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Posted by Dave (Member # 402) on November 11, 2004, 08:02 PM:
Krusty,
How goes the battle with the classes and permits and all the other burocratic b.s. they want you to go through. How does the trap building going?
Dave
Posted by Krustyklimber (Member # 72) on November 11, 2004, 10:23 PM:
Dave,
Thanks for askin'. ![[Wink]](wink.gif)
It's not going at all.
I called the state this week, Chuck, the one and only guy who knows anything about the home study course is on vacation
I haven't gotten anything done as far as making any traps yet either, I don't want to make a bunch of them and then not be able to use them.
I guess all I can do is, hurry up, and wait... ![[Smile]](smile.gif)
Krusty 
Posted by Dave (Member # 402) on November 12, 2004, 09:58 PM:
Krusty,
You just have to love the art of bureaucracy. I just returned from one of the best high school football games that I ever saw! My home town team just won the school's first ever state championship!! They held them for four down's inside the 5 yard line with only a two point lead with a minute left!!!!!!!!!! It was awsome. Well anyway good luck with the trapping. I plan on starting this weekend for some coon. Talk to you later.
Dave
Posted by Krustyklimber (Member # 72) on November 15, 2004, 02:53 PM:
Dave,
I can jump through hoops with the best of em, just line em up and tell me which way to go, I don't even mind if a few of them are on fire.
Okay so I called back today, and spoke with Chuck.
He was very nice about it, said he had my application on his desk.
He also said that, at this point, there is no home study manual or a test.
The test and the manual have been written, but they haven't been approved or printed yet. He said he had no idea how long that could take.
I recently did some work with a guy that runs a commercial refrigeration repair company, and he has a BIG pile of wire racks and shelving, I think I found a good place to get some materials for building cages.
I really like the door/trip system on your trap, but I like the idea of a guillotine style door too.
The door swinging in, with a basic washer lock, is simple and effective, and durable.
Do you mostly use your cage traps for "targeted" ADC type of stuff, or as part of your fur line, or both?
Do you stake the traps down, and if so how?
quote:
I plan on starting this weekend for some coon.
How's it going? (*Tim, you get any more cool critters?)
Krusty
[ November 15, 2004, 02:58 PM: Message edited by: Krustyklimber ]
Posted by Tim Behle (Member # 209) on November 15, 2004, 03:15 PM:
Nothing for me lately, but I only have one trap out at the south end of my property right now.
I spent Veterans day setting out a coyote line. Only to have a land owner use his God given right to be an A$$hole on Friday and post his land against trespassing. I wasn't trapping on him, but I need to drive across a quarter mile dirt two track to get from the public road, to the property I was trapping on.
He is with in his rights to not allow me to cross his private property, so I pulled my traps.
I may get the chance to set a few out on Thursday or Friday, but it will most likely be Saturday before I get a chance to do much.
Posted by Leonard (Member # 2) on November 15, 2004, 05:05 PM:
Tim, seems like there was some talk, at the camp out, that things were tightening up down in your corner of the world? Must be suffering because it's the best dang coyote hunting on the planet, huh? Too many vacationers on the predator safari of a lifetime. You lucky guy.
Good hunting. LB
Posted by Dave (Member # 402) on November 15, 2004, 06:17 PM:
Krusty,
I aim for coon's with my livetrap's but pick up a skunk now and again. As far as stakeing my trap's down it is a must !!!!!!!!! The nice washer latch mecanism has one down fall. When rolled over on it's top the door fall's open ![[Frown]](frown.gif)
. The door's on my type of trap verses the guillotine style is when mine is tripped and the animal is not all the way in it can't push the door back up unlike the other style. I have gotten out to set no more than one trap . I have been working 7 day's a week. But I am going to get serious pretty quick about trapping. Well talk to you soon and good luck on the trap building.
