Tom, to get the nice collar, you need to wrap the first bunch in with the points towards the rear of the hook, at the length you want. Remove the soft under fur and stack before you do this. Then for the head, wrap the thick ends pointing to the rear of the hook, so that these form the main bulk. More thicker = more bouyancy.
To cut down on the mess caused by trimming, and for more economical use of the hair, you can cut a bunch of deer hair in half. Wrap the points half on for the collar, then wrap the butt half on for the head. You may need to add another bunch of butt hair depending on the length of head you want. The hair spins easier if it is wrapped on the bare shank, but wrap the thread through it towards the head for security.
Easier to show than explain, so here is a simple, very clear demo of the technique.Courtesy of Davie McPhail ......... don't worry about the deer hair he uses, it's mainly for small deer hair patterns.
savage take is the muddler specialist, so if he comes along he may offer some expert advice. I just hope this helps you for now.
First Muddler - Needs critiquing
Linear Mode
