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President's Report - Spring 2008 Hello! By the time you read this, trapping season will be over for another year. Hope everyone had a good season. All the fur auctions will be over - some prices good, some low. I want to thank everyone who helped make the fur auctions a great success. Seems like our fur sales just keep getting better and better. Hope to see everyone at the spring meeting at the Expo Center. I would like to pass a couple of tips I use when trapping with the little G12 traps. How many times have you got to a set and the coon had it like one big mud ball? Well, I carry a little pen-like screwdriver with a pocket clip on it. It is ideal for getting rid of the dirt and mud that gets between the spring at the plate. Clean trigger free and I carry a Dr. West denture brush. No, I don't have false teeth yet. It has bristles on both sides, you can clean the spring and trigger with, also in the inside to get the dirt and debris out. You can get both sides all around at one time up the top so it opens all the way when you set it. It makes everything easier. Again, I want to thank everyone who helped in any way on the fur sales. Grizz (Herb Binsbacher) is still struggling with his leg healing. Bob Whitworth had open heart surgery. Keep the two of them and any other trappers in your prayers. That's all from Pike County. Take a kid hunting, fishing, and trapping this year. State President - - - - - - - - Vice President's Report - Spring 2008 Hi guys. Spring IS coming. Hope you had a safe season. It looks like the catch was down a little, but that has helped the price. It seems like things are going faster and faster every year. By the time we read this, we will be going to our spring meeting. It will be March 15 at the Midway Expo Center just a little west of Columbia, just off Interstate 70. The Board meeting will start at 9:00 AM and the General meeting is scheduled for 1:00 PM. Since the Fur Taker's Convention will be at the Expo Center also, it will be best to meet there and see the layout. We will need help for the Fur Taker's Convention in June. Please plan to come if you can. There will be a lot to cover besides the convention. The MTA's 50th Anniversary is here and we are planning a big convention in Cape Girardeau. The dates for the Fall Rendezvous are September 18-21. We have also looked at a place for the 2009 Fall Rendezvous in District 9. I hope to see you in March. As you guys get your District meetings set, please let me know so I can try to be there. I will be glad to help you out. State Vice President - - - - - - - - Treasurer's Report – Spring 2008 Greetings from Gravois Mills. Wow! It was three degrees this morning. That's pretty cold, but I know from trappers in north Missouri, they have suffered from the frozen ground longer than we have here. It has been strange weather. One day it is hot and cold the next. I am still under "house arrest" by my insurance company. The "stub" of my leg was not healing, so it was "revised" by opening it up and packing it so it will heal from the inside. Another week in the hospital, but I'm back home as of three weeks ago. I have not been able to make the auctions. My good friends and dedicated MTA volunteers, Elaine and Paul Webb, have been taking care of my responsibilities at the auctions. Thank you both very much! Many thanks are due them for their labors. As of today, Bob Whitworth (and Pup) are still in Kansas City Research Hospital and seem to be recovering well from cardiac surgery. By the time you read this, I'm sure he'll be back on the road again. Let's keep him in our prayers. That's about it for now, sorry to be so short. May God bless all of us and keep us safe from harm. State Treasurer - - - - - - - - Secretary's Report - Spring 2008 By the time you read this, general trapping season will be over. The fur auctions will be done and the spring meeting will be just around the corner. Speaking of the spring meeting, it will be held Sat. March 15, 2008 at the Midway Expo Center just west of Columbia , MO, on I-70. The board of directors meeting will begin at 9:00 AM and the general membership meeting at 1:00 PM. This is the same place we will be holding the FTA Convention, Thursday, June 19th thru Sunday, June 22nd. There will be trap suppliers and dealers from across the country. There will also be demos all weekend long by some of the top trappers and fur handlers from across the country. Speaking of the MTA spring meeting, I urge every member to attend, if at all possible. I'm sure there will be issues brought up concerning several items on trapping and how we/you would like to approach the MDC on these issues. Every MTA member has one vote. You need to attend the meeting, voice your opinion, and cast your vote. I would like to take this time to welcome our two new committee chairmen and say thank you for the service of the past chairmen. The new Ways and Means Committee Chairman is Charlie Zelch (573) 764-3933. I'm sure Charlie would be interested in hearing from the members about the fund raiser. I would also like to thank Mrs. Anna Berkbuegler for her time spent as the Ways and Means Committee Chairman. The new Membership Committee Chairman is Dwight Holman (417) 778–6468. I'm sure Dwight would like to hear from members on how to increase membership. I would also like to thank Doren Miller