Dave
Posted by Krustyklimber (Member # 72) on November 24, 2004, 10:51 AM:
Tim,
That sucks about the land access deal, some people huh? ![[Roll Eyes]](rolleyes.gif)
This week going any better?
Dave,
I guess working a lot has been contagious, I have been really busy myself.
You didn't say how you go about staking the trap.
My thinking was to use a rebar stake on each side of the cage, driven through the mesh in the bottom corner at about a 45° angle.
So when you get a skunk in your cage how do you go about releasing it?
For the guillotine style door, I am playing around with a judded washer lock (sorta like the stop on a screen door damper, but spring loaded), with a "lifting cable" attached to a release on the judder and the door.
That way if the door stops on it's way down it cannot be lifted, and a release could be done (with a long stick) without having to un-stake the trap.
Still no manual, no test, and no license, for me.
Oh yeah, still no new Governor either!
Krusty
Posted by Tim Behle (Member # 209) on November 24, 2004, 05:47 PM:
Krusty,
I got some bad news about an hour after I wrote that last post. Things pretty much went downhill for me for the next week or so.
I did finally get 4 cat traps out last Sunday, but then had two nights of storms to contend with.
This morning I pulled one of them, and set out 10 coyote sets.
If the wife is willing to let me stay out until noon tomorrow, I'd like to set another 10 sets. ( I still haven't worked up the nerve to ask her, I'm going to wait until she's half asleep )
On big obstacle I'm facing, is that all of my traps were prepared, lures bought and urine collected for the 1999-2000 season.
I boiled up close to a hundred traps over at John-Henry's two years ago. Then I read the reg's for Arizona and found out that all but a half a dozen of the traps I had prepped were illegal here.
If you start kicking butt on coons, Muskrats or Beaver, let me know. I've got plenty of stretchers here that I will never use again. I've been looking up kids and new trappers on Trapperman.com , I'll send you a few too, but the deal is they aren't for sale. If you give up trapping, you need to send them on to another young trapper to help him get started.
Posted by Krustyklimber (Member # 72) on November 24, 2004, 10:23 PM:
Tim,
As usual, that is a very generous offer, thank you very much.
That sounds like a great deal, if I get to where I do actually need them I'll let you know.
I am sorry to hear about your bad luck, I understand how that can go.
Don't let it discourage you, just remember "at least I got it better than Ol' Krusty" LOL (a variation on "I lamented I had no shoes, until I met a man who had no legs").
I myself am having trouble finding anyone to use, for my example of how much worse it could get. ![[Razz]](tongue.gif)
It's getting hard to keep a head of steam going, coyote calling didn't really work out, call making went even worse than that, and trapping won't even get going at all.
But I don't give up easy... there's always next year, or the year after that.
Krusty
Posted by Cal Taylor (Member # 199) on November 25, 2004, 07:19 AM:
Tim,
What are the legal and illegal traps in Arizona. Just out of curiosity. Pretty much everything is legal here. I have a bit of everything. I started out with some old 4 longspring victors and some 3ns. I still have some of those old traps and use them. Then I went to the 3 and 4 Montgomery dogless, until they quit making them. So then it was to 3 Bridgers, which are a good trap but the dogs are weak and need straightened and replaced often. Now they are making a copy of the #3 Montgomery called the Montana Special and I picked up a couple dozen of those this year. I think I'll like them the best, because I still like that design of trap (dogless) and know how to set them up the best and fastest. (as far as getting the right pan tension and getting the pans level etc.). I base plate and laminate everything, and some are 4 coiled.
Posted by Tim Behle (Member # 209) on November 25, 2004, 12:19 PM:
Cal,
Indiana was that way, you could use almost anything you wanted. But most of my traps aren't legal here in AZ.
All traps must have at least 3/16" offset jaws, or padded jaws. Every trap must also have a shock absorbing spring, and a commercially made pan tension device.
On land, we are limited to traps with 6.5" or less jaw spread, and nothing bigger than a 120 Conibear.
