hair I've ever seen or heard. Sharpen the pencil, I will be calling an order in very soon. Do you offer bulk discounts?

[BrianOHanlon]

On the Elk hair, where I've seen it become popular here in British Isles now, in a number of colors, not a lot of colors. Is in saltwater fly tying. I know that streamer fishing, as Kelly's tutorials demonstrate, act act as it's own standalone competency, within the trout fly fishing spectrum. One can take streamers, to a fairly high level, as Kelly will frequently demonstrate. Salt water, is less mature at this moment than streamer fly fishing. But, a lot of what Kelly discusses in the demo's, you'll find crop up in a world of saltwater as well. I've a couple of skins, in a darkish green, and I think in a jet black of the Elk, obtained from one of the saltwater fly tying stores - and I concur, that where I use it - is for larger may flies, parachutes. He's right too, Elk's a tough material. Hence why the saltwater guys picked up on it so fast - they need vibrant saltwater flash, color - and durability too.

[MarcTelesha]

Genetic White Deer is needed for fly tying. We need a Whitting for deer hair :)

[g.s.richardson]

What to do with hair that has a curl or is not strait shafted on the skin is it lesser quality than strait or more difficult to work with ?

[chasselynch]

I've been ordering hair from TCO FLY SHOP and tactical fly fisher but getting good hair is hit or miss

[BrianOHanlon]

One last thing, on the Deer. The reason, unlike Elk, that white tailed deer of the Compara Dun small packet variety is great for small dries - not like the Elk, the deer isn't as robust. But in terms of small dries, where you don't have a lot of 'material' of any description on the small dry fly - the quality of the Deer that goes on that wing - precisely, when it is a bit more fragile, and bit lighter, more hollow, more float-able, is good. You'll trade off durability for sure - like, I frequently have to 'swap' out that entire row of small deer hair dries - from my box. As they don't put up a huge battle against teeth of fish etc. But in return for trade-off of durability, you get a great floating pattern, in a small size. I've found that small coastal deer patches from America, are hollow enough, down to the last quarter inch - that you can create these tiny dry patterns from it - and make great fish catching patterns.

[BrianOHanlon]

There are a few patterns, mixed in between the CDC, hackle dry patterns etc, in real small sizes on rivers, that are sub-size 14, even sub-size 16, in the deer hair dry fly category - that are just indispensable to have. Even in a timber fly box, with mostly CDC and hackle dries - a single 'row' of small deer hairs, can alter the playing field a bit - especially when one is out of ideas. The small patch of coastal compara dun - that is, you won't have bags of it ever - but just one small patch of it, is worth it's place in any good fly tyer's cabinet. Even just a natural color, without going into any special colors. These small deer hairs can be game changers.

[dominiqueleblanc]

But can I make nice heads with primo. I don't really spin my hair.

[ashtonmakowsky]

Is there a hair in a broad range of colors that I can use for caddis wings but also for spinning for say some bead head muddler minnows ? I dont mind having some waste but would like to find a hair that had color selections that suits both applications ?? Thanks

[ajblythe]

what kind of deer hair would you use on a yellow humpy? I'm new at tying and unsure. I know not to use belly hair in viewing your video. Thanks for sharing this.

[chasselynch]

So mr.kelly if I called the slide in flyshop and wanted a light olive colored hair for tying sparkle duns it would be hand picked then mailed to me ??

[golferpatbug]

Awesome information Kelly. I'm new to fly tying and this helps out a lot, but I do have a question, what is the best way to store Deer, Elk, and Moose hairs, should they stay in the plastic bags or can I store them out of the bags? Will they become brittle over time?

[wab]

Hey Kelly, great video. 1 question though. Why is belly hair "hard" tanned and the rest is "soft" tanned? I.E. belly hair skin twisted and the other nice and flat and flexible.

[jasonflyfishercolorado]

The difference between whitetail deer and mule deer?

[kellysmith]

Kelly can I order stuff from your store