Harvest Deer Hair for Flies and Lures

Whitetail deer tails are a popular material source for big fish spinners and finesse-focused jigs along with popular fly patterns for panfish and bass. Simonson Photo.

The Details

By Nick Simonson

If you’re lucky enough to harvest a deer this year, the benefits of punching your tag can go even further beyond that set of trophy antlers for the wall and the packages of steaks, roasts, stew meat and burger that will fill your freezer. If you tie flies or make lures, deer hair and the traditional whitetail deer tail are some of the most fun materials for tying high floating flies or seductive streamers and jigs.

From trout and bass, to walleyes and muskies, there’s a pattern for just about any species which can tie the success of your November hunt into your spring and summertime fishing, and saving a section of the skin and that tail will help set you up for a winter’s worth of material.

Hairy Matters

Deer tail hair fibers make up a common dressing for treble hooks on in-line spinners for pike and mu