Boy do you guys have any idea how hard it is to get Polar Bear?

I never thought about it really and didn't think I would want any until I got to see some and boy it's very different and has very nice reflective properties. Had a guy send me a present when I bought his DVD and it has Polar Bear for the tail. Now I never thought it was real hair until I chatted with him through email. Then I started looking for some and man there is almost no way and any here had to come only in very restrictive ways since the USA banded the shipping of it here.

Anyway found a little and am tickled to death, but man a little cost a bunch IMHO! I may have posted this little jig before, but see it again below.

Skip

This is a jig that was tied by DonO that does the Ropedub teaching and is very good. Anyone remember that shrimp I posted? His too. He told me this was one to hold on to and not a fishing jig!
Attachment 50277

I do not think you can buy polar bear hair anywhere . Yes I have not seen it in any of the fly tying supply catalogs or online . Yes it would deftly cost you a bundle of money to get a small chunk.

Thats what doll flies used to be made of, I was told. I have fished with a few of the ones I have and they work different than any others. The catfish like em too!! Never thought that I would tie with any, so it's funny you should be looking for some. With their habitat going away and the Eskimo lifestyle being centered around it I would imagine it is pricey. Anything rubbing against politically correct makes you dip into your pocket. Show more when you get em. The one pictured looks good.

This comes up alot on fly tying boards and if you can find it make darn sure you get paperwork with it!!!!!!! Where it came from, proof that it's pre-ban etc etc.

You can buy legal polar bear hair here but it's expensive: Zonkers, Fox, Bear, Yak, Hair's Mask

Fatman

Have 5 pieces that were bought back about 1960 something I have kept it in a glass jar with mothballs. After read this post I had to go out and take a look at it. Yes it is pretty. Will I ever tie a jig with it ? Maybe just to say that I have one. I am sure that it cost me dearly back then as I was maybe like 13 or so. Working after school to buy tying material to feed my bad habit. And fishing Sunday afternoon to satisfly my other habit.

I am sure there is some still out there. And the right now some Eskmo is warm under a polar bear robe blanket.

Redman

I've never seen any polar bear fur. LRB sent me some black bear and it is softer than I thought it would be. She also sent me some moose. You could use a moose hair as a toothpick. LOL It would do good for a weedguard.

That a nice jig Skip. Would be good to have one just to display.

Yes I am going to keep this one since he tied it and probably put it behind some glass, framed ro something like that.

I was able to find a little, but will only use it for special things. Have the reciept, but not sure that is enough so will ask more. I got about 10 colors and my friend also gave me a small chunk of premo natural white with I will cherish. Boy it's awesome! Maybe I will make a few special ties with it to put behind glass with his????

You can find it in Canada, but can't ship it here to the US. I don't know what else is needed to be legal with some that was getting made into a rug or even if you can. I do know if you look up Polar Bear Rugs there are some for sale, but not here that I know of and boy talk about high cost. If I remember right a 10' one was like $20,000.00, LOL!

To me the hair looks more synthetic since it has a shine and would not mistake this any longer after seeing some. Really neat stuff it is!

Another friend just shot a bear, not sure what kind, but it's at the taxidermist so maybe I better hit him up for scraps since he said it has a red shade look, but not Polar bear for sure!

Thanks for the link Fatman, but already spent a enough on a few nice color pieces.
Skip

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Redman

Have 5 pieces that were bought back about 1960 something I have kept it in a glass jar with mothballs. After read this post I had to go out and take a look at it. Yes it is pretty. Will I ever tie a jig with it ? Maybe just to say that I have one. I am sure that it cost me dearly back then as I was maybe like 13 or so. Working after school to buy tying material to feed my bad habit. And fishing Sunday afternoon to satisfly my other habit.

I am sure there is some still out there. And the right now some Eskmo is warm under a polar bear robe blanket.

Redman

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It may have been less costly and easier to get then because the ban was put on in the 1970's sometime. I had no clue this was as it is, but boy I sure like the looks of that stuff!

Your luck to have a little so keep it safe!

Skip

That jig looks too nice to fish Skip. I agree with your idea of displaying it in your tying room somewhere.

