Big beaver
- Thread starter ivorytip
- Start date
swampokie
Veteran member
Very good eating! U must get all the hair off it because a hairy beaver has more of a fishy taste. If u properly pluck and prepare it has a fine taste of pork or comparable cuisine. Bon apitite!!!
When you stretch the beaver make sure the fur is dry. If it's not dry the beaver will slip. A piece of plywood with some holes drilled behind the beaver (prior to stretching) will help the air flow and drying process. Also lift the pelt up a little on the nails after it's nailed down. Draw a circle or slight oval shape on the plywood prior to nailing. In your case I would start with a 31" circle. Your beaver should fit that or a slightly larger, perhaps 33" circle. A circle is preferred but a slight oval shape is also acceptable but not a diamond shape if you were to sell your fur to a buyer or at auction.
gonhunting247
Veteran member
- Jan 21, 2014
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If you measure from nose to the base of tail before skinning, the hide should fit a circle that size or (+1")slightly larger. I like the plywood and nails (about 1" spacing) method better than hoops. Just my preference, because I like the perfect circular finished product.
Thanks for all the help, I will absolutely be using it in the future.sadly, I mustve not shut garage door tight enough and my dog got it opened and claimed the pelt as his own. Haha stupid! But, I learned a lot and cant wait for some more to practice on.
packer58
Very Active Member
For the fur market beaver are stretched in an oval not a circle. Their are patterns available at any trapping supply houses that can be put onto plywood. As others have said, hoops are also an option. I use big finishing nails and put them close enough together that you can't fit a finger between any two nails. Guys that put up a couple/few hundred beaver a year usually use a stapler for speed.
For your purposes if you are wanting to just flesh, stretch and dry to send off for tanning, you don't need a pattern but should try to get it into an even oval. The collagen in the hide does stretch when it's still wet, and if you dry it all kitty wampus, it will tan up a little odd.
For your purposes if you are wanting to just flesh, stretch and dry to send off for tanning, you don't need a pattern but should try to get it into an even oval. The collagen in the hide does stretch when it's still wet, and if you dry it all kitty wampus, it will tan up a little odd.
gonhunting247
Veteran member
- Jan 21, 2014
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That's interesting,I've been selling hides stretched round for many years and never had any complaints from the fur buyers. I've always been told either is fine. I also use finish nails close together and during high catch periods, had very sore fingers at times from trying to get the biggest size possible and hopefully bump up to the next price range. Dad taught us to use the same nails over and over again to save money and I think the old metal GOOP can with those oily nails is still in the shop. Hide prices dropped so low in the 80's and 90's that I started making rugs and selling hides as wall hangings to get a better return. Bobcats and Muskrat have been the money makers as of late, but Bobcat has even tanked a bit out our way the last couple years.
Yeah, lots of stretching patterns out there, but I know NAFA wants a certain oval, and FHA says "it is important to use and oval pattern". What I'm calling oval and you're calling round may actually be the same thing. It is hard to get a beaver to stretch into an actual circle. Below are the pelt handling manuals for all species from both NAFA, and FHA, the two big north American fur auction houses.
See page 15
http://www.nafa.ca/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/NAFA_PeltHandlingManual-E-web1.pdf
See page 5
https://www.furharvesters.com/pdf/pelthandling.pdf
We bought and sold tens of thousands of beaver back in the day. Beaver stretched in a perfectly round circle have the best eye appeal. Like I said before, oval and circular are both acceptable...any other shape is not.
We bought hundreds of thousands of pelts each year and actually paid more for grease mink than stretched and dried because our pelt handling techniques were the best in the industry.
gonhunting247
Veteran member
- Jan 21, 2014
- 1,216
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johnsd16,
I read both those references you listed. Interesting read! Makes me wonder why I worked so hard to get them round
. According to the one description all my hard work stretching may have lowered density and actually could possibly cost me money. I have to say though that my fur brokers have always liked the finished product and have never indicted an ovular shape would bring them or me more money. I really like the eye appeal of the circle just as WY ME stated. I guess it was all still a blast and we made some extra money while we were at it.
Sorry to the OP for side tracking your post. Go whack another one and stretch it which ever way you like the looks of best. They make awesome bedside rugs. Trapping is my second favorite outdoor past time. I've been trapping for fun since I was 8 years old and have ran a damage and nuisance control business on the side for the last 15 yrs.
Watch out it's almost as addictive as hunting!
I read both those references you listed. Interesting read! Makes me wonder why I worked so hard to get them round
. According to the one description all my hard work stretching may have lowered density and actually could possibly cost me money. I have to say though that my fur brokers have always liked the finished product and have never indicted an ovular shape would bring them or me more money. I really like the eye appeal of the circle just as WY ME stated. I guess it was all still a blast and we made some extra money while we were at it.Sorry to the OP for side tracking your post. Go whack another one and stretch it which ever way you like the looks of best. They make awesome bedside rugs
. Trapping is my second favorite outdoor past time. I've been trapping for fun since I was 8 years old and have ran a damage and nuisance control business on the side for the last 15 yrs. Watch out it's almost as addictive as hunting!
I agree, the auction houses are not the end all say all. I love trapping beaver but am not a big fan of skinning them and like putting them up even less. There are several MN guys that do a few hundred per fall of just their own and I don't know how they do it. I'd rather do 5 coon than a beaver.
Slugz
Veteran member
OMG.....wow......aint that the truth. The lack of restraint and professionalism being displayed on this post is amazing. Kudos everyone.
I myself am laughing daily as this is now my favorite post to view for the latest response.
Merry Xmas
packer58
Very Active Member
I know what you mean, wonder who's gonna drop the first major beaver bomb. At times it's tough to get four pages of contributions on any topic, well ..........unless it's a topic about beavers, proper stretching techniques ...............and a dog!!
25contender
Veteran member
- Mar 20, 2013
- 1,638
- 90
RJW
Member
taste great, off thousands f beaver caught ive only caught a handful over 70 pounds, had 5 in one day and broke the springs in my duster with them in the trunk.
the beaver meat is high in cholesterol, just so you know, dad was told to stop eating it decades ago, I feed our hounds it all winter to keep them in shape.
the beaver meat is high in cholesterol, just so you know, dad was told to stop eating it decades ago, I feed our hounds it all winter to keep them in shape.
Prerylyon
Veteran member
So, this in an incredibly interesting thread; and since I am on vacation, maybe I can follow it and learn something?
What is the most str8 fwd set for a rank beginning beaver trapper?
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What is the most str8 fwd set for a rank beginning beaver trapper?
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