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First Time Fleshing/Boarding Muskrat w/Pictures #6188991 03/16/18 12:22 AM 03/16/18 12:22 AM
Joined: Mar 2018 North Idaho B Birdbrain275 OP trapper
Birdbrain275 OP trapper B Joined: Mar 2018 North Idaho	Hello everyone, This is my first time fleshing and boarding Muskrat and wanted to make sure i fleshed them enough. I was worried about taking too much off due to leaving the thin saddle membrane which I guess you're supposed to do. Any tips and tricks are welcome. I still have four beaver and a coon to do, which will be an interesting learning curve. Special thanks to AJE for giving me some tips for catching these greasy sacks.

Re: First Time Fleshing/Boarding Muskrat w/Pictures [Re: Birdbrain275] #6189094 03/16/18 07:00 AM 03/16/18 07:00 AM
Joined: Dec 2016 N.J. PineDoggin trapper
PineDoggin trapper Joined: Dec 2016 N.J.	I would sand or router the edge off first before they dry.

Re: First Time Fleshing/Boarding Muskrat w/Pictures [Re: Birdbrain275] #6189099 03/16/18 07:06 AM 03/16/18 07:06 AM
Joined: Feb 2013 North Carolina F fingertrapper trapper
fingertrapper trapper F Joined: Feb 2013 North Carolina	Belly boards/wedges, and quick! Even with that I suspect you will have trouble getting them off the boards with those rough edges. For rats I would recommend no thicker than a 1/4 inch board and rounding out the edges well. Oh, the fleshing looks fine. It is hard to under do it on rats. As long as the fat is off or globs of meat, you should be fine. "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." Burke Let's go do something.

Re: First Time Fleshing/Boarding Muskrat w/Pictures [Re: Birdbrain275] #6189124 03/16/18 07:55 AM 03/16/18 07:55 AM
Joined: Mar 2013 chelsea,wi keets trapper
keets trapper Joined: Mar 2013 chelsea,wi	you'd be better off with cardboard than what you got there...you're going to tear those rats in 20 pieces trying to get them off 2021 goals....make time to trap PROUD MEMBER WTA NTA FTA GOA SPORTSMANS ALLIANCE

Re: First Time Fleshing/Boarding Muskrat w/Pictures [Re: Birdbrain275] #6189146 03/16/18 08:23 AM 03/16/18 08:23 AM
Joined: Jul 2016 Michigan D Ditchdiver trapper
Ditchdiver trapper D Joined: Jul 2016 Michigan	Fleshing looks good, your boards look bad. Like already stated, you want thinner boards with round edges. The belly wedges are also a must. You can use dowel rods if you don't have any actual wedges. And it may just be my eyes, but I can't see anything tacking the pelts to the boards. If that is true, you will lose a lot of size when they dry. When life gets me down..... you know hunting/trapping season is closed.

Re: First Time Fleshing/Boarding Muskrat w/Pictures [Re: Birdbrain275] #6189150 03/16/18 08:26 AM 03/16/18 08:26 AM
Joined: Jul 2016 Michigan D Ditchdiver trapper
Ditchdiver trapper D Joined: Jul 2016 Michigan	And your shop floor looks too clean When life gets me down..... you know hunting/trapping season is closed.

Re: First Time Fleshing/Boarding Muskrat w/Pictures [Re: Birdbrain275] #6189458 03/16/18 01:16 PM 03/16/18 01:16 PM
Joined: Dec 2006 Wisconsin T The Beav trapper
The Beav trapper T Joined: Dec 2006 Wisconsin	I'm with the others on this. And make sure you pin up those edges. Anything that Is folded over won't dry. It's hard to tell on the fleshing job. But most trappers over do the fleshing on rats. The forum Know It All according to Muskrat

Re: First Time Fleshing/Boarding Muskrat w/Pictures [Re: Birdbrain275] #6189530 03/16/18 02:33 PM 03/16/18 02:33 PM
Joined: Feb 2014 On Georgian Bay, Ontario Canad... H Hutchy trapper
Hutchy trapper H Joined: Feb 2014 On Georgian Bay, Ontario Canad...	I know its a preference thing, but consider some wire boards. Here they can be had for about a buck each.

Re: First Time Fleshing/Boarding Muskrat w/Pictures [Re: Birdbrain275] #6189867 03/16/18 09:27 PM 03/16/18 09:27 PM
Joined: Mar 2018 North Idaho B Birdbrain275 OP trapper
Birdbrain275 OP trapper B Joined: Mar 2018 North Idaho	Thanks guys for the tips. It's 3/8th's inch plywood, all I had laying around so I'll get some thinner stuff for next time. I threw some belly stretchers in there real quick after I saw your tips, just some little number 2 pencils. I did sand the edges where most of the muskrat is, was in a major rush and had to throw them on there. I tacked them up with a staple on each side, do you guys normally do more than that?

Re: First Time Fleshing/Boarding Muskrat w/Pictures [Re: Birdbrain275] #6189927 03/16/18 10:21 PM 03/16/18 10:21 PM
Joined: Feb 2013 North Carolina F fingertrapper trapper
fingertrapper trapper F Joined: Feb 2013 North Carolina	This is made from underlayment with routed edges, sanded smooth. Wedges are tapered and probably close to a half inch at the end. You need more taper on the wedge than you would think. Wire is probably the best place to start when learning to put up rats. They are very forgiving and it doesn't affect the price (for the most part). You can see how I pinned them. "The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." Burke Let's go do something.

