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Should I get multiple size coon stretchers #6974041
08/25/20 11:37 PM
08/25/20 11:37 PM
Joined: Feb 2020
Posts: 862
Ohio
G
Gone Trappin. Offline OP
trapper
Gone Trappin.  Offline OP
trapper
G

Joined: Feb 2020
Posts: 862
Ohio
For wood stretchers I’ve seen them be 7.5” 8” and 8.5” inches at there bases, if you did this they would not look uniform, correct? So should I buy the different sizes or stick the standard 7.5 or whatever a consistent size is?

Re: Should I get multiple size coon stretchers [Re: Gone Trappin.] #6974050
08/25/20 11:54 PM
08/25/20 11:54 PM
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 5,947
n.e, iowa
C
coonman220 Offline
trapper
coonman220  Offline
trapper
C

Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 5,947
n.e, iowa
I would. Get diffent sizes. Not sure on your size coon, I thinking smaller. I

Re: Should I get multiple size coon stretchers [Re: Gone Trappin.] #6974076
08/26/20 12:47 AM
08/26/20 12:47 AM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 11,293
East-Central Wisconsin
B
bblwi Offline
trapper
bblwi  Offline
trapper
B

Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 11,293
East-Central Wisconsin
I would check with some local buyers or auction agents if you have any. I don't know what OH coon are for sure. Are they easterns, eastern north centrals or centrals or all of the above? For my area I want the stretcher to be
7.5 inches wide at 30 inches from the nose tip. When a pelt is on the stretcher then the pelt is 8 inches wide at that spot. Most of my boards are 8 inch boards but 7.5 at 30 inches. I have several 54 inch boards that are 8 inches at 30 inches and a dozen that are 7.5 inches at the base. They are slightly less then 7.5 inches at 30 inches, so I don't use those much. Our coon here are western northern, north central and some Canadian.

Before I would buy boards if I were you I would do some quick research to know better what you may want to invest in. Having more than one size is probably a good idea, but what size you should get and the quantities of each may need some more research on your part. My boards are based on specs I had reviewed from NAFA which no longer exists. I used the same boards to ship to FHA this year.

Bryce

Re: Should I get multiple size coon stretchers [Re: Gone Trappin.] #6974084
08/26/20 02:23 AM
08/26/20 02:23 AM
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 16,681
north Idaho
W
wissmiss Offline
trapper
wissmiss  Offline
trapper
W

Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 16,681
north Idaho
Get a standard ruler and Take a look at it. There is a 1 inch difference between 7.5 and 8.5. Look at how small of space that is on a ruler. Not really that much when you consider the Raccoon pelt is going to be 30+ inches long. Your coon aren’t going to run really big as a general rule, there fore you can get buy with 1 size stretcher.

I would get stretchers that are 7.5 inches at the base and be done with it.

In My Opinion, a lot of trappers overthink stretcher size. NAFA specs vs. FHA specs. 7.5” vs. 8”. All minor details in the big picture. If you were to look at Raccoon pelts in a graded lot at FHA, you would see all sorts of widths in that lot. Some 7.25, some 7.5, some 7.75, some 8, etc. They are all in the same lot. You can bet your bottom dollar that the person sizing those Raccoon pelts didn’t measure the width on every pelt.

Obviously, you don’t want a Raccoon pelt that is 4 inches wide. And you don’t want a Raccoon pelt that is 10 inches wide. You can eyeball those without using a measuring device. But as long as they look about 7.5-8 inches wide, no body is going to care.

The KIS principle applies to this situation.

Please don’t take the tone of my post the wrong way, I’m not ridiculing you or criticizing you, just trying to point out that stretching a Raccoon pelt isn’t rocket science.


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Re: Should I get multiple size coon stretchers [Re: Gone Trappin.] #6974089
08/26/20 04:22 AM
08/26/20 04:22 AM
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 13,964
Michigan
T
Trapper Dahlgren Offline
trapper
Trapper Dahlgren  Offline
trapper
T

Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 13,964
Michigan
go with one size , 7.5 or 8 jmo smile

Re: Should I get multiple size coon stretchers [Re: wissmiss] #6974106
08/26/20 05:47 AM
08/26/20 05:47 AM
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 28,715
Eastern Shore of Maryland
HobbieTrapper Offline
"Chippendale Trapper"
HobbieTrapper  Offline
"Chippendale Trapper"

Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 28,715
Eastern Shore of Maryland
Originally Posted by wissmiss
Get a standard ruler and Take a look at it. There is a 1 inch difference between 7.5 and 8.5. Look at how small of space that is on a ruler. Not really that much when you consider the Raccoon pelt is going to be 30+ inches long. Your coon aren’t going to run really big as a general rule, there fore you can get buy with 1 size stretcher.

I would get stretchers that are 7.5 inches at the base and be done with it.

