If a person is gonna hoop some beaver or rats after the tanning process, does it aid in getting them strung up on the frame by not breaking them soft? How do you put holes in the hide to string the rawhide lacing through, with a knife, hole punch, drill bit? Have never hooped one before and looking for some pearls of wisdom and the pitfalls to watch out for.

Why not just use a ice pick or a sharpened nail with a small block of wood underneath the pelt with a hole drilled into the block to make it quick and easy ?

After you finish with tanning it, dampen the skin side, it will let out, then lace it on the hoop just snug, when the skin dries again it will tighten up. When the skin is damp you can sew through it with a big needle real easy.