No snares ( That sucks )
All trap chains must have at least two swivels, and they even tell you were to put them.
No trapping with in 1/2 mile of any dwelling or area of public use. No trapping with in 100 yards of any interstate or highway. No trapping on Public land ( 70% of the State )
No teeth, no live bait, or setting with in 30' of exposed bait. Everything we catch must be either killed or released. No taking coyotes or fox home for urine collecting. I've been using my own for years, but I'm down to a half a gallon of coyote pee and a pint of fox pee, and it's five years old.
But the one that gripes me most is trap tags. At least they let me use a number that only the G&F can decode. They say it must be a metal tag, so I make them out of cut up beer cans.
Speaking of which, I might have a 5 year supply by the time that Turkey gets done. ![[Confused]](confused.gif)
Posted by Cal Taylor (Member # 199) on November 25, 2004, 06:21 PM:
We have to tag ours too, but I use a number also. Can you modify your traps with a little welding to offset them? I don't understand the pan tension deal. You'll have to explain that one to me. I like to run alot of pan tension to keep from catching as many rabbits as possible. I don't run any shocks in my chain, but I have at least two or three swivels. And we still have our snares. I really like snares, there have been major advances made in the snare department.
Posted by Tim Behle (Member # 209) on November 25, 2004, 08:55 PM:
They don't trust us to modify our own jaws, they have to be commercially made also.
The pan tension didn't hit me too bad. Most of my traps either have the brass nut and bolt, or a Posi-trip pan installed.
But my some of my favorite traps are #3 DLS and I never got them modified yet. They still have the factory crimp on pan. I used to add pan tension to them when setting by rolling up a ball of grass and putting it under the pan. But now they are setting on the work bench until I can get new pans ordered and installed.
I already had swivels on all of my traps, and a dozen or two had springs. I went down to the hardware store and bought $20 of small springs to install just to have enough traps to put out a line.
I like those #3 Bridgers well myself, but keeping them adjusted so the pan levels out is a chore in it's own.
How do you like those four coiled traps? I've had several over the years, and most of them have ended up with a buckled frame, making them unsetable. I had one bend up the laminated base plate while set a few years ago. It pushed the base into the bottom of the pan. Every morning, I see tracks over the pan and I'd assume the anti-freeze had run off. I'd add some more anti-freeze and the next morning find the same thing. It was almost a week before I discovered that the trap couldn't fire. I had to dismantle it at home to close the jaws.
Posted by Rob (Member # 75) on November 26, 2004, 06:00 AM:
Tim..on your #3dls you can file a Miles Instant Trigger on your pans it's almost as good as the Paws-I-Trip pans...If you can find a copy of Scientific Coyote Trapping and Hunting by Wiley Miles it shows how to file the notch or do a search on trapperman.
Posted by Tim Behle (Member # 209) on November 26, 2004, 10:45 AM:
I need to change out the factory pans because I need to have a way to adjust pan tension. I can't see how I'd do that by filing. That's why I was looking at the Paws-i-trip pans. By adjusting the bolt that holds the pan, you can adjust how much pressure is needed to fire the trap.
Posted by Rob (Member # 75) on November 26, 2004, 12:09 PM:
Tim..you file a notch on the end of the dog and one in the rear of the pan the deeper the notch the more tension..I have some 3-n's with the Miles trigger that have 3 1/2 to 4 pounds of pan tension..If you like I can copy the instructions from the book and mail them to ya..I think I even have a pan and trigger with the notch already filed in them for a #3 Victor dls you can have for a visual aide.
Posted by Tim Behle (Member # 209) on November 26, 2004, 02:52 PM:
The only filing system I can think of for pans and dogs it the Nightlatch system.
Does it look like this?
Before...............................After..........
Posted by Rob (Member # 75) on November 26, 2004, 03:18 PM:
Sorry I'll try again.
