Birds of a feather....

I have recently visited fly shops in both Phoenix, AZ, and in my hometown of Boise.  A common, theme in both of these shops was empty rack space where chicken feathers called "hackles" are sold.  Listening to ongoing dialogue by employees and customers at the shops, and follow on research from the trusty "google machine" have led to me a deeply disturbing conclusion:  there is a large shortage in the coveted hackle feathers for fly-tiers not because of increased demand from anglers, but rather from absurd demand from the fashion industry.

It seems a stupid, ridiculous popular trend has emerged in the world of hair upkeep that involves placing hackle feathers in hair extensions in what can only be viewed as the latest in a series of "look at me" tactics by people who simply need gimmicks like this to supplant a lack of personality and interactive skills (I'm certain this is what they are compensating for).  I will curtail this rant here....

Here's the crux of the matter:  These feathers come from birds that are genetically bred to produce long, consistent feathers.  Unlike birds bred to eat (which typically live about six weeks before slaughter), these birds live for a full year before slaughter, and are bred in America by only a handful of small outfits catering to the fly-tying industry.  Simply put, this demand cannot be supported without 1.) an increase in price as a function of increased demand (bad for people like me), and 2.) a shortage of feathers for the intended end-user. 

My only hope is that by the time supply is increased to meet a new breed of demand, this trend has passed and the end result is a surplus of the genetically raised, carefully dyed gems that end up in the hands of people who truly appreciate the effort required to obtain such a product, and who spend time crafting tackle with their hands in an effort to fully appreciate the activity of fishing  

The moral of the story is this:  Real hair has roots, as does evil: celebrities and fashionistas should think about that.