for his years spent as the Membership Chairman. We need to think about who we would like to nominate this year. For the Hall of Fame, contact Arlon Held. For Trapper of the Year and Director of the Year, contact Robbie Page (Awards Committee). You can contact your district director or me to get the forms you need to fill out. It only takes a minute and a 41 cent stamp to nominate someone you think is deserving. I got a chance to meet the new MDC replacement for Dave Hamilton. He said nobody will ever be able to replace Dave. Someone has to do the job and he is willing to do it to the best of his ability. His name is Jeff Beringer. In speaking with him, he seems to be very trapper and outdoorsman friendly. He has trapped and been involved in some of the Missouri deer and turkey issues. The MTA website and the Missouri Trappers Forum are coming along nicely. Linda Everhart is putting a lot of time and effort into both, as are the moderators. There's a wealth of knowledge on there to help new and old trappers alike. The youth of today uses the web to get much of their information at the touch of a button. We need to be utilizing that avenue to get our information out to them. Believe me, the antis are using the internet. Who's information would you rather them get - the truth with scientific backing or the heart-string tugging lies of the antis? The internet and websites are not going away. We, as an association, might as well embrace it and learn to use it as a tool to our advantage. It is another opportunity to get our information and message out to our members and to tell the general public the truth about the benefits of trapping and furbearer management. Well I guess that's about all for now. As always, take a youngster or a newcomer into God's gift to us, called the great outdoors. Make some moments today for both of your memories tomorrow. May God bless you and yours. State Secretary - - - - - - - - NTA Director's Report - Spring 2008 I hope everyone had a good trapping season. The 'coon price has definitely been nice. This will be a very busy year for the MTA. In June, we are hosting the FTA convention at Midway Expo Center in Columbia. Then this fall, we will be celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the Missouri Trappers Association in Cape Girardeau. I will also be at the NTA Midwest Leadership Conference March 29th in Bloomington, Illinois. The 49th Annual NTA Convention will be in Mason City, Iowa, August 7-10. NTA is also having three regional conventions this year. The Southeast Regional is the 5th annual in Tupelo, MS, April 25-27. The 4th annual Northeast Regional is in Herkimer, NY, May 16-18, and the 7th Annual Western is in Nephi, UT, June 27-29. NTA has been working on two coloring books. They are at the printers now. NTA and FBU (Fur Bearers Unlimited) are putting together an educational packet containing the coloring books and other items. These packets will be available through FBU. Minnesota is still dealing with the API (Animal Protection Institute) lawsuit. It looks like the judge will be making his decision soon. In Montana, they are facing a trapping ban on public land that will hopefully not make it through committee. In Michigan, the courts have upheld the appeal on bobcat trapping. They are still working on the snaring regulations. Hopefully, this year we can move forward on the Voluntary Trapper's Education Course. I think this could be one of the best programs we have to promote our heritage and profession. The program is a perfect match for our mission statement. This is a great opportunity to reach out to young and old. It provides a great and needed public service with education while promoting understanding! It might even gain us some members and can only make our organization stronger! I'm hoping to see a lot of members at the spring meeting. We need more members attending our regular meetings so we can have your input on the decisions we make as an association. If you want to improve the percentage of members making the decisions for the association then it is important to attend. The more members we can get actively involved, the stronger our association will become. Attend the meetings and bring a fellow trapper with you. The NTA annual dues have risen to $30, effective Jan. 1, 2008. I should have new applications soon. If you need any give me a call. If you have any questions feel free to call me, my home number is 660-457-2192 and my cell is 660-341-0303. NTA Director - - - - - - - - Mountain Man Newsletter Report - Spring 2008 Fur auction on January 19 - what a show! The prices were beyond everyone’s expectations. Lots of trappers had big smiles! I suspect there was a little price war going on. Trappers sure enjoyed it. Below is a fur auction report for the January 19 sale in Columbia. The spring meeting is just around the corner. It is at the Midway Expo Center, which is west of Columbia on the north side of Interstate 70. Take exit 121 north to the Expo Center. Remember, this is not where we have the fur auctions. The board meeting starts at 9:00 AM. The general meeting starts at 1:00 PM. Hope to see you there. This newsletter is running a little late. I felt compelled to work the Ron Paul for President campaign. He is the only candidate that upholds the constitution. This is the first time I have been involved with politics. It has been an interesting