[ November 27, 2004, 07:18 AM: Message edited by: Rob ]
Posted by Tim Behle (Member # 209) on November 26, 2004, 03:47 PM:
Rob,
Can you post the pic here? I have to log on to view it there, and they are not letting anyone new register.
Just right click on the picture, hit properties and copy and paste the URL here.
Posted by Rob (Member # 75) on November 26, 2004, 04:13 PM:
http://www.hunt101.com/img/147773.JPG
Posted by Tim Behle (Member # 209) on November 26, 2004, 04:32 PM:
OK, now I see! That's the same style that the Sterling and Heimbrock traps use. I love the way those traps work and fire. I don't think I've ever had anything but a full pad catch in one of them.
What kind of file do you use? A small 3 corner? It seems like it'd be a real pain to get them hand filed and still line up.
Posted by Cal Taylor (Member # 199) on November 26, 2004, 04:57 PM:
All my long springs are filed that way. I never knew who started doing it first, another trapper showed me. I use that and polyfill under the pan on the longsprings.
Posted by Rob (Member # 75) on November 26, 2004, 04:58 PM:
http://www.hunt101.com/img/152189.JPG
[ November 27, 2004, 07:16 AM: Message edited by: Rob ]
Posted by Krustyklimber (Member # 72) on November 29, 2004, 11:12 AM:
Okay it's Monday again.
Latest joke on the State... I called the State Capitol, two Mondays ago, and left a voice mail with the Director of Education at the DFW, regarding the fact their is no home study manual for trapping, and no way to get my license.
Last Monday Chuck (who I had already spoken with, and recommended I call the Director) called me back and asked if I had any questions about Trapper's Ed.
I explained who I was, he said he remembered now, and was sorry but there was still no test, or home study course approved, and no idea when it might be.
Today... I called George Sovie, he's the Pres. of the WSTA, I caught him on the road so he didn't have much time to talk.
I quickly explained the situation, and he said "I don't think there is anything I can do to help". And he asked me to call him back later.
I was suprised he had no idea of the home study course, or the fact that nobody is currently able to get their new trapping license.
They are still counting and re-counting the votes for Governor, and the one still in office is a ghost, maybe once these people have a Boss something will get done.
Krusty
Posted by CougerBait (Member # 149) on November 29, 2004, 11:21 AM:
This is getting painful. Krusty send me an email with your mailing address and I will send you a copy of the book they gave me for the test. When you feel confident that you can pass the test, call in a request to take the test. I had to set an appointment. You have to pass the test by 90% when you challenge it. The test isn't all that hard, unless they have changed it. But I doubt that they have.
jbraneswa@earthlink.net
I will bring in the book tomorrow and run a copy of it and get it off to you.
Posted by Leonard (Member # 2) on November 29, 2004, 11:27 AM:
Pretty much fits with my concept of "God's Country" as my brother terms it. And they sneer at CA.
factoid: Washington State has ten times the incident of so called "road rage" as does California, with way less population.
#2 (coastal) Washington is the suicide capital of the United States, the entire population requires "sunshine therapy" (artificial light) to ease effects of cabin fever.
.....then there are the football teams. <yawn>
Oh, just kidding; I actually love it, up there.
Good hunting. LB
Posted by Krustyklimber (Member # 72) on November 29, 2004, 05:39 PM:
Jesse,
Thanks, I'll send you my address.
Studying the most current Washington manual I could get wouldn't hurt, that's for sure.
Leonard,
I am not part of the they who knock California, I lived in both places and they are more alike than different.
I like both.
Krusty
Posted by Krustyklimber (Member # 72) on December 08, 2004, 11:24 PM:
Well another week and a half has gone by...
I was rolling through one of the other trapping threads looking for some old info, and stumbled across a couple things.
Lance wrote:
quote:
I encourage you to use that new Trapper subscription, look up the Washington Trapper's Ass'n, find a Director or other officer close to you that can hook you up with an experienced trapper that will show you the ropes.
Well when my first issue of T&pc showed up I went to the back where trapping assoc's are listed, guess what?
