MAINE - Life in the Slow Lane
Great questions Dave! I have been toying with the idea of spinning deer hair for some bass bugs and couple of other patterns I like. The muddler minnow and the cougar specifically, but in my past attempts spinning looked like crap when I did it. So I have been weary. Maybe I have the wrong materials, and maybe I'm not using proper technique. I just don't know. I have watched many videos and just can't seem to figure out which piece of the puzzle is eluding me.
If anyone around these parts has some good technique I'd love to buy em a beer in exchange for some knowledge.
Theron
your making far too much out of the hair issue David....for sinning you want a nice course hair ....soft light hair doesn't spin well at all....I buy all my dyed deer hair but all my natural stuff comes from NS deer shot in November during out gun season....Most of the hair on a deer pelt can be spun with the exception of some around the white areas of the belly and arse....I tied 5000 deer hair flies last year (bugs, bombers, Muddlers) so if yah want any tips on spinning I may be able to help 
The best advice I can give you is don't try to spin too large a clump or too small...something around the size of a pencil is the best. Pack it tight once spun ...get yourself a good pair of curved scissors for trimming ( I prefer Anvil) and I use monocord on all my deer hair flies...regular uni thread is the shits ...with monocord you can sink the thread right to the hook shank and not worry about it breaking....I hate Gelspun and Kevlar, they dull and ruin good scissors in a hurry. Spin using one - two wraps..pack the hair back and then one -two turns in front to lock it in.
Thanks Mike. Both you and Stephen have given me some good info. Now to go out and find some hooks to practice on, I have to get with Stephen or Mike again to find out what hooks to use, I fogot already. I best get a paper and pencil next time Stephen can you remind me once again ? 
Hi Dave
The earlier in the season the deer is harvested the better..... There is less underfur than later in the fall.
The less of that you have to pick out, the better.
I use Mustad 3399A hooks....they are fairly heavy duty and gererally reasonable in price..
If you manage to get a fresh hide I can send you a inexpensive pickling recipe.. i did a bit of moose
years ago(40 yrs) and there has never been a chewing little grub come near it..
It is basicly a mix of water, salt and battery acid.
Thanks Stephen. I need all the help i can get.
I too use Mustad 3399A hooks but you can tie bugs on any wet fly or nymph hook Dave....Diichi's are nice but expensive....and last tip..don't be afraid to cut when trimming the thinner the bug the better. If you nip nip nip they turn out like crap...the deeper you can make the initial cuts the better...without cutting the thread of course...LOL
I'm feeling more confident after reading all of this!
Thanks gang!
Don't do it T Bone, it's a trap! Me and deer hair on flies is all bad, and I do mean all bad 
It just don't behave 
Thanks for the info Mike and Stephen you both have been great . Well I got some deer hair today . It must be the good stuff . Even said spinning deer on the package. The reason I say it must be the good stuff . Well it cost a friggin $ 3.95 for a 6 " x 4 " chunk. Highway robbery . Took it right to me . What we used to say in the service , they didn't even use vaseline. I have to find someone who takes a deer every year or this could get a bit to expensive. Now I have to go and see If I can find the hooks. This time I am bringing the vaseline . I know that Stephen said the price isn't to bad but this is SD so I am bringing the stuff for precautionary measures
OK WHERE IN THE HECK CAN I GET 3399A HOOKS ? I found a place but they have the S60-3399A 1x and the S70-3399A 2x both at $3.25 for 25 qty . Found another place $6.25 for 50 Qty I am still looking. Help if you can . Thanks Dave V
I really want to get into a new fly for me . Stephen knows what I am talking about . (The Buck Bug ) I have a few questions for Stephen < Mike or any of you who are familar with spiining deer hair. Stephen told me the top of the pelt from the neck almost to the tail is the best hair for spinning. Is that an ealry season deer ? Or late season deer. Bow hunters get to hunt early in the season and the deer are still in their summer coat am I correct on that ? If so is this hair better suited to spin ? Or is the late fall rut season the best hair to use ? Or am I making way more then need be about the hair I use ?
Eventually, all things merge into one, and a river runs through it. The river was
cut by the world's great flood and runs over rocks from the basement of time.
On some of the rocks are timeless raindrops. Under the rocks are the words,
and some of the words are theirs.