Impala hair source?

[fatshark]

I have some old patches of hair I use for small sedges - fine, flairs very gently, not hollow, makes lovely wings. I bought this years ago from Orvis and am sure it was labelled 'Impala'. It has no underfur, stacks well and comes in a range of natural tan colours.

I'm running out ... and can't find anyone who stocks it. Globalflyfisher lists it as hard to find. It's clear that the term impala is also used for a much coarser deerhair or perhaps calf tail. The stuff I'm after is really fine and very straight.

Do any readers know where I can get some more. Needless to say, Orvis no longer list it.

Many thanks.

[silversedge]

I once heard that they run wild in Africa! A visit to a zoo or a safari park and a word to the keepers might get you a bag of it maybe a small donation to the zoo might seal the deal.

[arkle]

I've bought a very similar hair from Steve Cooper before now, might be worth a call.

[icejohn]

impala hair,

is a small deer animial. and there is different hair all over it. ie white belly hair and other hair you get off the ears. In general the hair is alot finer than deer but has more colours and textures to choose from.

I would look at any fly fishing shops in south africa and maybe phone a few up on skype cheap enough and they will sent you stuff. This is probably the only way you will get some. you will also get some other hair over there i used to use spring bok has lucky enough to have a belt.

[fatshark]

For those who might be searching for impala ... you can get it direct from South Africa for about $90 for a complete hide. By my calculations this should yield about 175,000 sedges ...

I'm going to ask some friends attending the World Cup in 2010 to find some smaller patches!

D.

[flyinghigh]

Fatshark

Why doesn't the businessman half of you come out and think about how if you were to buy that skin cut it up into smaller patches and sell them you could make one hell of a profit.
Eg. If its aprox. 100 by 100 cm you cut it into 10 by 5 squares and sell them for 5 pound a square you could make 1000 pounds. Not bad me thinks.

Flyinghigh

[dabhoy]

If you could get some zebra at the same time

[fatshark]

flyinghigh ... I'd already considered this ... hides aren't that big, more like 90 x 60 cm, with a range of hair from white through to mid/dark tan. Watch this space

dabhoy ... zebra? No problem. Bit more pricey ... $1800, but the hide is 8-9 feet long so will yield a shed-load of hair for flies. Not that I'm aware of any patterns that call for zebra hair ... not even the zebra midge