Coyote stretchers

[demolition101]

K, looking at building my own stretchers for coyotes. And Ive looked at the NAFA manual for the sizing of solid boards. My question is, if I want to make split boards, what are the overall dimensions. Obviously open vs closed are going to have different sizes. What should the size of the form be before it's opened? Thanks Demo

[wwbirds]

Made my own from 1/2 by 4 inch white pine boards. If you have the dimensions for the taper from nose to tail the base where the tail is goes probably 10 inches or maybe 12? wide
Since I used 4 inch boards there would be a 2-4 inch space between the two sides on a split board.
I joined one side permanendly with wood screws and left the other side free floating so I could fit the base size to the size of the coyote. Lots of parallel dril holes in my joiner boards allow me to secure the split boards at any base width from about 10-16? inches with nails through the joiner board. if I find the manual I wil post the pictures but ATA may have them on their site as this is an ATA manual.

[demolition101]

Well i have the dimensions for solid coyote forms. My question is more if I want to build a split form, what does the size need to be while its closed. Obviously the size will change when its closed to when its open. So the question is when I make the form, does the dimensions closed need to be the same as the ones in the NAFA manual? Or does it need to mirror those dimensions when its opened?

[Bushmaster]

Can't help you tonite.....but tomorrow I could go measure one of mine. But here's what the bottom looks like and the top...

[wwbirds]

are used with belly (and sometimes even back) boards to firm up the pelt on the board so the dimension of your closed split board should be the same as the solid board.

[KegRiver]

Patterns for all stretchers can be picked up at most F&W offices for free.

My personal preference is for split stretchers for all the larger fur. Wolf, Coyote, Lynx, Otter and Fisher.

The hard part of making your own split boards is hinging them.
I have seen and used a number of options; leather laces, and wire loops are the most common and what I have seen most.
I didn't care for them so I designed my own hinge. It's sort of a knife hinge made from 1/4 birch plywood.
One of the things I didn't like about the old school hinges was that they would sometimes allow the boards to twist, in effect, folding the stretcher length wise.
My hinges do not allow that. But they are a bit of a pain to build.

If you are interested, it looks like this.



I forgot to add, I prefer the split boards for large animals because I believe they help the pelt to dry faster and more evenly.

Sorry, I don't know the dimensions off hand. But I do remember I used 1x4 boards. Of course 1x4 boards do not measure 1X4, they are really 3/4 x 3 1/2

[demolition101]

All great info thanks. Ill make some boards according to the size recommended by the NAFA manual and rip them up the middle to make split boards. Now there's a large and small board. How do I know which one to put the pelt on?

[KegRiver]

Originally Posted by demolition101

All great info thanks. Ill make some boards according to the size recommended by the NAFA manual and rip them up the middle to make split boards. Now there's a large and small board. How do I know which one to put the pelt on?

You only need one size with split boards, that is what the lower boards are for. To adjust for larger or smaller pelts.

Remember, you don't actually stretch the pelt, that thins the fur. Pull it taught, only enough to prevent it from rippling as it dries.

The idea is to keep the fur as dense as practical. A smaller pelt with denser fur is worth more then a large pelt with thin fur. At least at the auction.
Some buyers will try to con you with talk of high prices for larger pelts, it's only partially true. The pelt has to be large to begin with.

[demolition101]

K, so what level does the hide have to be prepared to to head to auction? Cased, fleshed, and dried only? Do they have to be tanned? And if they're just dried, and still crackly, do you have to soften them up? And can anyone send them to auction, or do you need a license of some sort? Always given the cased pelts to the Hutterites. Want to try auction this year.

[KegRiver]

Cased, fleshed and dried, fur out. Tanning is not required and if not done correctly can devalue the pelt drastically.

Go easy on the fleshing. A Coyote hide is easy to tear.
Work from the tail towards the head, so you're working with the hair roots, not against them. And scrape as much fat and any loose skin off.

Don't worry about real thin flesh or membrane, it's best to leave them on.

The most important thing is to get as much fat off as possible.
The oils will damage the fur.

It also pays to wipe the flesh side off with a paper towel as it dries.
During the drying process you will notice beads of oil forming on the leather.
Whenever you see much of that, it's time to wipe it down.

Oh yes, I almost forgot. Put the hide on flesh out. Let it dry till the leather just starts to feel stiff and dry. You don't want it too dry because you have to turn it inside out for the final drying, fur side out.
But it should be as dry as you can get it and still work with it.

Then, after turning it and restretching it, leave it for at least a day, two is better. And don't put it near a heat source.

A fully dried hide should crackle when you flex it.

Now wipe down the leather one more time, the best you can. Now you will be wiping the inside and of course that's hard, but the more oil you get off, the better.

[Bushmaster]

And when you're done doing all that and take them off the boards, hold them by the nose and snap them like you would a towel. It fluffs the hair up nicely.

[demolition101]

yea used to do beaver with my dad years ago. And he gave me some tips on getting these guys ready. Ill be leaving them outside to dry as I'm in an apartment. But if I get a nice one, I might want to try and tan it for the wall. Thanks again for all the help guys. Was looking at the NAFA website and I didnt see anything about needing a license or anything to trade. But unsure of the process with them. Says I can drop them off at Halford Hides in Edmonton. Does that mean they bag and ship them for me?

[KegRiver]

You do need a license to sell them, but that shouldn't be a big deal.

You can get a residents license for a few bucks. All you need is a parcel of land you have permission to trap and proof of that.

The proof would be title to that land or the signature of the land owner on a permission form that you can get from F&W for free.

Then you need that number off that license to sell any fur.

If you are a Junior on a registered line the line holder should have issued you a card with a number on it. That number would be the one you would need, in that case.

[KegRiver]

Originally Posted by demolition101

Does that mean they bag and ship them for me?

I think they buy them from you. But I'm not sure, I've never dealt with them.
That's what most places do though. Like ****kers, and Hudsons Bay.
The Alberta Trappers Association ship them for you though, as far as I know.

I haven't shipped fur in over ten years. The last several years I've turned all my fur over to my student, who now could be my teacher.

I haven't trapped at all in five years. My back isn't up to it any more.

[demolition101]

So I only need permission from someone with land to trap? I thought for some reason you needed a registered trap line to be able to trap. And I'll be off to the fish and wildlife office Monday for that form. Thanks

[Bushmaster]

Halfords won't buy them...they will ship them for you and supply bags. They are a NAFA depot. You might not find it that easy to just buy a licence.....you might need a trappers course.

[KegRiver]

Originally Posted by Bushmaster

Halfords won't buy them...they will ship them for you and supply bags. They are a NAFA depot. You might not find it that easy to just buy a licence.....you might need a trappers course.

I forgot about that. I guess cause I never needed one, grandfathered in you know.

Glad you remembered. That would be a bit of a problem,

But with that in hand I believe the rest is relatively easy.

[Bushmaster]

Lol, I was grandfathered in too.

[dugh]

You require proof of passing the trapper's test to get a resident licence. Once you have the res. lic. then you get landowner permission and forms filled out. And yes, to sell the fur you require a provincial trapper's licence. Hope this helps.
Doug

[demolition101]

If I do the trappers course and pass, is it good for every province? Or just this one. I'll assume that the provincial licensing will change per province, but is the course federal?

[Bushmaster]

Never taken it but sure its a provincial thing.