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Muskrat stretcher size #7120592
01/04/21 08:56 PM
01/04/21 08:56 PM
Joined: Jan 2018
Posts: 1,684
Henry Co, IL
3
3togo Offline OP
trapper
3togo  Offline OP
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Henry Co, IL
OK, I trapped rats 40 years ago. During the coyote season here I got access to 2 drainage ditches with a good number of rats. Looking at the FHA dimensions for a rat stretcher it appears that they are narrower than just about anything I have see in videos posted that people are using. I spent a couple hours today bending wire stretchers to those dimensions. They look pretty narrow.
All you professional rat guys please comment. Should I stay as close to those dimensions as possible or what? Thanks.

Re: Muskrat stretcher size [Re: 3togo] #7120635
01/04/21 09:22 PM
01/04/21 09:22 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 17,550
Rodney,Ohio
SNIPERBBB Offline
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SNIPERBBB  Offline
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 17,550
Rodney,Ohio
Those measurements are for the wood boards. You dont need to bend the wire stretchers, they'll narrow up when you put the rats on them.

Side question: does FHA use the scanner for muskrats and beaver or did NAFA not sell them that toy? If so, you dont have to worry about the dimensions quite as much, just make sure you get the hips of the rat as far down as you can to get the biggest triangle you can.

Re: Muskrat stretcher size [Re: 3togo] #7120768
01/04/21 10:13 PM
01/04/21 10:13 PM
Joined: Nov 2020
Posts: 212
Central MN
Gray Breard Offline
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Gray Breard  Offline
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Joined: Nov 2020
Posts: 212
Central MN
Grawes lures has some of the best basswood boards at good prices. Sm, Med, Lg for any critter out there. Check them out.


My Gal's name is Ma Deuce.

The only thing needed for evil to triumph is for good men to do nothing.
Re: Muskrat stretcher size [Re: 3togo] #7121041
01/05/21 12:17 AM
01/05/21 12:17 AM
Joined: Nov 2020
Posts: 27
MN
W
Walt Gessler Offline
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Walt Gessler  Offline
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Joined: Nov 2020
Posts: 27
MN
I use both wood and wire stretchers. Go with the sizes that FHA has on their website, they will be what the market wants. Of the two types of stretchers, I prefer wood. I have three sizes, XS/S, M/Lg, XL/2X/3X. Sizes for these wood stretchers came from NAFA specs. When I run out of wood I use wire. I use three clothes pins on each rat when they are drying, one on the nose to hold it in place and two on each side on the bottom to keep this in place. Then use the two hooks on the tail to finish it off.

Best of luck and have fun putting them up. NAFA had a terrific video on muskrat put up a couple of years ago if you can track it down.

Re: Muskrat stretcher size [Re: 3togo] #7121119
01/05/21 01:32 AM
01/05/21 01:32 AM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 23,797
Wisconsin
T
The Beav Offline
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The Beav  Offline
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Wisconsin
If you buy Duke wire rat stretches they may collapse (sorry Bill) when you put the hide on them but good rat wire will not collapse.
In my opinion every commercial rat boards are to wide In the necks and shoulder area. A 1/4" off those areas on both sides will get you about a 1/12 more In length. And that means more money A rat Is a rat you can't make It bigger then It Is but you can display It to your advantage. Groney doesn't like rats on wood I wonder way that is.


The forum Know It All according to Muskrat
Re: Muskrat stretcher size [Re: 3togo] #7121335
01/05/21 09:37 AM
01/05/21 09:37 AM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 17,550
Rodney,Ohio
SNIPERBBB Offline
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SNIPERBBB  Offline
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Joined: Dec 2006
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Rodney,Ohio
I think he explained it on one of his videos but can't remember what it was now

Re: Muskrat stretcher size [Re: 3togo] #7121413
01/05/21 10:35 AM
01/05/21 10:35 AM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 23,797
Wisconsin
T
The Beav Offline
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The Beav  Offline
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Wisconsin
He did say that rats put On wood didn't pile up as good as rats On wire. Now what kind Of excuse Is That.
Wire will thin a rat hide while drying. The form acts like a spring and Is always putting pressure on the hide as It dries.
You can take a wire dried rat and a wood dried rat and I could pick out the wire dried rat blind folded.
And I will continue to preach the fact that most trappers over dry their rats. If your shed Is heated a rat shouldn't be on the board more then 2 days and In some cases that rat could come off the form In a day. The longer a rat dries the more weight It loses and that Is going to cost you money.


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Re: Muskrat stretcher size [Re: 3togo] #7121426
01/05/21 10:44 AM
01/05/21 10:44 AM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 17,550
Rodney,Ohio
SNIPERBBB Offline
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SNIPERBBB  Offline
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Rodney,Ohio
Think there was something about pinholes too

The wire ones do stack nicely.

Re: Muskrat stretcher size [Re: 3togo] #7121428
01/05/21 10:45 AM
01/05/21 10:45 AM
Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 610
Wyoming
T
thedude055 Offline
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thedude055  Offline
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Joined: Jan 2014
Posts: 610
Wyoming
I started listening to Beavs preaching on rats about time on the stretcher and my rats come off the board no more than two days later and I can tell a noticeable difference.


