What thickness does everyone recommend for coon, coyotes, cats etc.?

I don't recommend using plywood.

Plywood splinters easily, it's difficult to push pins into, and it requires a huge amount of sanding to maintain a smooth surface on them.

I've got a half dozen or so I'd give you, but they aren't worth shipping.

You're in the middle of the country where bass wood is more common, and that's what type of wood is most often used.
Poplar (cottonwood) is often the secondary wood of choice, for those of us without ready access to bass wood.

For long boards, like you are asking about should probably be 3/8" thick, smaller boards are generally 1/4".

Krusty

I agree, except that Poplar and Cottonwood are two different trees.
Western red cedar works well too.

Base, do yourself a HUGE favor......forget about the plywood stretcher idea.....free, already made.....forget it....you make them yourself...NO WAY.....I'd stretch by hand before using plywood....LOL

Your time is worth something......make them from something useful....basswood.

I've not tried cottonwood or cedar, poplar, you guys like them as well as basswood?

BigBob,

The family "Populus" includes poplar, aspen, and cottonwood.

Western and Black cottonwoods are softer than poplar, though.

Red cedar is also high on our list out west here, but price is a deciding factor, for choosing cottonwood.

Good clear western red cedar ain't cheap.
But for adjustable 'cat or coyote boards, I'd think seriously about using it.

Bristleback,

I have never even seen a piece of basswood.

When I asked my wood supplier he said "It's not worth shipping all the way across the country"... use another choice (cottonwood, alder, soft pine, etc.).

These woods are what western duck decoy carvers use, whereas in the midwest they use basswood.

Krusty

Basswood around here is pretty dear, like krusty said, it's the wood of choice for carvers.

I use pine and fir, haven't had a problem yet.

ide go with pine if ya cant find nothin else..

Thanks for the replies. My mind is made up, you all convinced me, plywood is the way to go. Thanks. Just kidding, I will see if I can find some basswood somewhere or the other types as you wrote about.