Has anyone a good pattern for stretcher boards or wires? Don't see why I should pay for them if I can make them myself.
NAFA puts out a pelt handling manual that probably has exactly what your looking for. It's a handy reference on what & how they would like fur preped. If you go to their site you can order one free.
Depends on what your making them for. Most the smaller critter ones are more feasible buying.
probably better to just buy them.. I have a few that have been in the family for a long time, so I dont even know what they would cost.. Only used mine a handfull of times on coons.
The latest edition of PredatorXtreme (October 2007) has dimension diagrams for Coyote, Bobcat, Fox, and Raccoon. :wink:
Thank you fins&fur, I saw that. Think I will make a couple for coyotes and coon. Will finally be in SC the first week in Oct. Can't sell the house so we rented it.
been useing adjustable wood stretchers (except for muskrats) for quite a few years; it takes more time to put fur up but it does allow a neater looking job as long as you do it right; you also need the right size form. there are good vidoes out there on putting up fur; i'll get back to you on the one that hepled me the most. i'v spent a penny or two on furhandling books and vidoes.
Thanks frshwtr. Been a long time since I used a trap. Dad trapped as a young man and still had a whole bunch os traps when I was a kid. ahe used Victor single and double springs and some called jump traps. The spring was underneath the trap. I remember the first animal I ever caught, a beautiful big boar coon. Since than I managed to catch a stray hound dog, and a bobcat and a couple of birds. I was still in grade school then. The traps have since disppeared and all i have levt ar a handfull of o's ans a couple of 1's. Am moving to SC soon and would like to start up again.
Not to Hi-Jack the thread or anything, but what were you catching birds in?
Tell me leg holds :laf: That'd be pretty cool
yea, fins&fur we caught a couple of bluejays in one set up with Victor 00's. Smallest single spring's they made.
:laf: Tha'd be funny to see happen
finally found the video i was looking for,(old partner had it) its called professional fur handling RACCOON. put out by Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, bought it at a pa trappers convention, and if i remember i got it from the north american fur harvesters, or one of the other big fur auction org. have one some place on doing other furs as well. this one runs for 58 min . and was full of all kinds of info from cleaning the fur before skining, fleshing, right size of boards (strecshers) and how to properly put them on the boards. tkae notice i keep saying boards, done properly thats exactly what most people call stretchers, well you dont really stretch anything just put it on a form, whether its wood or wire, and let it dry.
Quote from: frshwtr on September 19, 2007, 09:45:53 PM
finally found the video i was looking for,(old partner had it) its called professional fur handling RACCOON. put out by Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, bought it at a pa trappers convention, and if i remember i got it from the north american fur harvesters, or one of the other big fur auction org. have one some place on doing other furs as well. this one runs for 58 min . and was full of all kinds of info from cleaning the fur before skining, fleshing, right size of boards (strecshers) and how to properly put them on the boards. tkae notice i keep saying boards, done properly thats exactly what most people call stretchers, well you dont really stretch anything just put it on a form, whether its wood or wire, and let it dry.
Is this vid still avalable I would love a copy
phoned wisconsin, left a message inquiring about video, no answer as of yet. did try fur harvestors auction inc on the puter. couldnt find a video section but they did have a nice segment on handling furs, gradeing sizes so forth. getting ready for vaction to del. fishing. when i get back i'll look further.
I've searched the WDNR site and googled the heck out of the video title...I cant find anything.
Alaska put one out a few years back was free . Not sure if they are still doing that but was a awsome deal . Had one they skinned the mink out through his mouth . They had a guy clean skinned a beaver too no fleshing left to do before boarding it .
Drifter
was going thru older posts that were of interset and feel i kind of let this one hang. if you want to pursue if this video is still out there you might contact one of these two peoplewho are coordinators in the wisconsin trappers.
trapper education coordinator
nicke schumaker
p.o.box28
caroline,wi 54928
phone 715 754 2121
e-mail;wctepmwwb.net
trapper correspondance course director
mike widner
p.o.
box483
baraboo,wi 53913
phone 608 356 9622