I bought a beaver board stencil pattern to paint on plywood this year. Do you think you can get more than 2 on a piece of plywood?

I was thinking about buying a few pieces of plywood, cutting in half, or thirds, and stenciling them out and putting a hole in the corner to hang. Then when I’m done nailing down the pelt, use the hole as an easy hanging system.

Anyone do anything like this?

Cut in thirds. 32" Rare beaver will stretch over 30" X 40" here.

Like Dirt said. And you can put 2 beaver on one board. Back side and front side.

Just do not think 1/2" plywood is all you need. I suggest 3/4" and get the store to cut them 32" each and leave them rectangular. Then build a table with the top recessed so the board supports allow the board to be flipped over and the nails from the first beaver do not hit the table top. Also, your board supports do not need to run the full length and width of the board. Leave out a section near the center of the length and width so the support clears the larger beaver.

You can also build a rack to hold them by cutting a 3/4" groves in a 2" x 4" on the floor and another on the wall. Much easier to handle than trying to hang them up.

3 beaver boards are cut from 1 sheet of 4x8 plywood.Use 3/4 inch plywood,or 5/8 if your a cheapo.1/2 inch is no good.You can board a beaver on each side.
I drill a hole in one end center for hanging.

Great responses! Thanks for your help! I will work on that here this week. I used the old doors off my house that I switched out last year. Had my first beaver check of the year today. And ended up with 4. I need something more consistent, so I’ll probably just go buy 2 pieces of the 3/4” plywood’s. That’s enough for 12 front and back. If I need another, I’ll just go buy one.

What size nails do you all like? 2.25” or 2.5”

I sand the edges of the boards,helps to prevent slivers in your hands.

Either one in a box nail but do not mix the sizes. Box nails are the best as they are thinner than most other nails and have heads on them thus are much easier to hammer in and remove compared to other nails.

payotetrapper, depending on where you buy your plywood... they cut it for you. Easier transporting and save you that much more work.

Make a couple of your boards with the first 3 and two lines on one side and the normal one the other. This way you don't have kits wasting board space.

Awesome, I got a couple boards and had them precut cut at Lowes. I started my outlines but didn't get to finish it all up yet. Thanks for the help

If you have not finished your outlines, it sure helps to alternate the line colors. Sure makes it easy to stay on the correct line.

Yep, I did it just like Boco did it above. Actually caught a 59.4 lb beaver (personal record), and I made it fit but I probably could have stretched it an extra inch. As soon as I figure out how to upload pictures again on here I'll take pictures and share my set up. Its working fantastic.

do you varnish your boards? or just leave them alone?

https://www.cherokeemfg.com/product/nursery-pinning-nails/
what I use for nails.

Don't use any coatings on your boards. The wood will soak up grease and help with drying time.

X2 on the pinning nails.Your boards will last twice as long than if you use the thick common nails.
Also leave your boards unvarnished.They will wick up some moisture from the fur.
You shouldn't have any grease on the fur.

I have a few boards that are 4' x 4' x 3/4" and some smaller for the smaller beaver.

This is a great post. I wish I had read it before I bought a sheet of 1/2 plywood. Maybe I can find another use for it.

I’ve often wondered why no one is cutting a small oval out of the center of the board for more air flow ? Would this make the board warp , or am I the only one that’s ever thought of it ?

Any hole in the board would preclude touch up while boarding Scraping grease for example.

No good for scraping the liquid fat and blood corpuscles out of the pelt.

As stated above as well it's not necessary as long as you raise the pelt up on the nails and furthermore the fur should be basically dry when you board the pelt.

Well If you beam scrape and your good at It you don't need to do any touch up.

Yea but not many beaver trappers rough skin.Why skin it twice?
And most of the ones I have seen done on a beam could sure use a good touch up with a one hand scraper so they dry clear.

Because for some It's easier and faster then clean skinning.

I admit I’m one of the ones Boco is talking about.

Serious question. Why does it have to be dry, when you board it, if you raise the pelt on the nails, therefore allowing the fur to dry right along with the skin?

