done quite a few on willow. i always form the hoops first on my beaver boards and let them dry. make 2 halves, then lash them together when theyre dry and keep their form

Don't get me wrong-willow is fine for a decorative copy but if you are actually drying lots of beaver on hoops,like they do down north,willow is not used.If you want authentic-use the traditional tamarack.

Pics, especially the old black and white ones, are very enjoyable to look at. Thanks Boco. If a fella uses wiillow to stretch a tanned pelt for a wall hanger, it is a good idea to make sure the willow is preformed and dry prior to lacing up the pelt.

I had a laugh at the Prairie du Chien Rendezvous years ago when a fella was walking around camp with a hooped beaver on willow and the willow hoop was sprouting leaves. Better to let them dry.

I don't think the trappers in the Rockies found much tamarack for making hoops. Probably used whatever was available streamside.

I remember years ago when I first moved into the bush I stretched about 40 beaver on wooden hoops.It was in summer and humid and I had to turn in the nuisance pelts as a tally to get paid.Lots were wet,and with the flies and heat they had to be done on hoops.I had a bunch of hoops made of whatever I could use,and was outside lacing them on.My neighbor at that time an older cree lady came over and brought a bunch of dry coniferous sapling hoops for me to use.
All the ones on my hoops dried all crooked and warped like potato chips.All the ones on the dried coniferous saplings dried perfectly.The wood needs to be about 3/4 to an inch in diameter to withstand the shrinkage of the drying pelt to keep from warping the hoop.
Back in the day,in the bush,muskrats,and rabbit skins were dried on a willow gad.

That's how I do it too.

You know how you can't Trap what's not there?

Well the different tribres all around the Country where beaver were trapped... used the Species of wood that was available. Because thats what was growing There.

I dont believe Willow or Tamarack were the only wood used.

Wouldn't it be an interesting read to find research into all the different types of stretchers that were used around the world prior to modern times.

Like 330 trapper, I just ordered a copy of that book. Thanks Muskrat! I'm a cheapskate thought and bought the Used - Good Condition $3.69 paperback version on Amazon.

Well I know what the traditional method was because it is still used here.And has been since time immemorial.I think that tradition does not exist anymore in a lot of places,only as second hand accounts in books etc.
If you want to try,use different types of wood to make some oval hoops and actually dry some raw beaver pelts and you will soon find what works and what doesn't and why.

Yes it Wood, I mean Would

I see what you did there...

i'm doing my fisher and cat rugs in old window frames.have saved 2 for beaver some day also.

I stretched quite a few bigger bears on frames back when I was commercial hide hunting them between 84 and 99.