experience. Back to our newsletter - I am sure you have great trapline stories fresh on your minds, and pictures too. We have 1200 members hoping you will share them in the Missouri Mountain Men. You can mail, fax, or email your stories to me. Officers, directors, and committee chairmen, your reports are due pretty soon- April 25. God bless you all. Albert Hempel, Rt. 1 Box 52, Eldridge, MO 65463, ph/fax 573-363-5213, email momtnmen@sbcglobal.net. Mountain Man Newsletter Committee - - - - - - - - Ways And Means Committee Report - Spring 2008 Now that I am retired and all six children are raised and out on their own, I can do much more of what I really want to do, and that is trap. We have purchased five guns for the raffle and they are pretty. The first prize will be a Browning Silver Hunter 12 ga. engraved with the MTA logo and "50th Anniversary 1958 – 2008". It is one of only two engraved that way. The other will be for the auction at the Fall Rondy in September. Hope to see all of you there. Ways & Means Committee - - - - - - - - Conservation Directors Report - Spring 2008 Thanks to all who put their trust in me to be the Conservation Director for our organization. Having held this position in the past, I was looking forward to working in this capacity again. The position of Conservation Director is something that is truly close to my heart in many ways. Having said this, I feel compelled to say that on the day I received the sad news of Dave Hamilton's untimely death, everything seemed to change. It was as if Dave had been on a mission: he had a vision of what trapping meant to conservation, and he had to propel that vision somehow into reality. Trapper education was probably one of his most significant goals. He saw the need to not only educate trappers, but also to inform the public of the role trapping does and should play in the larger field of wildlife management. Dave understood how rules and regulations play an important role in guiding people to do what best serves both wild creatures and wild places. It is up to us to apply these guidelines in the use of our natural resources. Dave was a biologist. He worked with facts and evidence, looking for the connections between things and the reasons underlying those connections. Trapping is an "old" business set in a modern time and place. People with little knowledge of the outdoors will view (and judge) trapping according to their standards, based significantly on the conditions in which they live. I believe part of Dave's vision was to improve trapping's image in the minds of these people, so that they would learn to understand it's significant role in conservation efforts. He knew that people's ethics are not easily manipulated or changed. Instead, he felt that the focus should be a demonstration of how trappers are part of larger conservation efforts, efforts shared by many different groups of people, trappers, and non-trappers alike. Both sides of this equation need to be gently encouraged to better understand what good conversation practices are. The non-consumptive user (non-trapper) needs to comprehend that the killing and use of wildlife has a positive impact on the remaining population. Conversely, trappers need to exercise good judgment by not over-harvesting or putting the public's pets and livestock at risk. Cable restraints are a good example, for those of you who have taken the course. You will recall one thing emphasized is to make sure the restraint is placed in such a way that the trapped animal cannot reach a fence. The reason for this is obvious, so as not to allow entanglement and thereby unnecessary injury to the animal. The rule in this case not only protects the captured animal, but also safeguards the trapper's image as perceived by the general public. On another note — the average price for approximately 6200 'coons sold on January 19 in Columbia was about $21.50. These prices reflect what trappers were hoping to see since about 1987. The MDC set our season to February 15 two years ago to increase the harvest of 'coons, which nevertheless didn't happen. I believe most trappers will have to agree, if these prices hold, the January 31 close may be plenty long enough to harvest more 'coons than we have seen taken during any of the past twenty years. Would anyone care to take that bet? In 1982, I was trapping in a creek and one morning we had two to three vehicles parked there with other trappers checking traps as well. 'Coons sold for up to $50 a piece that year. Hold on to your territory, if you can! I often tend to go on about a subject, probably more than is necessary, but some trappers seem to think that rules are only made to limit their ability to trap. In fact, much of the time, when we look more deeply into the overall effect, rules often help the trapper in ways they may not have considered. Try to keep in mind that this is an old business set in a modern setting. We need to adjust our attitudes and practices in order to continue to do what we love to do most - trap. Conservation Director - - - - - - - - Pageant Committee Report - Spring 2008 It is always my goal to keep the members of the Missouri Trappers Association informed concerning activities that involve our association. Since 1990, the MTA has been a sponsor of the Miss Missouri pageant. A custom designed fur jacket is presented to Miss Missouri each year. The