Skip I got 2 pieces of white one red, one yellow and one green. Not a wide array of colors but lucky I have what I have. Use to buy alot of off the wall material Just because I thought they looked neat. Got a bunch of 1/2 gal. Pickle jars that I started to put it in to keep it in good shape. They have been moved more times than I care to count. BTW I opened up one of the jars a while back and the smell of Mothballs is still very strong

Redman.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Redman

Skip I got 2 pieces of white one red, one yellow and one green. Not a wide array of colors but lucky I have what I have. Use to buy alot of off the wall material Just because I thought they looked neat. Got a bunch of 1/2 gal. Pickle jars that I started to put it in to keep it in good shape. They have been moved more times than I care to count. BTW I opened up one of the jars a while back and the smell of Mothballs is still very strong

Redman.

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Your actually better with one piece of pest strip in with tying stuff and changing it every once in a while, but it last a long time and kills anything that lands on it.

Just so you know each like 1 1/2" SQ. of hide with good hair on it is like $20.

Skip

Skip the jars have a rubber seal in the lid. I screw them tite and don't open them very often. I have six of these jars and they have my special material in them. But think that I will take your suggestion and change to the pest strips.

Redman

Mom's got a Polar Bear rug that my dad shot in the 50's. Maybe I ought to have her cut into little squares and sell it. She's over 90 and likes to use it to warm her feet in the winter

Quote:

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Originally Posted by hunter7711

Mom's got a Polar Bear rug that my dad shot in the 50's. Maybe I ought to have her cut into little squares and sell it. She's over 90 and likes to use it to warm her feet in the winter

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Well let me say it like this. I saw on line a 7' Polar Bear run for almost $10,000.00 and one that any larger is more, much more. However I should also say that if the ends are broken off from use then it not near and wanted by fly tiers. On the other hand if you have one in good shape it's worth way more than and foot warmer, LOL! You could buy a whole hose of foot warmers and still have plenty left over, LOL!

Oh and saw a 10' rug for almost $20,000.00! However neither can be bought by someone in the US.

It's also legal, but would have to have some kind of wild life official certify it. The people I bought mine form have such a source and have a wildlife official certify it as legal.

I know if I was you me and mom would need to have a talk to see if I could trim a bit off, LOL! You can ruin it dying it so have to be careful with that too, but don't know of any animals hair that is like a Polar Bear. It's special and hard to get and that is why I bought what little I could so I would have some for personal use and maybe not even fishing, just show flies and jigs.

Skip

I think I'll let it alone. It was a Boone and Crockett bear and is well over 10 feet. It'll be mine one of these days, and I guarantee you that there will never be a piece cut off it. I have plenty of other stuff that I can tye with and catch all the fish I need.

Don't blame you a bit as it was shot by you dad and that has a lot of feel good attached to it so it's worth more to you as is and that is a good thing too. Being a B&C helps, but I would bet the most important part is where it came from huh? I lost too many thing over the years that meant a lot to me because it was dad's.

Good for you as I know I cherish so many thing my dad had since I lots him when I was 15 and he was only 47. So believe me I totally understand.

Skip

PS...another great material I just learned of is Temple Dog hair, boy that stuff is really nice ( long and look like it would really move in the water)! Just too costly and no place to buy it wholesale yet, but I am looking.

LOL I got to ask, what is a Temple Dog. Have you got a pic, thanks.

Sorry I don't know either, but when I bought this little bit of Polar Bear they started offering other options and they mentioned Temple Dog hair, of course I never have heard of it. So I had them send me one pack of it to see and boy it looks awesome, but is so expensive I don't think it would lend it self to something I can sell at a reasonable price. So I have when time permits I am looking for a sourse that would be more wholesale.

I will try to get a picture of the hair, but don't think it will tell you much, but got to say I think it's going to move in the water very nice for hair. I at the same time am thinking my Fox tails will be as good and cost a lot less.

I have no clue as to what the dog looks like, but man they have some long hair.

Skip
Hey I did find a picture or two so here they are...
http://www.amitabhatms.asn.au/images...0July%2010.jpg

http://www.alleephotography.com/uplo...emple_dogs.jpg