Who sells a good muskrat board? F&T Freedom brand is a little too wide in the nose and shoulders.

Top Lot has nice one's.

You could try top lot stretcher company. I used to use wood for rats but have changed to wire and really like them much more than wood.

Top Lot or Steve Rankin.

I have made my own rat stretchers to give wood a try. Found out I need a wedge board in the belly side as well as the back. The hide really grips the wood. Went back to using wire.

If you have to use two wedges your probably leaving the hides on to long. I find that 2 days Is long enough. Once the hide Is dry enough to hold It's shape they get taken off.
I sharp wrap on the nose end of the form against hard surface and you should be good to go.

real ? here, why are you wanting to use wood stretchers for your rats? That was a NAFA thing and NAFA is gone.

I bet I can get at least a 1" more on rats using wood over wire. And size counts.

X2

X3. Not sure if this makes sense but wire stretches pelt side to side. Wood doesn’t. Possibly lower grade. jmo

Spot on.
Those strong wire forms put out ward pressure on that drying hide. And that In my opinion will thin the hide. And that's going to cost you money.

I like using wood because as the Beav said I get a little more length. I will look into Top Lot.

I don't know much about Top Lot forms . But I do know that most commercial muskrat forms are too wide In the neck and shoulder area. This gets you a wide rat and then you lose length. A 1/4 Inch here and there can cost you a inch or more In length.

Back when 'rats were worth real money and a size could mean a couple dollars. I ran this test. There were 1035 'rats in the sample. Caught in 9 days Randomly sorted as the came out of the freezer.
We never used wire again

I use split boards, no wedges, love em.

X2 what the Beav said above

if for no other reason it's good to have a few wood boards on hand to pin holes together on damaged 'rats

tough to do that on wire

ok so you guys are pointing out better size and other reasons. I have another question, Who are you selling to FHA , GF&W Co. or other local buyers?

All of them.

FHA

Not sure If FHA scans rats for size. I know that NAFA did and getting that skirt squared off made you money. You can't do that with wire.
Maybe Boco would know about the rat sizing thing.