# streching a beaver pelt



## chasesdad (Jan 3, 2007)

I just got finished checking my trapline and got a 15 pound beaver on my no.1 muskrat tap. its the first one ive ever got and would like to put it on my wall with my oter trophies but not sure what to do after skinning it. HELP please


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## Mongojoe (Nov 2, 2006)

First you want to flesh it, removeing all the fat, meat, and etc. that is on it... After which you will need to stretch it, as close as possible to an an oval shape (altho slightly oblong is OK too), either on a board (most people use a piece of plywood)useing push pins, or small nail/tacks, until it dries... or on a hoop. It should remain stretched until it fully dries, maybe 5 to 8 days, depending on the size... You can also lightly scrape any remaining "greasy spots" after it is being stretched, or wipe them up with paper towels... After it is dried, I have seen people who laced willow into a hoop and then laced the pelt onto this for decoration or to hang... But, for keeping it for "long-term", I would suggest tanning it, whether you decide to hoop it or not. There are many ways of doing this, both simple and complex...but the easiest is to just use one of the commercial products on the market... DIXIE TAN PASTE works well for this, and I have known of beaver and other pelts over 20 years old that were done with DIXIE TAN... It is very simple and easy to use, smells pleasantly like sassafras, and does a very good job, but leaves the pelt stiff. If you wish to soften it, a bit of baby oil and a spekling board or handy post, will do the trick. 
.......... And something you may want to keep in mind about small beaver like that. They make some good eating... They are tender, and have not gotten old enough yet to aquire that "woody" taste.


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## xdeano (Jan 14, 2005)

another side note about the carcass is that they make great coyote bait. Either chunked up or ground up and and tainted for a few weeks. They also work well just as is left in the open.

xdeano


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## smitty223 (Mar 31, 2006)

Don't forget the castor sacs :wink:


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## carp_killer (Nov 24, 2006)

like smitty said definetly dont forget the castor sacs now for the second thing how in the heck did you get a beaver in a rat trap


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## cya_coyote (Aug 31, 2005)

trapper2, i have had some beaver come out of rat traps also... i set the crawl-outs, and the beaver use the same ones as rats quite often... it is not hard to believe. i have taken 4 beaver out of mu blind **** sets this year... they are all on the bank, so that is a little harder to understand for me. they must have been looking to chew on the trees, or saw the claw marks and all where the **** went down the slide wire, then went up to investigate. all 4 were on dry land at the edge of the bank on slide wires. and all 4 were in 1 1/2 DUKE coils. there was only 1 that went 40lbs though... the others were in the 20's.

cya

:sniper:


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## carp_killer (Nov 24, 2006)

ive trapped rats since the 50s and i have never once got a beaver i mostly just set houses and feeders during the winter and floats stools and runways during the summer cya coyote if i was you i would throw them dukes way and buy some traps so you dont end up with a cast on your arm like me


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## cya_coyote (Aug 31, 2005)

not had any problems with the dukes for ****, rats, mink... if i ever do, i may consider changing, but not fixing something that ain't broke...

cya

:sniper:


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## carp_killer (Nov 24, 2006)

i never had a problem with the dukes but i never used them tell the day after x mas this year my grandson got some 220s and i went to help him set it and i still dont know exactly what happened but neither one of us bumped the triggers and i had a trap attached to my arm butif they work with you thats good just thought i would say i had a bad experience with them


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## smitty223 (Mar 31, 2006)

I've had to dispatch catches the (Duke) traps couldn't, which sort of defets their purpose. These were on their 2nd season. They have all went "bye-bye", and they'll never be another on my line.

Smitty


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## chasesdad (Jan 3, 2007)

i set the trap right near a feeding hole and close to a treebase the little beaver started gnawing on the tree and stepped into the trap, then got the chain stuckon the roots of the tree trying to get away and drown i guess. it took me a litte bit to get it all untangled from the roos. oh yeah it was in a creek between a large pond and a huge lake in the swamppy area of my hunting grounds


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