My state's trapping assoc. had no listing in there, so I thought "maybe next month"...
Next month's issue came, guess what?
Still not in there.
I went to the Seattle library's website and reserved a video tape called "Traps and Trapping" .
It didn't have much of a description, but I figured it was worth watching, even if they never talked about traps legal in my state.
Turns out it's about survival traps and trapping, like wire snares, deadfall and twitch-up type traps.
Today I made the Figure Four deadfall trap, like Lance once joked I should learn.
My calls to the State this week all ended at dead ends and voicemails, I never spoke with anyone who could tell me anything about the home study course.
I don't want to become a nuisance, so I am done calling, for now.
I can't imagine what an uproar it would cause if the "jammed up" the hunters safety courses, and made it so nobody could get their first hunting license!?!
I don't want to try and find a trapper to tag along with yet, I would hate to waste that person's time teaching me a skill I cannot use, I feel that would be disrespectful.
At this point, almost a month and a half into the season, I am really glad I haven't made any financial investment in it. I'd be really mad if I had $300 worth of traps, lures, etc. sitting in my shop gathering dust.
I really really appreciate all the effort you guys went to, in helping me.
Thanks
Krusty
Posted by Krustyklimber (Member # 72) on January 24, 2005, 10:01 PM:
Progress Report,
If you want to call it progress.
Okay here we are almost two months after my last post, and nearly six months since I first applied for trapper's ed.
I finally received my trapper's education materials, today. I am not sure but it appears I got a "draft" of the new manual.
I have also gotten some help from the members at Trapperman.com. It appears there's a high demand for NWCO, to do ADC work (the coyotes behind my house are on the list).
I'll be studying for a while, and then taking the test, but I might be able to get it done before my season ends in March.
If nothing else I will for sure be ready for the next season.
Thanks again,
Krusty
Posted by CougerBait (Member # 149) on January 25, 2005, 05:31 AM:
I have been getting more and more calls from the state in the last couple of months. I don't know what kind of calls guys are getting from the state, or the amount. But it has really been picking up in my little corner. The only problem is that they are calls about coyotes in the middle of town. No traps that you can set other than box traps, which I haven't heard of any one having luck with them. Can shoot them there. Any one have any ideas there on this? Every one that I talk to says good luck!
Posted by Leonard (Member # 2) on January 25, 2005, 10:57 AM:
Cougar~ there really isn't a solution. Welcome to the Urban Jungle. We have been dealing with city coyotes in southern california for many years. Don't leave food outside, and make sure your cat breeds every year, before she disappears.
They are winning.
Good hunting. LB
Posted by CougerBait (Member # 149) on January 25, 2005, 11:22 AM:
The worst one was a guy that was about 80. On a Friday night his little dog was attacked by 2 coyotes. He was able to get his dog to the vet and they performed surgery on the dog and after 1500.00 they still had to put the dog down the next day! He lived in the middle of town. All that I could tell the guy was that I was sorry for his loss and to talk to his legislator and governor about letting us use real traps again. But in the setting that he is in, it wouldn't do any good. It is real frustrating. But then you get 2 calls in a week for the raccoon. Now that is easy money! ![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
Posted by Tim Behle (Member # 209) on January 26, 2005, 04:03 PM:
Krusty,
I know you are still in trappers Kindergarten. But let me show you something to look forward to.
Something that a few Graduate students like to play with.
If you ask in most any trapping circle, the MJ600 coilspring trap is considered to be the Cadillac of coyote traps. You can put one in the hands of almost any coyote trapper and watch his eyes light up.
But there is another, lesser known trap. If the MJ600 is the Cadillac of coyote traps. The LPC #4 is the Hummer. Built on the strength and design of the Newhouse trap. It brings with it a few changes that make it the most awesome coyote steel yet produced. A coyote trapper may gaze in awe of the MJ600, but if you place the LPC #4 in the hands of a true Coyotero, he's going to sprout wood.
