Re: Muskrat Stretchers
[Re: schmattz]
#7239262
04/09/21 05:03 PM
04/09/21 05:03 PM
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Joined: May 2007
Posts: 2,626 Flint, Michigan
bhugo
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trapper
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 2,626
Flint, Michigan
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I just squeeze my wire ones together a good bit. I like the wood better, but the wire comes in handy when you need more. Wood stretchers are definitely skinny compared to wire, but the wire dries fast. I always sent my furs to auction so I don’t know for sure if I got less for the wire stretched rats. I assume I did get a little bit less.
Member MTPCA, FTA and NTA
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Re: Muskrat Stretchers
[Re: schmattz]
#7239328
04/09/21 06:58 PM
04/09/21 06:58 PM
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 23,830 Wisconsin
The Beav
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trapper
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Wisconsin
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Here are the measurements for my extra large rat boards. My boards are 24" long.
Starting at the top. The first number Is the width of the board. The second number Is the distance measured from the nose down..
3" @ 2 "
5 1/2" @ 6"
6" @ 10"
6 1/4 " @ 14"
6 1/2" @ 18"
61/2" @ 24"
One sized board will fit most all of your rats. If your catching a few dinks you might want to scale those numbers down a bit.
A board that Is too wide In the nose and shoulders will cost you as much as 2" in length.
The forum Know It All according to Muskrat
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Re: Muskrat Stretchers
[Re: schmattz]
#7239879
04/10/21 11:18 AM
04/10/21 11:18 AM
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 23,830 Wisconsin
The Beav
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Wisconsin
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The thing about wire stretchers Is they act like a spring and actually thin the hide as It dries. And a paper rat will cost you money.
Get those rats off the forms In 24 hours and you will improve the quality of those rats. Once that nose Is dry your good to go. Then pack them as tight as you can In cardboard boxes to keep them from drying any more. No need to freeze them.
The forum Know It All according to Muskrat
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Re: Muskrat Stretchers
[Re: schmattz]
#7240245
04/10/21 06:20 PM
04/10/21 06:20 PM
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 23,830 Wisconsin
The Beav
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Wisconsin
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Not the wrong way but leaving the rats on the forms for to long Is going to cost you money when they get too DRY.
Take a over dried hide and It will lose weight and get papery. Take a hide that has been on the form for 24 hours or so and you have heavier hide that is nice and supple when handled.
It may not have as much effect on heavy eastern rats but those rats that grade CENTRAL need all the help you can give them. I brought In over a 3000 rat hides that I caught In ND. These rats normally grade CENTRAL the grader asked me what I did to make most of them grade EASTERN and I told him what I did.
Do what ever trips your trigger but I know what works for me.
The forum Know It All according to Muskrat
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Re: Muskrat Stretchers
[Re: schmattz]
#7242145
04/13/21 09:39 AM
04/13/21 09:39 AM
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 23,830 Wisconsin
The Beav
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Groney Is against wood. He say's that wood stretched rats are harder to bundle since when they dry they are thicker and don't stack as well. ROTFLMAO
He doesn't like wood because you get a better stretch which gives you a longer rat. Lets face It you can't make a rat any bigger then It actually Is but there are ways of stretching that rat to give the trapper a little advantage when grading by size..
The forum Know It All according to Muskrat
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Re: Muskrat Stretchers
[Re: schmattz]
#7247465
04/19/21 11:40 PM
04/19/21 11:40 PM
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Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 45,491 james bay frontierOnt.
Boco
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Pelts should be just pulled snug for drying.Just enough to take out any wrinkles. Overstretching or understretching is not reccomended.
A pelt that is not stretched enough could have folds in the leather while drying.This can lead to hairslip when tanning.
Pelts coming back from a good tannery will have stretch in the leather.Because of this the tanned pelts will look considerably smaller than a stretched dried pelt.