MTA along with Fur Arts, Inc. are also her photo sponsors. The association with Miss Missouri has allowed us to reach thousands of people throughout the state regarding the natural beauty and practicality of wearing fur garments. Lindsay Casmaer is our current Miss Missouri. If you have yet to meet this beautiful and intelligent young woman, I urge you to do so. Lindsay is scheduled to represent the MTA at the Missouri Deer Classic at the Boone County Fairgrounds on March 1. Lindsay represented our state recently at the Miss America Pageant in Las Vegas. I'm sure she had an experience to cherish forever. Fellow members, take the opportunity to visit with Lindsay at any of her scheduled appearances throughout Missouri. Tell her you're a proud member of the MTA. She is very supportive of our cause and understands the need of our actions. Once again I urge you to contact me if an event in your area could benefit from an appearance by Lindsay. I am very fortunate to have been delegated to this position representing our association. I do not take this position lightly. Pelt selection is currently taking place for the jacket to be adorned by Miss Missouri 2009. I would like to thank Arlon Held and Lewis McVeigh for representing our group in the past. Their involvement with the Miss Missouri organization has been instrumental in allowing me to be involved as I am. I'm constantly reminded "It's a tough job, but somebody has to do it". Pageant Committee - - - - - - - - District 2 Report - Spring 2008 With the trapping season over, it is time to begin thinking about summer activities, which will include the FTA Convention, fairs, scheduling fall trapping clinics, etc. It is every trapper's responsibility to help promote trapping. With only a few thousand trappers in the state, we don't have as many members as other conservation organizations such as Ducks Unlimited or NWTF (National Wild Turkey Federation). Therefore, it is even more important that all members help in some way. We all can do just a little more. District 2 Director - - - - - - - - District 3 Report - Spring 2008 Well, I just came back from the second fur sale. Who would have thought we would see $35 'coons - Wow, pretty impressive. It's been the early 80's since we saw these prices. Things seem to be going well this season. The fur handling demos with Troy Crooks and Charlie Brown went pretty good. A big thanks goes out to both of them. Hasn't been a whole lot going on in the district. Freddie Cox has taken care of a few small shows and has a few more lined up. If anyone is interested in helping with a show get in touch with one of us and we will set you up. As winter turns to spring, let's not forget about the MTA Spring Meeting April 15 at the Midway Expo Center. We are planning a camp out and fish fry at Meramec State Park, April 11 and 12 for District 3. We will be camping in the campground by the river. There is a small camping fee. I will find out and let everyone know. Please RSVP so we know how many campers we're looking at (636) 629-2889. We will be camping Friday and Saturday night. The lunch and meeting will be at noon on Saturday, April 12. All food and drinks will be provided by District 3. The District 3 fund-raiser this year is as follows: 1st place will be a lifetime MTA Membership and 2nd place will be one dozen Lil Griz traps. If anyone has objections or concerns with this please contact me. I caught a white 'coon this season, first one for me. I am having it mounted for my family room. It's not an albino. It's eyes aren't pink, but it is white. I talked to Jim Weberry at the fur sale and he caught one as well. They are strange looking critters but they are pretty cool. I trapped with the best opossum trapper I've ever seen this season. He caught fifty-four in two nights. He must be doing something right or maybe wrong because we were 'coon trapping. Well, that's all for now. Teach someone something about trapping and take a kid with you on your line whenever you get a chance. They are the next generation of the Missouri Trappers Association. Jim Love District 3 Director - - - - - - - - District 4 Report - Spring 2008 Hello 4th District Trappers. I hope you are having a good season. Fur prices seem to be OK. Raccoon prices have moved up nicely. Plans for the 2008 Fall Rendezvous are moving along. Shannon Collier has agreed to be my district co-chairman for this event and we will need a lot of volunteers for various projects. Also, we would like to have any ideas that the membership has regarding activities, demos, etc. There will be a committee meeting in February and a district meeting on March 8th at 1:00 PM at Cape Girardeau Arena Park. I will let everyone know when the date and place is set. See you when it warms up. District 4 Director - - - - - - - - District 5 Report - Spring 2008 Hello from District 5. I am Steve Crain, YOUR newly appointed director. Hope your trapping season was a good one with the weather being what it was. I'll get right to the point of this newsletter. I received the membership roster from Mr. Crooks for District 5. As of this roster, we have eighty-eight (88) members encompassing fourteen (14) Missouri counties. Please check your membership to make sure it is correct and updated. Recruit some new members. As your new director, I want you to know that is exactly my position, YOUR director. I am very interested