John Crowe's deer hair beetle is the original no-foam beetle, and it could hardly be simpler: one bunch of black deer hair tied in at the bend, pulled over the top as a shell, and clipped. A few fibers pulled out to each side make the legs, and the clipped butts form the head. Durable, buggy, and still deadly whenever beetles are near the water.
1. Thread base — Attach black thread behind the eye and wrap a base to the bend.
2. Hair — Cut and clean a generous bunch of black deer hair. Tie it in at the bend by the butts, tips pointing rearward, and bind it down along the top of the shank.
3. Body — Wind the thread forward to just behind the eye. Pull the entire hair bunch forward over the top of the shank to form a smooth, rounded shell. Tie it down firmly behind the eye.
4. Head & legs — Clip the hair ends to leave a short stub head over the eye. Pull 2–3 fibers free on each side and trim them to leg length; trim away the rest.
5. Finish — Whip finish under the head. A drop of thin cement along the underside of the shell adds durability.
6. Indicator (optional) — A tiny spot of orange poly yarn on top of the shell helps you track it.