Manufacturers will repair any defects in the tanned pelt and then block them to take out the excessive stretch from tanning.This also removes any puckers in the skin from the repair work,and the skin will be close to the size before tanning.
Forget that fear of gravity-get a little savagery in your life.
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Re: Muskrat Stretchers
[Re: schmattz]
#7251430
04/25/21 09:37 AM
04/25/21 09:37 AM
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Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 112 Idaho
Kreg Koelling
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Idaho
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You actually got you answer. Stretch a beaver like a drum or loose. Or just lay it on the ground and salt it. Once it’s dressed it’s going to be whatever size it was. As Boco said once it’s blocked out for use that’s the size. You can get docked for understretching and loose a size. You can also over stretch and loose a grade. Part of the issue with rats from a buyers perspective is what is that size and grade of rats going to weigh. When selling rats to an end user a certain size should weigh a certain amount ( heavier is better) Groenwald’s videos about rats mainly focused on not over fleshing, leaving the saddle on etc. Why do you all think that was... And Beav while it is kinda funny, stacking rats that were put on wire is definitely easier than rats on wood!
"Light Entertainment"
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Re: Muskrat Stretchers
[Re: schmattz]
#7251636
04/25/21 03:44 PM
04/25/21 03:44 PM
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Joined: Mar 2020
Posts: 7,344 W NY
Turtledale
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W NY
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Yep. I switched to wood and immediately saw that I got more length. It takes me a bit longer to stretch a pelt on wood though. But I dont do the huge numbers so I've stayed with wood
NYSTA, NTA, FTA, life member Erie county trappers assn.,life member Catt.county trappers
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Re: Muskrat Stretchers
[Re: schmattz]
#7251812
04/25/21 08:04 PM
04/25/21 08:04 PM
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Joined: May 2007
Posts: 2,626 Flint, Michigan
bhugo
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Flint, Michigan
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For the record, I am not switching to wood. The only reason that I wanted a few wooden ones is that they are longer than the wire ones. I have a handful of rats this season that I couldn't get pulled tight because the hooks on the stretcher would be to the very bottom of the stretcher before the rat was tight even with the too wide wire stretchers that I have. I had to move the hooks up as much as an inch on the rat and then the tail part doesn't hang right. I wanted a few wood ones just for these giant sized rats. I am working on my plan for the wire stretchers I have. I am thinking about unhooking and straightening the bottom part of the stretchers. Make a wood block the has 2 holes drilled 6.5" apart to hold the correct width. By straightening the bottom wire, it might even gain me a little length on the stretchers as well.
Schmattz I did something similar with raccoon stretchers. I cut the bottom of the stretcher off at the bend and used metal strapping from the hardware store and round head screws to attach the stretcher to the board of the correct width. It makes a longer stretcher with wood under the tail so it can be tacked out nice. I’ll see if I can find where I saw that. Worked great for coon.
Member MTPCA, FTA and NTA
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Re: Muskrat Stretchers
[Re: schmattz]
#7252019
04/26/21 06:21 AM
04/26/21 06:21 AM
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Joined: May 2007
Posts: 2,626 Flint, Michigan
bhugo
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Flint, Michigan
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I was thinking about trying to straighten the corners so that I could add the length from the bottom section to the sides to gain the length and still be able to use the hooks. With what the NAFA manual shows you would loose some of the length that the hooks could slide. Their method would work great for raccoon boards but not as well on muskrats stretchers that are already a bit short. I am going to do some testing on one and when I determine what I am going to do, I will post a pic or two and do a video for my youtube channel.
Schmattz Yes you would have to tack them to the wood.
Member MTPCA, FTA and NTA
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Re: Muskrat Stretchers
[Re: schmattz]
#7252086
04/26/21 08:51 AM
04/26/21 08:51 AM
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 23,830 Wisconsin
The Beav
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Wisconsin
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It seems to me if one would just buy wood forms you wouldn't have to go through all this trying to reinvent the wire form.