If the fur is damp there shouldnt be any problems boarding it and raising it on the nails.
I like to lay out my beaver for a couple days so the fur dries on the carcass before skinning(not always possible).I find they skin better too.
The worse thing is some guys board a wet furred beaver.The fur when it dries is all matted looking and it takes considerable time with a brush to make these beaver gradeable.The graders wont do it,they toss it in the low grade if they cant properly assess the grade.
If beaver are handled with dry fur,all it takes is a quick blow with a shop vac or compressor to blow the dust and dirt out of the fur.This can be done on the carcass before skinning or after taking the pelt off the board.

When you have the pelt boarded to the proper size, when raised on the nails the center will sag to the board and air circulation will be poor to none on the fur side and mold could occur.

I do them wet. The fur is not matted. Why would it be matted? It is drying just like it would on the beaver. I comb them when I remove them. Takes a minute or two.

Yes they sag and touch when horizontal. When I put boards vertical for drying, not touching.

What about all the fur processors that STAPLE a beaver hide to the board?
I agree with boco on letting the beaver dry for a few days before skinning. I've gone as many as 3 to 4 days under the right conditions.

But I have to agree with Dirt on the matting issue even If they are boarded wet. I have never seen a matted beaver. And I don't use staples but I never raise the hide up off the board. The FUR Is DRY we are trying to DRY the HIDE and It Is exposed to the elements so I see no need to lift the hide off the board.

Beav I have to raise mine on the nails, because they are wet. I understand that you guys like to dry your beaver first. Drying a beaver here is far more complicated then in civilization. If I don't have to, I don't want to. Far simpler to board them wet.

I get your drift.

I've put up lots of beaver at the camp-no problem drying the fur.

Hoops have their place too

Nice looking pelts 3 fingers.

Very cool pic 3 Fingers . Sorry for the dumb questions guys , I’ve not messed with beaver much. I have seen Boco use a shop vac to blow off a beaver pelt to clean it and fluff it up , why not use one to remove excess water ?

Beautiful put up beaver,were they frost scraped?

Not frost scraped, though I usually have perfect conditions. Clean skin, hoop or board, then I use a garden trowel sharpened on the edge to scrape out liquid oils. I don’t frost scrape because I try to leave as little scent as possible around camp that will attract bears and I know I wouldn’t be able to catch all the shavings. My hoops will only stretch up to a 68” beaver so I have 1 board for larger ones. Notice it is in 2 pieces so I can take it apart and store in the cache off season . Golf Ball - I like that idea of using a shop vac to suck up some of the water off a wet beaver.

What weight Beaver would stretch beyond 32" ? I got a 60lb beaver last year, but never stretched it.

A 60 lb beaver would probably bump up to the edge on the sides of a 32 inch wide board. If you use the pattern it makes it a little longer than a perfect oval. It will fit ok on a 32 by 48.

Even though I flesh on a beam I still “ milk” the hide with a one handed scraper after it is boarded, it will give you the clean look Boco is talking about, some beaver have more grease in the hide than others, I do board a little damp sometimes, they dry fine for me, I never raise the beavers on the nails, my humidity is very low in my shop though.

...partner dying a Beaver

I use a air compressor on most water caught fur. You can get right down to the roots and a muskrat will be dry In seconds. Coon take a bit longer.

For the most part I don't leave my beaver laying around to dry the fur I leave them lay because of the bleeding issues on fresh caught beaver.

1 5/8" sheet rock nails are thin and sharp.

I like # 10penny nails. I want a long nail so I'm not smashing fingers.

Two inch box nails are great as they are thinner than most other nails and have heads on them thus are much easier to hammer in and remove compared to other nails.

There is no reason to board any beaver larger than the XXL-XXXl size line, That is the largest grade size.You wont get any more money for it no matter how far over that size you can pull it,lol.It will still be lotted into the XXL- XXXL size. Just not enough of them to make graded lots on their own..
The only exception was if you got a beaver so large that the skin would actually fold over(not just sag) unless pulled bigger,which I doubt would ever happen.