Owner Wind River Trapping Supplies
Re: Muskrat stretcher size [Re: 3togo] #7121438
01/05/21 10:50 AM
01/05/21 10:50 AM
Joined: Jan 2018
Posts: 1,684
Henry Co, IL
3
3togo Offline OP
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3togo  Offline OP
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Henry Co, IL
I bought 1/2 dozen Ausable wire stretchers. Not impressed. The wire is good, but bend shape is not symetrical from the nose, and the nose isn't on center with some of them. I still had 5 old wire stretchers from 40 years ago that I cleaned up. I can see why the wire could cause an over stretched hide. I usually just do coyotes and some coon green to Grony. These 2 ditches were just to good an opportunity to pass up. I am going to buy a couple mink boards too because I have seen mink running the banks. We have snow, I have a couple mink boxes and frozen rats for bait.

If I go serious after rats next year I will have some boards to use. I've been drying in my basement, it's about a constant 60°F. I leave a small fan on low circulating air.

Don't know if FHA is using the scanner method, but can find out. I have a fellow not too far away that works with FHA.

Thanks for the answers.

Re: Muskrat stretcher size [Re: 3togo] #7121613
01/05/21 01:24 PM
01/05/21 01:24 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 23,797
Wisconsin
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The Beav Offline
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Wisconsin
So this Is how the square centimeter scanner works. It automatically eliminates the area above the ears.Than It scans to the shortest part of the rear end of the hide.
So the narrower the head end Is the better off your going to be and the and if you can square off the hide on the rear end your going to do better size wise even when and If they use a scanner.


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Re: Muskrat stretcher size [Re: 3togo] #7121685
01/05/21 02:29 PM
01/05/21 02:29 PM
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 18
NE Wisconsin
1
1weektrap Offline
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1weektrap  Offline
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Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 18
NE Wisconsin
Not to ask a stupid question. But I leave my rats on the wooden stretchers until i need the stretchers and then hang them in an unheated garage.If you pull off the stretchers in 2 days how do you store them. Just hang or freeze or??

Re: Muskrat stretcher size [Re: 3togo] #7121688
01/05/21 02:33 PM
01/05/21 02:33 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 23,797
Wisconsin
T
The Beav Offline
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The Beav  Offline
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Joined: Dec 2006
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Wisconsin
Pack them In cardboard boxes or some type of tote. Try and keep them as tight as you can. You want those hides to retain any grease or fat that Is left on the hide. In other words you don't want them to dry out.


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Re: Muskrat stretcher size [Re: 3togo] #7121691
01/05/21 02:35 PM
01/05/21 02:35 PM
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 18
NE Wisconsin
1
1weektrap Offline
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1weektrap  Offline
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Posts: 18
NE Wisconsin
Makes sense, I just sold early Nov rats and they were extremely dry and papery.
Thanks again

Re: Muskrat stretcher size [Re: 3togo] #7121725
01/05/21 03:02 PM
01/05/21 03:02 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 23,797
Wisconsin
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The Beav Offline
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The Beav  Offline
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Wisconsin
It's just about impossible to make a papery rat better but It's very easy to make a good rat Into a papery one.


The forum Know It All according to Muskrat
Re: Muskrat stretcher size [Re: 3togo] #7122452
01/05/21 10:29 PM
01/05/21 10:29 PM
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 3,974
South Dakota
R
Rat Masterson Offline
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South Dakota
Paper grocery bags will hold 50 rats, they will be tight. I then put them in the freezer, this way they hold up for years.

Re: Muskrat stretcher size [Re: 3togo] #7122668
01/06/21 12:40 AM
01/06/21 12:40 AM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 23,797
Wisconsin
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The Beav Offline
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The Beav  Offline
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Wisconsin
Bags will work you just need to keep the hides from drying out.


The forum Know It All according to Muskrat
Re: Muskrat stretcher size [Re: 3togo] #7125173
01/07/21 12:03 PM
01/07/21 12:03 PM
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 1,385
WI
B
BvrRetriever Offline
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Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 1,385
WI
I dry for two days on wood. After day one, I wipe the oil back into the leather. Day two, I wipe oil back in again and take off the board. I store mine in paper grocery bags. I like rats put up on wood WAY better than those on wire. I cannot understand what Groeny has against wood.

Re: Muskrat stretcher size [Re: 3togo] #7125182
01/07/21 12:10 PM
01/07/21 12:10 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 23,797
Wisconsin
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The Beav Offline
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The Beav  Offline
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 23,797
Wisconsin
He doesn't want to pay you what your rat Is worth.


The forum Know It All according to Muskrat
Re: Muskrat stretcher size [Re: 3togo] #7127050
01/08/21 04:02 PM
01/08/21 04:02 PM
Joined: Jan 2018
Posts: 1,684
Henry Co, IL
3
3togo Offline OP
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3togo  Offline OP
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Henry Co, IL
I watched one of his videos on You Tube yesterday and he said wood is ok if not too thick. 1/4" or so max thickness. Another trapper has a video and he recommends after elections to grab all of those plastic cardboard type voting signs, get a template and cut stretchers out of those. Easy to pin.

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