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Seal Fur?

3K views 9 replies 3 participants last post by  juro 
#1 ·
After 20 years my small patch of black seal fur is done. I have not found a material that even comes close to replacing it. The dubbing has no equal in the tying of ants.
Is there anyone out there that would be willing to sell some or know where I can kill a black seal or better yet snip a chunk of the wifes black seal fur coat without her noticing it's gone?
OC
 
#2 ·
OC -

Our sponsor Ron Taylor of Fishermen's Feathers at fishermensfeathers.com is the best source for this material as well as many other rare items. We would need to obtain a CITES permit for buying it but once obtained we can process group orders.

http://www.fishermensfeathers.com

The permit is $15 per species so I suggest letting the FORUM get the permits. We have one for jungle cock already. I will get one for seal, I use seal a lot as body dubbing for steelhead and salmon flies.

Alternatively contact Phil Castleman, a US reseller of fishermens feather's materials. Phil is owner of Castle Arms of Springfield Massachusetts. Tell Phil the Flyfishing Forum sent ya!
 
#3 · (Edited)
Not politically correct but,

Hi OC
I think they might be Grey not black but give Eddie a ring he might be able to solve your problem.

From
http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/environment/story.jsp?dir=58&story=274187&host=3&printable=1


Town's seal colony may be shot to save salmon
By Paul Kelbie Scotland Correspondent

14 March 2002

A colony of seals that has taken up residence at the mouth of one of Scotland's main angling rivers will be shot unless it moves before the arrival of the annual spring salmon.

For almost three months, estate workers responsible for protecting stocks on the river Thurso in the far north of the Highlands have been trying to scare away the creatures. The seals, which are basking on a small island opposite the tourist office in Thurso, have become an attraction for visitors and a cause célèbre for local animal rights supporters.

Eddie McCarthy, the river superintendent for Thurso Fisheries, said: "Although I am perfectly within my legal rights to shoot these seals, I don't want to, and am willing to try anything rather than harm them." The fisheries is chaired by Viscount Thurso, the local landowner, who as John Thurso is the Liberal Democrat MP for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross.

Mr McCarthy said: "The spring salmon will be arriving in five or six weeks and if they are taken by the seals that is a complete generation of salmon wiped out.

"We will also have this year's smolts [young salmon] attempting to leave the river in mid-April and the seals will just sit with their mouths open and feast upon them. With so many seals on such a narrow stretch of river there will be no room for any of the salmon to get past."

Mr McCarthy's nightmare began last October when a late run of salmon up the river was followed by half a dozen seals. Within days the number had grown to about 27 as they set up residence on an island just down the river from the main bridge crossing in Thurso.

"I tried throwing stones at them, but people who saw what I was doing started threatening me," said Mr McCarthy.

"I phoned the local offices of Scottish Natural Heritage to tell them that seals were beginning to colonise the mouth of the river and asked for their advice but they weren't much help. I have 38 years' experience in this business, the last 21 as river superintendent here, and I have never known this sort of thing to happen before."

Desperate to force the seals to leave, Mr McCarthy built a fence of sheep netting around their island. But with the river in spate, the seals quickly found a way around the obstacle.

He then tried covering the ground in sharp stones, and on Tuesday put scarecrows in fluorescent jackets on the island to scare them – all to no avail. "If the seals aren't gone by the end of March I will be forced to shoot every last one of them," he said. "I don't want to do it – they are perfectly healthy – but I have the right, as they are not an endangered species.

"In fact, I am more endangered than they are. I have been offered to have my throat cut, it has been wished upon me and my family that we all die of cancer very soon, and somebody has even threatened to torch my wife's car just because I want to get rid of the seals."

Mr McCarthy said the river had "enjoyed a worldwide reputation as a salmon river" but it would cease to do so if the seals stayed. The fishing generated a lot of income for the local economy, he said. "We regularly have visitors from America, Canada, France and Spain."

