Ellis Slater Hackle Subs - part 3

[joaniebo]

I quit buying US starling skins and order mine directly from Steve Cooper at Cookshill. Better quality, I think.

[wsbailey]

Male starlings have longer neck hackles which to me makes them first choice.

[narcodog]

I quit buying US starling skins and order mine directly from Steve Cooper at Cookshill. Better quality, I think.

I'm gonna let you in on a little secret. A few years ago, maybe 4, I know for someone here in the states that was sending starling skins to Steve.

[joaniebo]

I quit buying US starling skins and order mine directly from Steve Cooper at Cookshill. Better quality, I think.

I'm gonna let you in on a little secret. A few years ago, maybe 4, I know for someone here in the states that was sending starling skins to Steve.

Part of the reason I quit buying US starling skins and wings were that on several of the wings, the light colored under wing hackles were missing from the US skins or wings ....those hackles have always been in the Cookshill skins and wings that I've received.

[wsbailey]

The law changed and now starlings are completely protected in the UK.

[joaniebo]

When I saw the above postings, I became concerned as I often order many materials (including starling skins and wings) from Cookshill, so I emailed Steve Cooper with the question and got a quick reply. I then emailed him back asking permission to post his response re: starling skins. Here's the email I received from Steve Cooper earlier today:

"Hi Bob

Starlings are now partially protected in the UK (for about the last 5 years) - this means that they can be controlled under licence and so are still available but more difficult to get.

I should be getting some UK origin Starlings for skinning later in the year if all goes well.

I do have some imported skins from the US but these are really badly skinned - nothing like the same quality as those I do myself

Hope that helps

Cheers Steve"