But If one could find some small steel tubing you could just cut the bottom part of the wire form off and use the tubing as a splice and make them as long as you want. But It still seems like a lot of work.
The forum Know It All according to Muskrat
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Re: Muskrat Stretchers
[Re: schmattz]
#7312182
07/23/21 01:31 PM
07/23/21 01:31 PM
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Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 123 Fargo, ND
schmattz
OP
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OP
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Joined: Dec 2013
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Fargo, ND
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My video of modifying my current muskrat stretchers is now live on youtube. Check it out if your interested in make a little extra money off of your muskrats if you are using older wire stretchers. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ipgYs0J43ELet me know what you guys think. You may have to copy the link. Or clink on my link in my signature and it should be the first video. I will make sure it works on Sunday when I get home from the convention. Schmattz
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Re: Muskrat Stretchers
[Re: schmattz]
#7312948
07/24/21 04:14 PM
07/24/21 04:14 PM
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Joined: May 2007
Posts: 2,626 Flint, Michigan
bhugo
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trapper
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 2,626
Flint, Michigan
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Great video! Loved seeing all the different ways you fixed them up.
Member MTPCA, FTA and NTA
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Re: Muskrat Stretchers
[Re: schmattz]
#7313142
07/24/21 10:54 PM
07/24/21 10:54 PM
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Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 1,561 SE Minnesota
dustytinner
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trapper
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Posts: 1,561
SE Minnesota
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Nice job! But i thoughr you were from Minnesota, (had a lil woohah in it!)
Life member Minnesota Trappers Association FTA,Sportsmen's Alliance
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Re: Muskrat Stretchers
[Re: schmattz]
#7313661
07/25/21 07:57 PM
07/25/21 07:57 PM
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Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 123 Fargo, ND
schmattz
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Fargo, ND
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Thanks for watching guys. I corrected the link in my last post so that it gets you right to the video. I walked around at the NTA all weekend and I didn't see a single muskrat stretcher for sale in the outdoor vendor area that was the correct size. I don't mean to offend anyone who was there selling them if they did have the correct size stretchers I just didn't see them. That is the reason I made this thread and the video showing how to correct them. Hopefully this helps just one person make a little extra off of their hard work. Here is the correct link just in case you don't want to go find my last post: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ipgYs0J43ESchmattz
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Re: Muskrat Stretchers
[Re: schmattz]
#7314829
07/27/21 08:29 AM
07/27/21 08:29 AM
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Joined: Jul 2019
Posts: 122 SW MN
rbsheadache
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trapper
Joined: Jul 2019
Posts: 122
SW MN
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When I brought my rats in last winter to Groeny and I had told him I was a newish trapper and fur handler, he told me straight out that my wire stretchers are too wide and they cost me some money. I will be modifiying them this summer some time
Ryan
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Re: Muskrat Stretchers
[Re: rbsheadache]
#7315410
07/27/21 09:41 PM
07/27/21 09:41 PM
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Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 123 Fargo, ND
schmattz
OP
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OP
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Posts: 123
Fargo, ND
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When I brought my rats in last winter to Groeny and I had told him I was a newish trapper and fur handler, he told me straight out that my wire stretchers are too wide and they cost me some money. I will be modifiying them this summer some time I would recommend either making a wood template to size them to or order a wood stretcher to make sure that you are getting the nose part of the stretchers the correct shape. Schmattz
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Re: Muskrat Stretchers
[Re: schmattz]
#7315471
07/27/21 10:43 PM
07/27/21 10:43 PM
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Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 1,561 SE Minnesota
dustytinner
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trapper
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SE Minnesota
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[quote=rbsheadache]When I brought my rats in last winter to Groeny and I had told him I was a newish trapper and fur handler, he told me straight out that my wire stretchers are too wide and they cost me some money. I will be modifiying them this summer some time He told me the same thing, hmmm
Life member Minnesota Trappers Association FTA,Sportsmen's Alliance
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