Hooping or Boarding Beaver

Do you use hoop to dry Beaver?
or Do you tack Beaver to plywood to dry?

Which method do you prefer and why?

I do both. Since I made the decision to tan most/all my beaver hoops are great as it's quick and not worried about shape.

Even for fur market, I just hate swinging a hammer. Could use staples on beaver for the boards as it is very fast, just gotta be 120% certain you get all the staples out or you'll have tanneries and fur graders looking for blood.

Another advantage of hoops is they tend to dry faster when the humidity is up and you don't have fans going. Get the bigger rings, not the standard ones as it makes hooping easier.

I prefer boards, I have more control of shape, hoops do well on the larger beaver, I have to tap clips through hide never could push them through, so I might as well nail them.

I prefer boards unless I am doing a bunch at a time. Hoops take up much less space drying, you can hang them from the ceiling. I prefered nonadjustable hoops and sewing them on to adjustable hoops, but that is a personal preference. I never used the clips, because I never had them and I have the big needles and string for sewing them on.

I like boards because you can use both sides so I only need 10 boards to do 20 beaver.
and you would need way to many hog rings to get a decent stretch. And I can't imagine having to pull 100s of staples. out of one hide. And nails last for ever.

I like boards because I clean skin and then scrape them after they are on the boards.

I prefer plywood.
Quicker for me,can scrape out the liquid grease after boarding.

I also prefer plywood as it provides excellent control of pelt shape and easy removal of minor amount of excess fat and meat remaining after clean skinning with a small pelt (stirrup) scraper once the pelt is partially boarded.



Although I have never hooped a beaver pelt I would think nailing would be quicked than hooping thus more productive.

Yes, I scrape after I board, which can be done on hoop by laying a hoop on a board and hooking it down with nails or staples, but much easier to do when nailed on a board. Only reason I would use hoops is if I am putting up enough beaver at a time I don't have room for the boards.

Hoops is all I ever used they work fine never had a complaint quick, they shape themselves made top lot using them and easy to use easy to store.

Those look great. Any insight on which hoops/hog rings to buy? Tips? Thanks

Get the 1.5" rings. They are finger savers

I use both I prefur the hoops for smaller beaver and plywood for the rest nails or staples on them.

On the hooped beaver I keep a awl handy to poke a hole into the hide then hand them up like law dog has pictured scraping isn't a problem either I use a old kitchen table ha ha

I guess I would rather use wood just for the ease In getting the perfect shape with out have to adjust the hoop to do It. Never done It but placing all those hog rings has got to be time consuming.

Not any more than hammering nails

4 min or less to nail up a beaver hide.

Hey beav how about a video. Sounds like I could learn something.

I don't even to pictures let alone videos. LOL Well I did do a beaver skinning video once and some trapper from Alaska lost It Or so He said.

Well how long does It take you to nail up a average sized beaver?

Probably 30 min, it takes me longer than four minutes to nail my leg holes,trim fat off ears and lips.

I started out with hoops years ago... I use boards now, I prefer them. It is easier to get the oval shape that is desired. I like to build stuff also, got to build a beaver/skinning/project table and use it year round. I still have my hoops and recently bought some new hog clips. I'll probably take a stroll down memory lane this fall.

Have you guys priced plywood lately? Yikes.

I do not trap beaver but have swung a lot of hammer.
Is it awkward tacking one to ply,
that has one in the other side?

Friend tanned and hooped one for his Mom.
She displays it in her main entry. Pretty cool.

If you use a boarding table like FHA shows it not hard at all. Don't ha e to get as fancy as theirs. I just built a frame that i can lay on sawhorses.

I use boards. Like beav said 4 minutes to nail one up. I tried two hoops before wasn’t as fast for me probably more practice would of gotten quicker but I like the shape I get on the board pattern more then what the hoops gave. The wood is super pricey now! Glad I made 30 boards years ago. Never used staples seem like a waste to me. Nails will last for ever. To save on space I made some boards have 4 patterns on them at the smaller sizes. As nice as it would be to only catch big beaver that’s just not what happens so being able to fit 4 smalls on one board saves boards and space.

I also use plywood and nails. Have never tried hooping. Hammer, I like the idea of two smalls on one side may have to make a couple if plywood ever comes down. I'm with newfox takes me about 20 to 30 minutes to board one but I'm never in a hurry and don't have too many to do at a time. Would also love to see a 4 minute nail up video. I'd have one swollen thumb trying to nail that fast myself lol

Well you don't use little nails. LOL

One thing I'll note, hooping or boarding, put the nails, rings, sew holes, whatever you are doing close together! I put my nails just far enough apart so that the claws of the hammer slide between them to pull them out. Should be the same distance if you are hooping them to make them a nice even curve without scalloping.

Pig rings are used for the main hoop I have shorter ones I use around the face depending if it's going to be tanned or sold for a pelt. A over sharpen pointie knife works great for poking the hook holes.