i shot a rabbit this morning right after i shot a squirrel and i mean like .5 seconds after. i came around the tree and he was right there plugged him in the back in the neck with a .117 caliber pellet gun. i have the hide off and the meat in the freezer. the hide is stretched on a bored with salt on it, but when its ready to use how long should i cut it for zonker strips and whats the better color to use for zonker strips. it has a white and a tan. in also gonna try and cut the pine squirrel hide up into strips to b/c i have plenty
I would cut them as long as it allows. I would only use the back section though as it has longest hair. The belly I would use for dubbing. I'd use it all no matter what the color, its easily died with RIT.
also how should i cut it, scissors, knife, exact o blade. and should i cut it on a cutting board on something some, i just dont want to loose alot of fur?
Well if this is going to be habit, then you should get this or make something similar. But a box cutter/exacto will work, just take a bit longer. Don't use scissors (you'll cut hair). http://www.mrfc.com/MadisonRiverShopping/SearchResult.aspx?KeyWords=zonker stripper (scroll to bottom of page) When you cut it, put it under tension (like in a vice) and cut it from the skin side, from head to tail. Don't lay it on a board as you'll end up cutting a lot of hair.
its not really a habit i was out looking for squirrels. the pine squirrel hide fur makes great looking nymphs. when i came around the tree he ran about 8 feet stopped under a bush and i dropped him, HE died with his eyes open so he didnt feel a thing. what are zonker strips used for and what kind of pattern do you guys[gals] like to tie them with???
"when i came around the tree he ran about 8 feet stopped under a bush and i dropped him, HE died with his eyes open so he didnt feel a thing" PETA is going to have a field day with you!:clown: Just as long as this "habit" doesn't start to include vats of acid, and then moves onto larger species such as humans, the folks on this forum will not have a problem with small game hides for tying...hell I'm sure there are "road kill mongers" on this forum.
hey ive stopped on the side of the road cut tails off things and then left, only b/c they looked fresh. last week i came home from school and my dad said he had a present for me, told me where it was i walked outside picked up the upside down pot and it was a grey squirrel that got hit. so for 2-3 hours we were in the garage and skinned out for fun.
I tie a lot of crayfish patters with them. Also there is: Double Bunny Bunny Leach Bunny Spey Zonkers Sculpins Matukas Muddler I'm sure there is a lot more. I'd also do some crosscut strips while you're at it.
I don't want to be a bubble popper, but the pine squirrel is protected in this state. I learned it the hard way, $200.00+ ticket and I didn't get to keep the squirrel. Good shootin just the same.
heron feathers make great spey hackle jk. i dont know where i saw it but he used a blue jay feather and cut the stem in half [long way] and used that for hackle and legs on nymphs. my favorite feathers come from woodpeckers, SERIOUS JK.
Raw (untanned) hides are not worth messing with for fly tying. The skin will stretch way out of shape in no time and it will sling apart in mid cast. Also, never use salt on any material you will be tying flies with. Borax does a better job, by far and it keeps the salt away from your fly box. Amazingly little salt is needed to start your hooks rusting. Even bodies dubbed with hides that only had salt on the one side wick enough salt through to create a problem. BTDT... art
Dude, you can't just salt a rabbit skin. You can't borax them either. You need to tan them. Here is a pretty good read to get you started. http://www.cahe.nmsu.edu/pubs/_l/l-103.pdf
