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Old 10-23-2017, 10:10 PM
HunterDave HunterDave is offline
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Default Beaver Bankets (Size)

I've been catching beaver +/- 60 lbs but have never put up a blanket yet.....all 2XL. Today I put one up that was 59.5 lbs by the bathroom scale and I thought for sure that it was a blanket. I did the old nose/tail measurement and by that it should have been. Once I started nailing the sides, I felt that I was stretching the pelt so I went down to 2XL. I've never overstretched a beaver pelt but I'm wondering if I'm being just a little too cautious.

For you fellas who've caught blankets, what kind of size beaver did you put up?
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Old 10-24-2017, 09:25 AM
pikeman06 pikeman06 is offline
 
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A 60lb beaver should be the largest ring on your board. I nail the nose then I nail the sides but first go halfway between the nose and the side and make sure you have enough slack. If you do then put a nail in there on both sides. Then I go halfway from the center down like I did on the top half and put two nails in on either side and finally the taIL end. So you should have 8 nails in a diamond pattern nice and symmetrical. I then flesh with the board standing up. So the gunk runs down hill. That should give you some more stretch on the skin. Now put nails halfway between the ones you put in. If it still fit's good then you can do the top half with 3/4 inch spacings then flip over the board and do the bottom half. Leg holes last. That's how I do it. Gravity helps you out on big heavy hides like beaver. The board standing up makes a big difference. I just sit on a five gallon pail in front of it. Hope that helps kinda hard to explain. Another thing is its way too early for beaver. Another month makes a huge difference and after xmas is even better. It's a tough market especially for early fur.
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Old 10-24-2017, 10:04 AM
Marty S Marty S is offline
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I think your definition of blanket beaver is off. It refers to more than just the outer ring, last time I checked at least... which was probly 25 years ago! Seems to me both 3XL and 2XL were in the blanket bracket. However, in my old age, my mind has become dull, AND my hair is falling out, and pants don't fit no more...

I'm screwed
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Old 10-24-2017, 11:55 AM
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The Spruce The Spruce is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Marty S View Post
I think your definition of blanket beaver is off. It refers to more than just the outer ring, last time I checked at least... which was probly 25 years ago! Seems to me both 3XL and 2XL were in the blanket bracket. However, in my old age, my mind has become dull, AND my hair is falling out, and pants don't fit no more...

I'm screwed
This is a true statement. The largest size of beavers at auction or "blanket beavers" are 2-3 XXL. I find about 1% or so are 3XXL. I have boarded 2 beavers that were bigger than 3XXL.

Spruce

Last edited by The Spruce; 10-24-2017 at 12:01 PM.
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Old 10-24-2017, 12:00 PM
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The Spruce The Spruce is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by pikeman06 View Post
A 60lb beaver should be the largest ring on your board. .
This is not true. Weight means nothing, length means nothing. Some beavers are long and skinny, some are short and fat. Some are tight to board on the head end, and some are tight to board on the sides. They fit where they fit. Once you board a few hundred, you can tell how sore your back is as to what ring they go on.

Always remember that a beaver overstretched with be damaged, or a t a minimum "silky". A beaver under stretched (loose on board) will grade as a heavy.

Spruce
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Old 10-24-2017, 01:06 PM
HunterDave HunterDave is offline
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Thanks fellas! I'll keep doing what I'm doing and one day I may put some nail holes in the 3XL ring. My other question about 2XL and 3XL being grouped together was answered as well.

Generally, I catch all of my beaver under ice after coyote season but I'm helping a landowner out right now......he's infested! I put in three 330's on Saturday and I had 3 beaver on Sunday. The landowner would like 3 more taken out before winter. I don't want to waste the fur and to be honest, it doesn't look half bad. One had a bit of blue tinge to the hide and one was nice and white. The third was a kit which I will tan for a beaver hoop.
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Old 10-24-2017, 04:31 PM
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The Spruce The Spruce is offline
 
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Originally Posted by HunterDave View Post
Thanks fellas! I'll keep doing what I'm doing and one day I may put some nail holes in the 3XL ring. My other question about 2XL and 3XL being grouped together was answered as well.

Generally, I catch all of my beaver under ice after coyote season but I'm helping a landowner out right now......he's infested! I put in three 330's on Saturday and I had 3 beaver on Sunday. The landowner would like 3 more taken out before winter. I don't want to waste the fur and to be honest, it doesn't look half bad. One had a bit of blue tinge to the hide and one was nice and white. The third was a kit which I will tan for a beaver hoop.
I have had top lot, and SEL*, I* beaver taken in fall several times.
They just can't be boarded tight. Once the pelts start to turn light grey or grey brown, they are early prime. This is what I was catching open water, and early ice last fall.
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Old 10-24-2017, 06:00 PM
pikeman06 pikeman06 is offline
 
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A sixty pound beaver is the biggest ring on the boards here. If that ain't a blanket then what the hell you do stretch them on? The government templates I made my boards with 20 years ago come within an inch of the edge of a sheet of plywood cut in half on the halfway down mark. I've put up more than any sane man ought to. The bigger ones I still stretch to the biggest ring I have on my board or of course they'd be wrapped around the edge of my boards they are a little looser but they tighten up as they dry.
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