Wire Coyote Stretchers

[BadDog]

Which ones are best? I have a couple that are very stiff and quite wide, and quite old. Then I have some new ones that are like rubber.

I need a bunch, which ones are stiff and have the best shape? And who all makes these things beside Sleepy Creek, I would imagine Duke does?

[trappnman]

do not get Dukes- they are flimsy and too small IMO. I hate them, and try not to have to use them. I do have some that are quite long, and the wire is quite stiff- I'll look later today to see if they have a brand name on them.

[trappnman]

the ones I like, are the Sleepy Creek ones- more than long enough, good hooks and the right shape w/stiff wire

[BadDog]

Thanks Steve...

I always disliked the job that wire does, but I have a few coyotes going for special order hide out, and if it turns out, maybe more than a few!

[robertw]

Sleepy Creek are the worst that I own (I actually gave them away last year). The stretchers that I use are made by Hill Top Cage Shop and sold by many of the larger supply houses.

I believe you can purchase these stretchers from Minnessota Trapline Products, F & T, Terry Montgomery's business.

The Hill Top Cage Shops stretchers hold better shape and the hooks actually hold in place. The hooks on the Sleepy Creeks have to be tied in place with tie wire and are a real pain to deal with.

[trappnman]

wow Robert- I have a bunch of brands of wire coyote stretchers, and Sleepy Creek are by far my favorites dues to the extra heavy wire, the shape, the extra long length form.

but if you disagree, you do- each to their own.

but your knock on the hooks rings 100% false in my experience with them. not only are the hooks HD, but the points are spaced right, and SHARP. They grab the pelt and lock into place, and are far the easiest of any wire stretchers I own for ANY fur to use.

"tie them in place with tie wire"

no way on he ones I have- SHARP points and the RIGHT angle- touch the leather, and they are set. and they lock nicely into place.

now- if SC makes a couple kinds of coyote forms, and I have one and oyu have the other- thats fine-

but if we have the same-

BadDog- you will lke them

[robertw]

Tman,
I'm talking about the hooks not locking in place on the stretcher when tension is placed on them (not the hook holding the hide).

Side by side comparison clearly shows the Sleepy Creek hooks desperately need to be re-designed when compared to the Hill Top CageShop stretcher..

Any of the guys still doing coon on wire stretchers who have used both brands of stretchers will tell you the exact same thing.

[trappnman]

coon stretchers etc have nothing do do with subject

If you don't like them you don't

all I will do is repeat by previous post, in saying I far prefer them over everything else I have, I've had no problems with hooks slipping and never found a need to wire them

literally, i've often thought when using them- al lhooks should be like that

[RdFx]

anyone using SC wire stretchers that the hooks dont hold , just bend them down more toward bottom of stretcher and then they will grab wire better and lock up like a drowner...

[robertw]

Point is there are better stretchers readily available from most all of the bigger supply houses.

[trappnman]

anyone that has old style SC COYOTE stretchers, perhaps we can "hook up" at a convention, cause I'll buy them from you.

[BadDog]

Hide out coyotes, I don't actually care what kind of hooks they have. Us guys that do hide out coyotes don't put a stretch on the legs, cuz they are going straight to the tanners. But surely the less spring a wire stretcher has in it, the better the job it is going to do on your fur, I suspect, the more woood-like attributes it will have.

Actually in my commercial put up job on coyotes, I don't bother with stretching legs eitherr!!! I have been dealing with NAFA only on put up coyotes, and they sure do not care. What I hate is when buyers whine and cry cuz the legs aren't stretched (cuz their customers don't care either).

I also hate it when dealers cry about the lack of a machine wash! (Meanwhile their customers cringe at the thot of hundreds of trappers screwing up coyotes in the washing machine, plus all the other things trappers do to coyotes that screw them up.

Sorry for the rant, back to the topic!

Robert, how stiff are these Hill Top stretchers? Same shape as the Sleepy Creek or different? Which one is wider?

[robertw]

The shape is very similar, maybe a little stiffer than the SC but not much.

[cyaukey]

robert, thanks for your input, it's much appreciated.

[ryanf73]

I have the dukes I think it is the biggest ones they make but I only use them for letting the coyote drip dry they I put them on the wood. They work well for me.

[deereman]

I quit bending the corners of the SC stretchers hooks. I found it better to use a piece of galvanized pipe and widen the hook base at the wire better. It was shown to me by another fella, works real well! Just make sure your pipe is a bit wider than the hook base. My piece of pipe is short so I dont disrupt the hook angle.

[bobcating]

hey fellows. I haven't been at this long but the wire stretchers I have ( don't know what brand) are to short I measured them they are between 59 In. and 60 In. I had to take two split them in the middle then duck tape them together in order to stretch mine . there was 12 to 14 in. of hind legs hanging down but with two tape together they worked ok. I'm wondering i'm I doing something wrong . I had some guys tell me I had some really big coyotes. thanks

[trappnman]

bobcating, the duke ones I have, are like you descibe- the SC are much longer, studier wire, and I at least have had no probems with the hooks

[TurTLe]

Where can you find the hilltop cageshop stretchers? I've looked on F&T and Minnesota trapping websites and can't find them listed.

I made the mistake of buying Duke stretchers, and won't make that mistake again. They are about the most worthless stretcher I've ever used.