I treated myself to a belated Christmas gift last week. On Monday, my new Livestock Protection Company #4 arrived.
It has a 6 3/8" offset jawspread, adjustable pan tension, center swiveled base mounted chain and drag. You won't be setting this one across your knee like most DBLS traps. It takes all of my 200+ pounds to get this one set with out a pair of setters.
Just thought I'd give you something to look at, and a reason to keep trying to get that permit. Maybe one day, you can get the use of leghold traps back there in Washington, and see first hand the difference that using quality steel makes.
Study hard!
Tim
Posted by Cal Taylor (Member # 199) on January 26, 2005, 04:23 PM:
It strikes me funny, with the new larger canines being released everywhere, it seems that trappers everywhere are gearing up with bigger and better stuff. I see several of the local guys (county and federal) packing some serious steel. The livestock protection traps, and the big Bridger 5's. Hmmmmm. They must all be beaver trappers? But there are damn few beaver in most places here. Must be beaver where you are too, Tim?
Posted by Krustyklimber (Member # 72) on January 26, 2005, 04:38 PM:
Tim,
Oooo Ahhhhhh, very cool! ![[Cool]](cool.gif)
Even a "kinnygardener" like me can recognize true beauty in craftsmanship.
That baby has all of the good trap modifications, and features, I have read about, and some!
I hope it "drives" for you, as good as it looks.
I have enough reason still to be working on getting my license, as much as anything, because they are trying to make it difficult.
One of my best, and worst, traits is; I tend to apply equal and opposite force, as that which is applied against me.
Ya know it's funny, but in the whole trappers handbook, they never really infer that I cannot use foothold traps like that.
It very much is exactly like the MI, and SD, manuals I studied online.
I guess they want us to learn all the ways that are possible, if we jump through the hoops to get a permit to use them.
Thanks for sharing Tim, good trapping.
Krusty
[ January 26, 2005, 04:41 PM: Message edited by: Krustyklimber ]
Posted by Tim Behle (Member # 209) on January 26, 2005, 05:12 PM:
Cal,
I wish we had beaver here. That is the one thing that I really miss. I didn't study the laws well enough before I moved. For some reason, I sold all of my cage traps ( which I could have used on the public land here ) and brought all of my 330's ( I doubt there is a beaver in 100 miles of my house )
The LPC traps won't replace my favorite coyote trap, I'll never be able to afford enough of them for that.
I almost bought a Bridger #5 a few times while living there in Indiana. Looks to be a hell of a nice beaver trap. But I'd never consider setting one on land for coyotes.
If you want a tickle, take a look at EBay. They currently have an auction going for a "Vintage Bear Trap" That happens to be a #5 Bridger. When I looked last night at it, they had 9 bids and the price was over $76. I wanted to write the high bidder and let him know he was buying a beaver trap, not a bear trap, and he could buy 3 new ones for that price. But I decided that what the hell. Sometimes a fellow see's something for sale that looks like something he's dreamed of owning, and the price just doesn't matter to him.
This is the third LPC trap I've bought. The first was a #8 with teeth, ( I couldn't legally set it ) and I gave it to a trappers auction. I've a 3 1/2 EZ Grip out right now, and if this rain stops, I'll have this one out in a day or two.
Posted by Leonard (Member # 2) on January 26, 2005, 06:22 PM:
Tim, it doesn't look all that different from the (only) one I have? A Diamond somethin? except for the swivel on the bottom. What did it cost ya?
Good hunting. LB
Posted by Tim Behle (Member # 209) on January 26, 2005, 06:41 PM:
Leonard,
They run $75 plus shipping. About 2-3 times what I normally pay for a good custom coyote trap. But I firmly believe that these traps should outlast those others by a long time.
Do you remember the 114 Newhouse that Rich brought to the hunt? This is a very similar trap, only with out the teeth. The springs on the trap Rich brought, were made probably in the early 1900's and still stronger than most any new trap you will find on the market today.
