How long on boards?

[mudmarlin70]

Hopefully getting to making boards soon, and I'm curious how long a board will be tied up before you can remove a pelt on average for coon, fox, rat. I'm not sure how many boards I may need.

[ub1243]

depends on humidity, air temp, air flow, fleshing job.
rats you can take off in two days most times. fox in three. coyotes take long, real long if they are water heads. coon can take time.
this is why i'm making more coon and coyote boards. i just try and leave them on the board till sale time. but i ran out of coon boards last year, they were full. it was a good problem to have. i pull off most pins after they are dry, just leaving the corners and noses pinned. now i have around 500 pins.
if your hanging out side it will take a while as they are freezing at night. i'm drying in the basement.

[mudmarlin70]

Thanks UB, I may pick up stuff like pins at the convention down that way in November or the one up here in October. But boards I'm gonna do myself.
As for drying Im hopefully gonna be using a shed if I ever get a completed foundation done on this mountainside...I'm almost there, but will need a truckload of stone wheelbarrowed in to the back yard..not good. Three days for reds wouldnt be too bad though. Just a couple boards for them will do I suppose.

I guess freezing coon pelts is ok until a board opens up?

[ub1243]

the heads take the longest, really long if it's a water head. you will see what a water head is like.
for you, i would have no less then 6 red boards. and get a fan.
you can skin and freeze. don't roll them up. the middle will take a while to freeze, it may slip. freeze flat. coon will freeze before reds. reds have a higher R value. when it's cold coons den, fox have to stay active.
if they aren't dry they will wrinkle. leave them on till you need the board.
newt will be selling boards at the southern show. if you get pins get the good aluminum head. lowes sells the aluminum pins, but they aren't the same.
i got mine from minn. trapline products.

better get some rat boards. sounds like you found rats.