Buffalo hair and wool are valued in fly tying for creating dubbing and bodies. Bison fiber is effective for attracting a variety of fish, including browns, rainbows, salmon, and steelheads. The hair’s ability to absorb water contributes to its effectiveness in fly patterns.
The American bison, commonly known as the American buffalo, is native to North America. It is one of the two extant species of bison, the other being the European bison. Historically, the American bison ranged across a vast area known as the great bison belt, which stretched from Alaska to the Gulf of Mexico and from the Atlantic Seaboard to northern Florida.
Bison have a distinctive appearance with a shaggy, dark-brown winter coat and a lighter, brown summer coat. Males are significantly larger and heavier than females. Plains bison tend to be smaller, while wood bison are larger. Adult males can reach a head-rump length of up to 3.5 meters (11 feet 6 inches), with females measuring up to 2.85 meters (9 feet 4 inches). The tail adds an additional 30 to 95 centimeters (1 foot to 3 feet 1 inch).
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