In My Opinion, a lot of trappers overthink stretcher size. NAFA specs vs. FHA specs. 7.5” vs. 8”. All minor details in the big picture. If you were to look at Raccoon pelts in a graded lot at FHA, you would see all sorts of widths in that lot. Some 7.25, some 7.5, some 7.75, some 8, etc. They are all in the same lot. You can bet your bottom dollar that the person sizing those Raccoon pelts didn’t measure the width on every pelt.

Obviously, you don’t want a Raccoon pelt that is 4 inches wide. And you don’t want a Raccoon pelt that is 10 inches wide. You can eyeball those without using a measuring device. But as long as they look about 7.5-8 inches wide, no body is going to care.

The KIS principle applies to this situation.

Please don’t take the tone of my post the wrong way, I’m not ridiculing you or criticizing you, just trying to point out that stretching a Raccoon pelt isn’t rocket science.


So 7 and 5/8s will be good? lol


-Goofy-
Re: Should I get multiple size coon stretchers [Re: wissmiss] #6974108
08/26/20 05:51 AM
08/26/20 05:51 AM
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 28,978
potter co. p.a.
P
pcr2 Offline
"Twerker"
pcr2  Offline
"Twerker"
P

Joined: May 2010
Posts: 28,978
potter co. p.a.
Originally Posted by wissmiss
Get a standard ruler and Take a look at it. There is a 1 inch difference between 7.5 and 8.5. Look at how small of space that is on a ruler. Not really that much when you consider the Raccoon pelt is going to be 30+ inches long. Your coon aren’t going to run really big as a general rule, there fore you can get buy with 1 size stretcher.

I would get stretchers that are 7.5 inches at the base and be done with it.

In My Opinion, a lot of trappers overthink stretcher size. NAFA specs vs. FHA specs. 7.5” vs. 8”. All minor details in the big picture. If you were to look at Raccoon pelts in a graded lot at FHA, you would see all sorts of widths in that lot. Some 7.25, some 7.5, some 7.75, some 8, etc. They are all in the same lot. You can bet your bottom dollar that the person sizing those Raccoon pelts didn’t measure the width on every pelt.

Obviously, you don’t want a Raccoon pelt that is 4 inches wide. And you don’t want a Raccoon pelt that is 10 inches wide. You can eyeball those without using a measuring device. But as long as they look about 7.5-8 inches wide, no body is going to care.

The KIS principle applies to this situation.

Please don’t take the tone of my post the wrong way, I’m not ridiculing you or criticizing you, just trying to point out that stretching a Raccoon pelt isn’t rocket science.

THIS









Re: Should I get multiple size coon stretchers [Re: Gone Trappin.] #6974113
08/26/20 06:05 AM
08/26/20 06:05 AM
Joined: Jul 2016
Posts: 5,516
South Carolina
T
Tom cat Offline
trapper
Tom cat  Offline
trapper
T

Joined: Jul 2016
Posts: 5,516
South Carolina
I'm voting with wiss miss, pcr2, I use 7.5" wide coon boards.


Sugarcreektrapping@gmail.com
Re: Should I get multiple size coon stretchers [Re: Gone Trappin.] #6974195
08/26/20 08:41 AM
08/26/20 08:41 AM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 23,797
Wisconsin
T
The Beav Offline
trapper
The Beav  Offline
trapper
T

Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 23,797
Wisconsin
What you want Is 7 1/2" wide at 30 inches down from the nose end of the board. The base has nothing to do with It. 90% of your coon will never make It to the base of the board.


The forum Know It All according to Muskrat
Re: Should I get multiple size coon stretchers [Re: Gone Trappin.] #6974204
08/26/20 09:00 AM
08/26/20 09:00 AM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 17,548
Rodney,Ohio
SNIPERBBB Offline
trapper
SNIPERBBB  Offline
trapper

Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 17,548
Rodney,Ohio
I'd message ack on here as he's in the Lima area as well as to what size boards he's using. I don't see the need for multiple sizes in my part of the state but your coon avg 1-2 sizes bigger.

Re: Should I get multiple size coon stretchers [Re: Gone Trappin.] #6974245
08/26/20 09:57 AM
08/26/20 09:57 AM
Joined: Jul 2016
Posts: 1,482
Ne pa
J
Jerry Jr. Offline
trapper
Jerry Jr.  Offline
trapper
J

Joined: Jul 2016
Posts: 1,482
Ne pa
I don't catch a bunch of critters a year but I bought half a dozen of the standard boards and a dozen larges boards from fnt. I don't keep many smaller coon but it happens that you need to keep one. The large boards work for anything xl and bigger. The standard boards work for anything xl and smaller.

Before NAFA went under I had talked to a couple of the guys that did the grading for them. If you stretch a big coon on a smaller board they may down size it. If you board a smaller coon on a larger board they may size it up. They know what they are looking for. They grade critters for eight plus hours a day. They know what they are doing. If you stretch a coon to 3x and it is only 2x they will see it.


