Maybe the staples would work better if I had them sissy lines drawn on my boards, lol.

Them line kind of destroy my freehand style of beaver put up. I have way too big of an ego too rely on those lines.

i'm dyslexic and must use the lines.have done enough that i don't pick the wrong line much anymore though.

It's hard to change once you get used to something. I borrowed a few boards from a guy that had all the lines drawn on them, and he said things like as how I would do a better job, and like them boards better. All is did was screw me up. I couldn't get used to it.

i could never flesh case skinned beaver.we'd get them in once and a while and i swear i always ended up splitting them first.

Boco! there's a couple extra holes in that last one!

You are human! I salute you sir!

( I know theyre bites but still<lol)

I knick a hide once in a while.The worst is the small dry spot on the skin from the trap mark behind a beavers head.Very easy to knick that when clean skinning with a sharp knife.
I was doing a demo once at FHA on removing ear cartilage.I popped my thumb thru the ear and told the audience,Now I will show you how to do a repair,lol.

Les,those lines aren't only for the shape.They are the size lines,and will get you a better avg on a bunch of beaver when you ship to auction.Especially if you trap fall beaver.

I hear you, just joshing you on them lines.

I love to put up beaver.i use the sissy lines les.

I never know what size a beaver is going to be until I board it, even though, a certain year class is a general size for that class .

If you use the size lines and your pelt is just under one line you can pull it a bit to the next size line and you wont miss the size tarrif.
If the pelt is just over a line you can drop it a bit to the line and gain density by boarding a bit loose,it will still make the same size tarrif than if stretched between the lines.This is important on fall beaver and will get you more shearable grades in your avg.
Odd shaped beaver are often dropped a size by the graders.This costs you also on a good size collection.

length of the beaver hanging,after fleshing,+ half the lengh +2" is real close,with or without the lines,keep track it works.

My Grandma used to have the same magnet except hers was blue. Used it for bingo chips before dabbers caught on. I remember the chips were plastic with metal inside. Oh the fun we had with that magnet!

Boco, one of these days I'm going to come up there and learn (more like get in your way) how to handle beaver.

Mike

Mike,I like handling fur,I try to spread it out so I don't get swamped trying to meet deadlines.I really like to take advantage of the cold weather to frost scrape,as it means I can do a good number in a short time with little physical effort and no mess.Frost scraped beaver also dry at least twice as fast as conventionally handled pelts so it frees up the boards for another bunch.
Ryan,I swiped that magnet from the wife,it was her bingo magnet,lol.I use that magnet for lots of things in the fur shed,Picking up nails and pushpins before sweeping up,and elsewhere,also for holding the pins when boarding fur,and for retrieving nails and pins from the containers.I have also used it for retrieving tools dropped in inaccessible places(tied to a string).

I use a magnet as well, and it has a handle and a release, and fits right in a coffee can of nails. Very handy .

Heres one just off the board.

Nice!