preparing squirrel skin

[corsican dave]

rather strange request, I know, but does anyone know how squirrel skins are prepared for use as a fly tying material? we are fortunate enough to live in an area that has a lot of red squirrels and unfortunately I regularly see them as road-kill victims.

my other thought is that as they're endangered, are there any restrictions on picking up these casualties?

[Inchlaggan]

Offences under Section 9 WCA 1981
Section 9 (1): intentionally, killing or taking any such animal.
Section 9 (2): possession or control of any live or dead animal included in Schedule 5, or any part of, or anything derived therefrom,

Red Squirrels are included in Schedule 5

[Wildfisher]

Leave them for the crows Dave. You'll get the book thrown at you for just taking a road kill red squirrel home.

[Inchlaggan]

It would be a reasonable and acceptable defence that the items were collected before the (various) Acts came into force, if that can be demonstrated.

[corsican dave]

cheers for that guys! I had a feeling that might be the case.

although what I was meant to do with the dead one left on our lawn by the local pine martens last year would be an interesting case study. i'm guessing that once it was over the back fence and on the river bank I was in the clear!  :lol:

and Liam; I hope it's a very long time too! haven't seen Callum since Ullapool a coupla years back, so must catch up for a beer or two :

[corsican dave]

a deid one... courtesy of the pine martens :shock:

[corsican dave]

a very much alive one!  :lol:

[Bobfly]

There must surely be conditions of exemption regarding dead carcasses since taxidermists continue to deal with deed things such as road kill and stuff them for sale. New works are for sale all the time and I understand that they have come from road kills or other accident. Do these taxidermists have some form of licenced exemption.....

[Bobfly]

Here is a relatively recent BBC news story about researchers complaining that some red squirrel road kill in Wales was not being kept for them to use in research but taken away for taxidermy or just thrown into the hedge and then hidden and not left for them to pick up. No mention of being illegal to remove the carcasses for taxidermy  .... or tying flees.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-north-west-wales-16355839