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Fly Tying => Fly Tying => Topic started by: jl3140 on 10/11/14 14:10 UTC

Title: Stopped by a taxidermy shop today...
Post by: jl3140 on 10/11/14 14:10 UTC
I decided to contact a taxidermist near me to see if he had any scrap pieces of deer or elk that he would be willing to sell me. He replied that he had a huge box and to stop in sometime and we could work something out. I stopped by today and he was not kidding about a huge box. The box was 3ft by 2ft by 4ft and filled with deer, elk, some kudu, and some zebra hide. I started looking through it and picked a few pieces out that I wanted. He said he would sell to me for $5 a piece, then he started taking more pieces out and I ended up with 5 pieces and some small scraps. He ended up telling me $20 total for the pieces. Here is what I ended up with. The business card in the middle is for scale.
(http://i912.photobucket.com/albums/ac323/jl3140/2014-10-11135506_zps155d525a.jpg)
The top left is scrap from a steer hide, the left edge moving down into the bottom is elk, and the rest is deer. I'm going to have deer hair for a LONG time.

Josh
Title: Re: Stopped by a taxidermy shop today...
Post by: Muskygary on 10/11/14 16:27 UTC
Nice haul! Now you'll have to get Fatman to tell you how to dye some strips.
Title: Re: Stopped by a taxidermy shop today...
Post by: Fatman on 10/11/14 16:31 UTC
Nice score!!!  I have a guy at work that does deer and I've gotten a few pieces but I get a lot in trade box's on one of my fly tying sites.  Material swap box's are excellent for getting materials.  Have one going on crappie.com right now.  Trying to get the guy on Fly Anglers to get the box going again as winter is coming!! 
Title: Re: Stopped by a taxidermy shop today...
Post by: Fatman on 10/11/14 16:33 UTC
Must have posted at the same time!!  Haven't done deer hide yet that's the next one I'm going to try.  but hopefully it isn't any different than doing the feathers. 
Title: Re: Stopped by a taxidermy shop today...
Post by: jl3140 on 10/11/14 16:47 UTC
It would be pretty cool to dye some of the elk to make a few different colored caddis flies.
Title: Re: Stopped by a taxidermy shop today...
Post by: MO QWACK on 10/11/14 18:02 UTC
Wonder if you can use the zebra for a stripe bass  ;D very nice! I like to stop by just to look at the animals some times