Paul Simonite, who lives in the town, said he understood Mr McCarthy's desire to protect his salmon stocks from plunder, but saving the river for a single use was not viable.

"Mr McCarthy is of the opinion that the seals are of little or no financial value to the area, but he is mistaken," he said. "I have had a number of visitors from the south this winter and high on their list of 'must-sees' is the Thurso seals. Wildlife tourism is fast becoming a world-leading income generator and should not be dismissed out of hand."

A spokeswoman for Scottish Natural Heritage said one of its officers would contact Mr McCarthy to discuss moving the seals without having to shoot them. "If he should decide to go through with a cull we hope he will at least talk to us first so that we might be able to help."

How big a patch were you wanting ?

Malcolm
 
#4 ·
Willie,
I'm not sure what type of seal this was. The patch was black and dubbing was as black as the hair. It was not dyed and had a certian sheen to it that I've not found any where else. I had some grey seal fur that I had dyed but it was not the same any way the trout did not think it the same. Great story about the seal and salmon. Whish we could shoot some here in the NW. I know one small river with about 100 wild steelhead left in system and about 200 seals at the river mouth. Just does not add up.

Juro,
I'd be glad to send in the money for the permit when I send in my check for the site upgrade, soon. Would all the members be able to purchase seal fur then if they wanted to?
 
#5 ·
A REALLY BIG one. ;) Just kidding, there must be a workable compromise. Here in the states they use rubber bullets for crowd control. How about giving them non-fatal hints?

Incarceration would allow tourism AND the salmon to thrive. Plus they'd get free food for as long as they wanted. Once the runs subside, they could be released. Hopefully like jailbirds they would fly away quickly and be conditioned not to return!
 
#6 ·
As you probably know we had our sea lions eating steelhead at the lochs in Seattle. They tried everything one could think of including a mechanical killer whale. "hey Willie you want to buy a 7 meter long ORCA cheap?" It worked for a day or so. They even transported the sea lions down to California I think and they came right back. The state could not shoot them though because it was not politically correct. Someone else would Know better but I believe these Sea lions now reside in a Florida Zoo.

If I get some seal fur I would only need a small patch, that is unless Juro has some secret seal fur steelhead fly.
Well taking the day off tomorrow and heading over to the spring creek with the girl friend and will fish my last size 18 seal fur ants I have left in my box from my days on the Henery's Fork. But the whole time over there be thinking about how hot the steelhead fishing is getting up north.
 
#7 ·
No !!!!!!!!

OC
The politically correct tree huggers have suggested the inflatable killer whale idea, it comes complete with tape so it sounds right as well. I favour a quicker solution, less cruel than putting the poor beasts in a zoo for the rest of their lives.

Could I get some seal fur in the UK and post it across in a "brown paper parcel" or would we all spend the rest of our lives in a cage?

Malcolm
 
#8 ·
OC -

Thanks but the FORUM will buy the permit because it applies to so many people that way. On a per purchase level it's a steal when it comes to JC or seal. This is the standard dyed salmon and steelhead fly length seal fur, might not be the same as your little seal patch. If you are still interested let me know, I will be putting in an order to restock my steelie fly supply.

Besides I need some colors for my entry into Sean's wedding broochie thing contest :)
 
#9 ·
Willie,
I can see it all now in the London Times, Boston Globe and the Seattle Times. "International fur patch ring busted". A group of crusty old men claiming to be fly fishermen were arrested this week on both sides of the Alantic in what is believed to be the largest such fur patch bust in history. The conterban was shiped in brown paper bags with the words "tuna fish sandwiches" written on the sides.
This group of new age fur traders said; "we were only trying to help our endangered runs of alantic salmon and increase our fishing opportunities at the same time by the harvesting of seals and the selling of small fur patches to fellow fishermen".
P.E.T.A. on the other hand said; "we have been following this organized ring now for weeks and have had some good leads into what they were up too. We notified INTERPOL and they made the bust quickly and with no remorse.
OC
 
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