Re: First Time Fleshing/Boarding Muskrat w/Pictures [Re: Birdbrain275] #6189985 03/16/18 11:40 PM 03/16/18 11:40 PM
Joined: Dec 2006 Wisconsin T The Beav trapper
The Beav trapper T Joined: Dec 2006 Wisconsin	You would be better off placing the wedge In from the nose end. And your rats are over fleshed. Rats are graded by weight not just fur and leather quality and size. I leave just about all the fat on mine and just knock off the chunks of red meat. Most If not all the fat Is absorbed Into the leather as the hide dries. This keeps the leather from drying out to much and keeps the leather more pliable. The forum Know It All according to Muskrat

Re: First Time Fleshing/Boarding Muskrat w/Pictures [Re: Birdbrain275] #6190026 03/17/18 12:55 AM 03/17/18 12:55 AM
Joined: Jan 2008 Alaska and Washington State W waggler trapper
waggler trapper W Joined: Jan 2008 Alaska and Washington State	Get yourself some wire stretchers, the fleshing looks fine. But, I can't really figure out what you did on the back side of the muskrat near the tail. The base of the tail area should pull down to a symmetrical point; I see a rather jagged edge along the back side of the skin. "My life is better than your vacation"

Re: First Time Fleshing/Boarding Muskrat w/Pictures [Re: Birdbrain275] #6190044 03/17/18 02:09 AM 03/17/18 02:09 AM
Joined: Sep 2007 South metro, MN C Calvin trapper
Calvin trapper C Joined: Sep 2007 South metro, MN	1st pic....Is the fur still wet? If so they need to be dry before boarding. 2nd pic. Boards look too wide....especially in the shoulders. and overfleshed.

Re: First Time Fleshing/Boarding Muskrat w/Pictures [Re: Birdbrain275] #6190222 03/17/18 09:35 AM 03/17/18 09:35 AM
Joined: Jan 2011 central mn R rats4me trapper
rats4me trapper R Joined: Jan 2011 central mn	I am thinking the fur looks wet also, you really do need to get them good and dry before boarding. The fleshing looks a little overdone by the looks of it but I don't know what they looked like before you started. I hope you can get them off the boards but by looking at the pics I have my doubts , I can see how the hide is shrinking up on the wide edge on the boards. I would invest in some different stretchers down the line ( or seriously modify those) I know sometimes a person has to work with what they have. Keep at it you will get it down as time goes on ,nobody here started out doing everything just right the first time out. Well maybe the beav did lol. Even a blind chicken gets some corn

Re: First Time Fleshing/Boarding Muskrat w/Pictures [Re: Birdbrain275] #6190296 03/17/18 10:56 AM 03/17/18 10:56 AM
Joined: Jan 2007 north Idaho W wissmiss trapper
wissmiss trapper W Joined: Jan 2007 north Idaho	Where in north Idaho are you? As others have said - your boards are way too thick. This is costing you a size. If you decide to go with wire stretchers in the future, I have some good used ones. I will give you a dozen. All you have to do,is make arrangements to pick them up. PM me for details. www.usedtraps.com Please check out my updated inventory of Native American books.

Re: First Time Fleshing/Boarding Muskrat w/Pictures [Re: rats4me] #6190455 03/17/18 03:10 PM 03/17/18 03:10 PM
Joined: Dec 2006 Wisconsin T The Beav trapper
The Beav trapper T Joined: Dec 2006 Wisconsin	Originally Posted By: rats4me I am thinking the fur looks wet also, you really do need to get them good and dry before boarding. The fleshing looks a little overdone by the looks of it but I don't know what they looked like before you started. I hope you can get them off the boards but by looking at the pics I have my doubts , I can see how the hide is shrinking up on the wide edge on the boards. I would invest in some different stretchers down the line ( or seriously modify those) I know sometimes a person has to work with what they have. Keep at it you will get it down as time goes on ,nobody here started out doing everything just right the first time out. Well maybe the beav did lol. Yep I started out just about perfect. I learned from one of the best fur put up men In the business. So my learning curve was pretty short. But I did design my own rat boards. They are just a bit less wide In the neck and shoulder area then your commercial stretchers. This small amount will give you about 1 inch more In length. And that can get you into another size grade. The forum Know It All according to Muskrat

Re: First Time Fleshing/Boarding Muskrat w/Pictures [Re: Birdbrain275] #6198673 03/25/18 12:28 AM 03/25/18 12:28 AM
Joined: Nov 2010 Rochester, MN Teacher trapper
Teacher trapper Joined: Nov 2010 Rochester, MN	Get one decent, designed for muskrat, wooden stretcher then trace it out on cardboard. I believe the Gary Schuman’s Rat Race video shows how to do this. I do most of my ‘rats on cardboard with a couple push pins per side. Or, take Wissmiss up on her offer for wire rat stretchers. You’ll be happier with the outcome Last edited by Teacher; 03/25/18 12:29 AM. Never too old to learn

Re: First Time Fleshing/Boarding Muskrat w/Pictures [Re: Birdbrain275] #6198989 03/25/18 11:13 AM 03/25/18 11:13 AM
Joined: Dec 2006 Wisconsin T The Beav trapper
The Beav trapper T Joined: Dec 2006 Wisconsin	Get wood. The forum Know It All according to Muskrat

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