OK, its a mink and muskrat stretcher.

no. not a stretcher in the sense that you are thinking.

nope

Here's another version. This one is actually THE one I use. Had my FIL make it from stainless since the other one I had (way back when) was rusting.

Did the cord originally pictured have anything to do with the device or was it just for scale?

In fact, you did not. But go ahead and post an object, you owe us one from many pages ago.

All the rib hangers I have ever seen have had a hook of some sort. The original object has none and the second object is more like spikes, although I could see that working for smoking a fish or something.