Time is more precious than gold if you know how to spend it
.... but what do I know, I'm just a dumb farmer.~My Dad
NRA LIFE MEMBER, Endowment Member
Re: Should I get multiple size coon stretchers [Re: Gone Trappin.] #6974302
08/26/20 11:09 AM
08/26/20 11:09 AM
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 6,545
NC, Orange Co.
QuietButDeadly Offline
trapper
QuietButDeadly  Offline
trapper

Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 6,545
NC, Orange Co.
The first dozen coon boards I bough, I got from a fella from Ohio at the NC convention about 10 years ago. All the coon boards he sold were 6 3/4". I was new to putting up fur and had not read the FHA or NAFA specs. I put up coon using those boards and shipped to NAFA. Have quite a few Top Lot Certs for coons put up on those boards. I have 7 1/2" and a few 8" boards now but I still use the smaller ones and have never noticed that they cost me money. I just wish there was a market that I could average $20 for North Carolina coon again.


Life Member: NCTA, VTA, NTA, TTFHA, MFTI
Member: FTA NRA NWTF
Re: Should I get multiple size coon stretchers [Re: Gone Trappin.] #6974375
08/26/20 12:37 PM
08/26/20 12:37 PM
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 19,689
pa
H
hippie Offline
trapper
hippie  Offline
trapper
H

Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 19,689
pa
7 1/2

Re: Should I get multiple size coon stretchers [Re: Gone Trappin.] #6974411
08/26/20 01:29 PM
08/26/20 01:29 PM
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 830
West coast of Iowa
I
iaduckhntr Offline
trapper
iaduckhntr  Offline
trapper
I

Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 830
West coast of Iowa
just catch 3xto 5x goon easy peasy.
Dennis


Old 8 toes~~ life ITA and NRA member
Life in the fast lane is no place for a tricycle!
Re: Should I get multiple size coon stretchers [Re: Gone Trappin.] #6974417
08/26/20 01:40 PM
08/26/20 01:40 PM
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 9,132
SWMo.
T
tjm Offline
trapper
tjm  Offline
trapper
T

Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 9,132
SWMo.
Put them big bears up on coyote boards, A standard 1x8 is going to be around 7 3/8" when dried, planed and shaped. The coons absolutely will not care.
It it is better to keep your entire collection as uniform as possible, the pelts will just look better if all on the same size form and when the skins are tanned the size and shape won't be what it was on either your board or on the critter.

Re: Should I get multiple size coon stretchers [Re: Gone Trappin.] #6974428
08/26/20 01:53 PM
08/26/20 01:53 PM
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 5,947
n.e, iowa
C
coonman220 Offline
trapper
coonman220  Offline
trapper
C

Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 5,947
n.e, iowa
Depend how big coon u got, I get big huge coon,smallest board I got is 7 3/4 at base, have jumbo boards at 8 3/4 base, put big coon on narrow board an get 4xl out 2xl, do that an get knock down in size on grade, buyers don't like that stuff, I put big coon wide boards

Re: Should I get multiple size coon stretchers [Re: Gone Trappin.] #6974443
08/26/20 02:11 PM
08/26/20 02:11 PM
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 1,593
KY
A
AnthonyT Offline
trapper
AnthonyT  Offline
trapper
A

Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 1,593
KY
I use Top Lot adjustables and set them at 7" at 30" down from the nose. We don't have big coon here in southern KY. I use the same stretcher for possums and narrowed down for nutria.

Re: Should I get multiple size coon stretchers [Re: Gone Trappin.] #6974800
08/26/20 09:07 PM
08/26/20 09:07 PM
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 3,849
Ohio, Old fart to some.
ack Offline
trapper
ack  Offline
trapper

Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 3,849
Ohio, Old fart to some.
This is from furharvesters and our Ohio coon fit these dimensions really well.
I split all my boards up the middle and adjust the width after the pelt is anchored.


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Re: Should I get multiple size coon stretchers [Re: Gone Trappin.] #6975107
08/27/20 08:01 AM
08/27/20 08:01 AM
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 277
NE Indiana
L
Larry Hall Offline
trapper
Larry Hall  Offline
trapper
L

Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 277
NE Indiana
Wissmiss is right on point here.. You are in OH according to your profile, a 7 1/2" board will cover 95% of your coon or better.. I'd keep a couple of larger boards for the few that are going to go over in a seasons catch. We sold thousands of boards into OH and the 7 1/4" at 30" was the most popular and sought after. FWIW..

Re: Should I get multiple size coon stretchers [Re: Gone Trappin.] #6975339
08/27/20 12:38 PM
08/27/20 12:38 PM
Joined: May 2020
Posts: 279
Water Valley, Mississippi
cheechako Offline
trapper
cheechako  Offline
trapper

Joined: May 2020
Posts: 279
Water Valley, Mississippi
Send me a PM with your email address and I'll send you all the NAFA stretcher patterns in all the different sizes. I made a bunch for medium coon stretchers out of 1/2 in particle board and they worked really well. They will last several years, so you can build several of different sizes out of a cheap 4x8 sheet and then you'll know after a season or two what you need if you want to order store-bought ones.


The trapper formerly known as sanfo008
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