How important is forming board thickness?

[ditch donkey]

So I'm getting ready for the upcoming season, and going to make some boards.
NAFA says they should be 1/2" or 5/8" but, I can't find any lumber that size. Other than ply wood. Lots of 3/4" options though. Is that extra 1/8" a deal breaker?

Thanks, more questions to follow.

[HunterDave]

I asked a similar question last season. The NAFA thickness for coyote/fox boards is a little out of wack with what the thickness of available lumber is. If required, I was prepared to plane 1" thick lumber the 1/8" (or whatever it is) to get it to NAFA specs. After asking for advice from the experienced Trappers on here, I couldn't find anyone that bothered to plane the lumber to specs. In fact, the boards that I bought at Halford's to use as a pattern were made from the same exact thickness of boards that you'd find in the rack at Home Depot.

The lumber that I used for my coyote split boards is 1" x 3" spruce and they work well. After researching, I decided to buy wire stretchers from Halford's for my muskrats. They are fairly cheap and they benefits of using wire are (arguably) better for drying and removing the pelt from them. For my weasel & squirrel boards I scrounged some thinner plywood from an old desk but some guys make them out of the plastic "For Sale" signs.

Based on what I've been told I wouldn't get too wrapped around 1/8" difference in thickness for coyote/fox boards.

Nice to hear that you're getting geared up for the season!

[bill9044]

Wire for muskrats all the way. I bought a medium board to flesh on. I took 1x4 boards and planed them down then made them into split boards. I have a power plainer. It still takes a bit. My buddy just uses the 1x4 as is and makes a split.

[The Spruce]

The biggest issue with board thickness is loss of length on the animal. Not likely an issue with our huge coyotes, they all seem to be XL and up. When you start talking Muskrats, Weasels, etc. If the board is too thick, you will likely loose a grading size when drying on board that is too thick. For instance, if I get a Fisher that is borderline Medium, I will use belly wedges front and back to shrink the Fisher that 1/4". Dries as a small instead of a medium and I get a lot more $ for that fisher.

In the case of wire stretchers for Muskrats, they work great...on big rats, XL and up. I won't use them on anything smaller, because of the wire width issues, and not being able to see the pelt length. Wire stretchers are quite wide in the hips of a smaller rat, if used you will lose a ton of length. Your medium rats will end up as smalls. I use boards for all smallish rats, with pelt lengths marked on them. If one is borderline, I use a cardboard drying board (super thin). This will give me the next size up. This means a huge difference in the fur check when you are gaining a size on a couple hundred rats or so. XS might get a buck or 2, SM might get 2-4 bucks, MED will always (in todays market) get you 5 bucks.

Just my opinion, Spruce

[nube]

I hate wire for my rats. I get better length and they dry looking nicer I think on wood. I think it is what you find best for yourself and there is no wrong way. Time to dry is not an issue as it only takes 1.5 to 2 days to dry anyways. I put a fan on mine and they dry fast. I find when you really start getting into the rats I don't have time to skin and board and just skin and toss them in the freezer till things slow down and just do what I have time for. I just find when I am trapping full steam ahead it is just hard enough to keep up tot he skinning and trapping. I got a burned out a little this year and ended up doing about 180 rats this summer after the season and will sell them this Feb sale.

[bill9044]

Like you nube I just froze about 110 rats and will send them in in Feb. Rat trapping and beavers eat up a lot of time and you always want to check for the next batch.
I learned at the trapper show that wooden clothes pins help keep your rats from riding up when drying. And the length is true but they grade at the point where a straight line of full fur occurs on the rat. This may be common knowledge but I didn't know. I was doing it wrong for a while.

[nube]

Yes they don't get length from the pointed tail end of the rat. it is full fur across the whole thing and get the length from the sides. Like I said earlier I can pull the sides and pin first and can get a longer stretch I find this way. I also find that some wire rats look wrinkled in some spots and bumpy. Maybe me or maybe that is just what happens and maybe it doesn't matter but i find my boards keep the pelt nice and flat and looks better for what I do with them. I don't know if one way is better or not but I do things my way and others will find their own. It is nice to have everyones point of view on it.

[ditch donkey]

Thanks, I didn't think that 1/8" was a deal breaker, but thought it wouldn't hurt to ask. Also, interesting point about losing length in thicker boards. Something to pay attention to for sure.

[bill9044]

Sorry nube I wasn't trying to debate or argue. I am also in the opinion that if it works for that person giver. I was trying to say I was stretching them incorrectly for a while and at the trapping show the muskrat demo showed me what I was doing wrong. I don't mean to come across like a A hole.

[nube]

I didn't take it that way at all either That is why I like the trapping forum here. Guys can share opinions and not get bent out of shape. I appreciate any tidbit of info I can get. We are all on the same team. Lots to learn for me. I wish I wasn't working for that rendezvous. I think it would have taught me a fair bit

[HunterDave]

If you want to see some odd looking coyote boards, have a look at 5911Ryan's from at the Rendezvous. It's the brown one in the middle of the picture......Thin at the neck.

Kind of odd but he said that it didn't effect the grading and he had no reason to change from them.

[The Spruce]

Originally Posted by HunterDave

If you want to see some odd looking coyote boards, have a look at 5911Ryan's from at the Rendezvous. It's the brown one in the middle of the picture......Thin at the neck.

Kind of odd but he said that it didn't effect the grading and he had no reason to change from them.

Hey I'm in that picture, well my head anyways.

[HunterDave]

Originally Posted by The Spruce

Hey I'm in that picture, well my head anyways.

I noticed that but I didn't want to say.....lol.