Jungle Cock Eyes
Peter Rebhahn
I have a question that's been bugging me. How come with all the
suppliers of designer hackle -- the Hoffmans, the Metzes etc. -- no one
seems to be trying to raise jungle cock feathers for the eyes? Seems to
me that this would be a natural for the people who're raising the
genetic hackle. They're already set up for raising birds, and there
would seem to be a guarenteed market for jungle cock eyes what with all
the interest in traditional salmon flies. Or are they already doing it
and I'm missing something?
A related question: Why doesn't someone come up with an artificial
'eye' that really does look like an eye (not imitation jungle cock) that
can be tied in (not glued to the head) like the old fashioned jungle
cock? Dave Whitlock is in print as saying he believes eyes are very
important on some flies, and I think he's right. Or is a product for
this already being made too, and I'm just missing it?
Pete
ZIPPY
Jungle Cock is being raised for the fly-tying trade in the U.K. A neck
will set you back about $130 to $140 dollars US.
It may be that the importation of live jungle fowl violates
US law designed to foil the exotic-pet black market which is
depleting the tropics of much of their wildlife - especially
avian. I approve of these laws, but would like to see certain
careful exceptions for animals raised in captivity for a specific
commercial purpose.
Jungle Cock is at least available today, imported from England. I
remember that it became first difficult, then impossible to get
in the US in the 1950s and through the 70's.
Back2Bass
Peter Rebhahn wrote:
>I have a question that's been bugging me. How come with all the
>suppliers of designer hackle -- the Hoffmans, the Metzes etc. -- no one
>seems to be trying to raise jungle cock feathers for the eyes?
I agree the price of jungle cock eyes is too steep for most to use in
non-presentation flies. In a Vermont fly shop once I saw some flies tied
with fake eyes made using some other feather and a few touches of paint.
The effect was reasonable for a working fly. Unfortunately, I didn't ask
how they made them. Has anybody got a credible solution to this? What
kind of feathers do you start with? How do you treat them? And what kind
of coloring do you use (fabric paint?)? Would appreciate any suggestions.
Tom Stewart
Joe
Back2Bass <back...@aol.com> wrote in article
<19970816221...@ladder01.news.aol.com>...
>
> I agree the price of jungle cock eyes is too steep for most to use in
> non-presentation flies. In a Vermont fly shop once I saw some flies tied
> with fake eyes made using some other feather and a few touches of paint.
> The effect was reasonable for a working fly. Unfortunately, I didn't ask
> how they made them. Has anybody got a credible solution to this? What
> kind of feathers do you start with? How do you treat them? And what
kind
> of coloring do you use (fabric paint?)? Would appreciate any
suggestions.
>
> Tom Stewart
Although I do not tie too many flies which would call for Jungle Cock, a
fairly good substitute can be made from guinea hen feathers burned to shape
(or cut, if you want to ;^) ), and coated with some clear glue or epoxy.
The yellow or orange can be added to the white spots with a permanent
colored marker.
Starling feathers have some feathers that can be used also with similar
modification. I have used a common hen hackle, cut to shape and painted
with model enamel paints, but like the Guinea feathers best. If you do not
care too much, there is always those plastic, printed feathers. I
personally tried them but really do not care for the way they look.
I hope this might help.
--
Jersey Joe
jca...@mindspring.com
Neil Grose
Another way of doing it is to use small black hen hackle with a dab of
white out in the middle. Varnished over the top it looks half
reasonable, and it can be tied in like the real thing.
Neil Grose
Tasmania
Australia
R.A. Skehan
>I have a question that's been bugging me. How come with all the
>suppliers of designer hackle -- the Hoffmans, the Metzes etc. -- no one
>seems to be trying to raise jungle cock feathers for the eyes?
Legal J.C. can be found here in the U.S. from a number of
suppliers...I believe these birds are the decendants of "pre-ban"
stock which remained after the import ban was put into place. I'm not
sure who the actual breeders are, but you can buy them from Hunter's
in New Hampshire, and a number of local flyshops here in the northeast
when they can get their hands on them. They're pricy. Around $125
for a decent grade. I've seen some as low as $75 for lower grades.
These have a bunch of split eyes, but they can easily be fixed with
some Pliobond on the back and smoothed out.
A year or so ago, a FF magazine had an article on one of the American
genetic hackle companies (Hoffman?) which had obtained some Jungle
Cock brood stock, and were planning to develop these....perhaps this
is where the limited U.S supply is coming from?
Regards,
Jan Gunnar Furuly
ZIPPY wrote:
> It may be that the importation of live jungle fowl violates
> US law designed to foil the exotic-pet black market which is
> depleting the tropics of much of their wildlife - especially
> avian. I approve of these laws, but would like to see certain
> careful exceptions for animals raised in captivity for a specific
> commercial purpose.
Jungle fowl is on the international acknowleged CITES list - considered
as an endagered species according to the so called Washington
Convention.
This makes it strictly illegal to do international trade with Jungle
fowl feathers without proper and very restricted export/import
certificates.
If you do so and get caught you will risk very heavy fines.
More information on the subject: This is a news story from my "Salmon
news from Norway" from February 1997:
----------snip-----------
February 1997
Fly tying competetors has to show up CITES-certificates
Fly tyers who intend to participate in international fly tying =
competition "Mustad Scandinavian Open 1997" will be asked to show up
CITES-export certificates, if they use CITES-listed materials in their
flies. If anyone uses for instance Jungle Cock feathers in their entries
to the competition they have to
prove that they bought the materials in a legal way.
Last summer Norway experienced wide media focus on use of banned
materials in the fly tying industry and environment. After instructions
from the Directorate for Nature Management (DN)
Norwegian police carried out razzias against a lot of tackle shops.
Hundreds of J.C. necks were confiscated, among with different types of
parrot feathers and other CITES-listed materials. After
these incidents Mustad immediately announced that they would stop using
natural Jungle Cock in their fly production. Today only flies with
artificial J.C. are sold in Norway - legally.
The "Mustad Scandinavian Open 1997" is proclaimed to be the worlds
largest fly tying competition.
Over 100 tyers in more than 15 countries are expected to participate in
nine categories. Deadline is 31. March. More information on the
competition is available on phone: +47 62 41 02 99 or fax: +47 62 41
30 15. Ask for Mr. O.T. Lj=F8stad at Norsk Skogbruksmuseum. =
---------------snip----------------
> Jungle Cock is at least available today, imported from England. I
> remember that it became first difficult, then impossible to get
> in the US in the 1950s and through the 70's.
In Norway it is now nearly impossible to buy J.C. legally.
Mustad has introduced a painted substitute - which they sell
at a very stiff price.
But it seems to work as good as the old stuff....
Regards Jan Gunnar Furuly
Ski, Norway
Visit my salmon fishing pages here:
http://home.sn.no/home/jangf/
Two illustrated salmon fly swops to be found here:
http://home.sn.no/home/jangf/flyswap2.htm
http://home.sn.no/home/jangf/flyswap.htm