I intend to pass on my traps someday to a Grandson. Most of them may not be good for anything but wallhangers by then, but my LPC and Newhouse traps I bet will still be in perfect working condition.
Posted by Krustyklimber (Member # 72) on January 27, 2005, 08:40 PM:
Okay I been studying, and I have a question.
Would it be a good idea to dye (or otherwise "treat") wire stretchers, so they wouldn't rust and damage furs?
Krusty
Posted by Leonard (Member # 2) on January 27, 2005, 11:32 PM:
Most stretchers I have seen are plated, like cadmium, or zinc, but doesn't look like galvanizing, to me? Galvaneal? Whatever? They usually benefit from the fat on the hides, to inhibit rusting. In my limited experience, rust isn't a big problem on wire strechers, but some guys are using wood. Maybe it's to prevent rust, for all I know?
Good hnting. LB
Posted by Krustyklimber (Member # 72) on January 28, 2005, 11:43 AM:
Leonard,
Thanks. I understand what you mean about the fat on the inside of the hide, but what about critters dried and stretched "fur in"?
Here's some of what the handbook says about stretchers;
Each type of furbearer requires a stretching board that is specifically designed for that animal. Wire stretchers are available and are very convienient for some animals such as mukrats. Recently, some fur tanneries have complained that furs such as coyote and bobcat dried on wire stretchers have fallen apart when tanned. Apparently, the trapper turned his pelts fur side out too soon and the hide rotted where it touched the wire. This could not be detected until the fur was tanned. Eventually this problem may result in lower prices for some furs dried on wire stretchers. Bobcat, mink and coyote fur look better stretched on wood, while raccoon and muskrat usually look better when stretched on wire.
Later in the fur marketing section, particularly on raccoon, it says;
They may be stretched on either wire or wood stretchers (keeping in mind to check for rusty spots on wire stretchers).
In the section on mink it says;
Make sure to keep body gripping traps well dipped to prevent rust, which will stain the pelt...
I kinda just stuck two and to together, and came up with the idea to dip wire stretchers.
So Tim, how rusty are them ol' wire stretchers you got? lol
Krusty
Posted by Tim Behle (Member # 209) on January 28, 2005, 04:07 PM:
Krusty,
Most of my stretchers haven't set still long enough to get rusty
But when I was trapping coons, I did take a hand full of coon grease and wipe down my stretchers once or twice a year.
Knowing when to turn a hide fur out is almost an art in itself. Turn it too soon, and it can mold or rot, wait too long and it will be impossible to turn with out rehydrating it.
Watch the heads. Don't let them dry so much as to get hard before turning. The pelt should feel dry to the touch, and have a papery sound when flipped with your finger.
If I am going to be gone, and need to turn a coyote that isn't quite ready. I'll put a mink or muskrat stretcher inside it at the tail end to hold it open so air can circulate until it is fully dry.
As for wood Vs wire. I never could find a difference in the fur checks on coyotes, so I sold all of my canine wood stretchers. Wire is just too much faster and easier to use.
Where I did see a big difference was in my coons. Using wood, I could get a semi-heavy coon to grade as a heavy. Some years, that will bring you and extra $4-5 per pelt.
If you use wood, don't forget the belly board ( wedge ) You will really cuss yourself the first few times you forget to put it in!
Posted by Cal Taylor (Member # 199) on January 28, 2005, 07:15 PM:
No wire for me. I just have always used wood and have no intention of changing. I have a good pattern, and when I need a few new ones I just cut them out of soft pine 1x4s. I have a small pattern for fox and small cats, and a large one for coyotes and big cats. I set my table saw up for a 1/4 inch deep cut after they are made and cut some grooves in them for a little more air. I like them because I can really put the power to a small cat and make him 34" or better to grade a grade better and for every small cat I get to do that it makes me about an extra hundred bucks.
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