Frustrated with the inconsistent quality of deer tails coming from the big distributors, we went straight to the source and got knee-deep in the bucktail world. We now source tails from a range of vendors across New England and beyond, and every single tail that carries the 365 LureCraft name is personally inspected, graded, and dyed in-house. Some tails are deboned and dried by us as well, but we've also got some butchers and suppliers that do some of that work for us.
The reality is, the best way to pick bucktails is in person—but since that’s not always possible, we’ve built a grading system you can trust. Every tail is evaluated based on overall size, hair length, fullness, shape, and general appearance. Our goal is simple: when you open the bag, you feel like you got your money’s worth—or better. We do our best to measure hair length honestly - more like carpenters than fishermen. So if we say it's got 4" hair, we actually held a ruler to it and measured the best we could. We're not going to call a tail "Select Grade" if it's just got a few wisps of hair that might be 4" long, if anything we're erring on the conservative side.
That said, this is a natural product, and there will always be variation. Even very experienced tyers can have different opinions on what makes the “perfect” tail, so we're just doing our best to convey size and quality as honestly as we possibly can. Here’s how we break things down:
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“Large” Tails - Our most common grade — and still far from average. We're looking for a minimum of 3” long hair, with a good balance of overall size and thickness. Some may look smaller at first but have 4" long hair, while others are overall larger tails with hair on the 3" side. Either way, these consistently outperform the so-called “northern large” tails from most distributors.
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“Select” Tails - A clear step up from Large. These stand out in multiple aspects —longer hair (we're looking for 4”– 5”), extra large overall size, full hair, with very minor (if any) deformities. The kind of tail that makes you stop and say, “That’s a nice tail.” Usually available in Natural or Washed White, with dyed options occasionally.
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“Premium” Tails - Top of the pyramid, best of the best. Extra-long hair (5" and longer), extra large overall size, and standout quality across the board. If you want maximum length and presence, this is it. Typically offered in Natural or Washed White, only dying Premium tails by prior arrangement and custom order.
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"Shorts/Mediums" - Good-quality tails that fall just below our Large grade. Comparable to what many distributors would call Medium/Large. Plenty of usable hair and a great option for streamers and lure tail flags as well as many other applications.
A Few Things to Know
These are natural bucktails—literally from the butt of a white-tailed deer—so variation in size, color, texture, and hair length is completely normal. We hold everything to high standards, but if something doesn’t meet expectations, let us know—we’ll make it right.
Because we process and package everything in-house, you may notice a slight odor or some residual moisture. That’s intentional—we avoid excessive washing and over-drying so the tails stay usable and don’t become too brittle.
Storage & Care
Store tails in a cool, dry place and keep them sealed tightly. Most orders include desiccant packs to help control moisture. If grease or mold appears on the hide, wipe it with Dawn or a degreaser or a Lysol wipe, then dry and store properly.
