raccoon fur

[flytyingfred]

any uses for raccoon fur besides the tail? thanks for any replies fred

 

[tomgamber]

:-D

 

[08rollaS]

^hahahaha

 

[vern]

I use it a lot on nymph patterns - primarily hendrickson & sulfurs (similar pattern, different sizes), cranefly larvae, perla stones, hellgrammites, dragonfly nymphs, sculpin bodies, one caddis pupae; and in a mix with orange and muskrat for crayfish.
I also use it almost exclusively for the body on a hendrickson dry (black thread, dark rusty dun hackle and bronzed mallard wing).

I really like the material, but it comes in a variety of shades - animal to animal and on locations on the body.

My choice is a trapper's medium to light, brownish-yellowish (not gray) raccoon pelt.
If I ever trap one, I'd really like to try the underfur from an albino/near albino pelt for some of the lighter dubbing uses, such as an adult crane fly dry, or a dark light cahill.
The thing about raccoon pelts is the darker they are, the higher the fur market value. The lighter they are, the less commercial value. That works perfectly for me for tying.

If you have any friends who trap, you should be able to snag a decent whole stretched and dried and prepped for sale pelt for well under $25. (Depending on size and quality, the trapper may only get $5 to $25 from a dealer.) If he legally can't sell to you, he may be able to give it to you.
One pelt will produce a large number of trout/bass flies.

If you're interested in trapping info see http://www.patrappers.com/dist.htm

It dubs well and the guard hairs are relatively easy to separate out.
It retains some spring, so it can add bulk when you need it. The untreated fur usually has pretty good oils on the hairs and some natural water resistance. Though raccoons do get wet, they seem to have evolved with a close relationship to water and dry out pretty well.

It's a little more coarse than Australian Possum, but not near as coarse as some of the synthetic dubbings I've tried. I figure the natural coloration is probably more likely to be within the wavelengths of aquatic life than synthetics.

Anyway, I find it works very well.
Never made a hat. Figured I would get shot wearing it where I used to crawl around.

 

[osprey]

Vern....you hit it right on the money, the shades and texture vary greatly from animal to animal but, like you i view that as a positive thing ...........what a range of uses. Don't forget the tails on your bicycle handlebars.....heh heh