in your opinions and how you feel about issues concerning trapping and the Missouri Trappers Association. I personally feel we have the best trapper's association in the United States. I am requesting that all members get involved, not only talking the talk, but also walking the walk. I need members to become involved with the mission of this association. Read the mission statement and realize that we are the people that can preserve this heritage we all love. We must teach not only the present generation about trapping, but the future generation as well. I am very grateful to all persons involved in the establishment of the Missouri Trappers Association. Those individuals had the forethought to understand the future, and realize the importance of an association with a purposeful mission. Change is in the future, which is a positive thing. I am not saying that I agree with all the change, but we have to be flexible. We need to realize that the majority of people live in the cities and not in the country, and therefore they may not be as knowledgeable about trapping as we are. How we present ourselves and our mission is how we are judged by those who will eventually be voting about the right to continue trapping. You folks that have been members for several years remember the times when either you learned to trap on your own or you had a mentor show you. We must get involved in the education process to ensure the future of trapping. For those of you that receive the Trapper and Predator Caller publication, take a moment and read the news from other associations across the country. It might help us develop some ideas for District 5. I know we are long overdue, and will be asked to host some meetings and a rendezvous. Please send me your ideas and comments. I'm from the old school but have adapted to the use of a computer. My e-mail address is sshunters@mo-net.com. My phone number is 417-294-4149. I look forward to hearing from you and I will do my part in representing our District 5. In closing, this is the 50th year anniversary for the Missouri Trappers Association. I spoke with Doren Miller. He stated the association was putting together some ideas, such as small furred animal bears for sale at the auction, belt buckles and other items to celebrate the occasion. Have a successful 2008, and may your fur check be more than what you expected. District 5 Director - - - - - - - - District 6 Report - Spring 2008 Hope all of you had a good hunting and trapping season. I got lucky and shot a nice 10 pt. buck, plus I caught some nice fur. When we had the trapping clinic in Versailles, there was a young boy, Jonathan about 9 years old, with his dad, Kevin Flieger. He was very interested in trapping. His dad didn't know much about it. Dale Verts and I told him if he needed any help, to let us know. Guess what? He gave me a call and asked if I could show him and his dad how to trap a beaver. We got together and made some sets in a creek by his house. We caught two nice beaver. You should have seen the look on this boy's face. That was the highlight of my season. Here is a picture of Jonathan and his dad holding the beaver. I think most of you know about Herb Binsbacher losing his leg, but didn't know if you know about Bob Whitworth. He had quadruple bypass plus a valve in his heart replaced. Both are recovering and doing good, just slow. Please keep both of them in your thoughts and prayers. Also, please keep in mind the MTA Spring Meeting is the 3rd Saturday in March. It will be at the Midway Expo Center in Columbia, MO. We have a lot of things to talk about. The FTA Rondy will be held at the same place in June. We are going to need a lot of help to put this on. So please come and get involved. On April 19, we will have our District 6 meeting at Everhart's Wilderness Lodge in Blairstown, MO, 11 AM - 4 PM. That's all for now. God Bless District 6 Director - - - - - - - - District 7 Report - Spring 2008 Well, here we are again, but on a different square. On January 5th, after getting home from a very good fur sale, we came back hitting on 2 ½ cylinders instead of 4. Went to the emergency room for quadruple (4) bypass surgery and 17 days later we are ready to roll again on a different square. I have a very good young friend, Kenny Shaw, who was all ready to take over my trapline. He does a very good job. I have been talking to some of the opossum trappers. They want to know if Jack Essary and Kevin Whitworth might be overthrown as the Opossum King. Paul Webb is coming on strong, big time. Hope to see you all at the Feb 13 fur sale, the MTA Spring Meeting at Midway Expo Center in Columbia, and the FTA Convention also at Midway. Bob Whitworth & Pup II - District 7 - - - - - - - - District 8 Report - Spring 2008 I can't tell you everything is okay, because the weather has sure made a mess of things. I have talked to a lot of folks who say they have pulled up their line due to gas prices and weather. Even though the price is holding steady, it's pretty tough. I mentioned in the last Trapper and Predator Caller how one of our members was put in contact with an out-of-state landowner to take care of some problem furbearers. What a good deal three ways. I have talked to this member and he has taken several animals and still has a lot of beaver to take later on. The landowner is ecstatic about the catches. His foreman worked hand-in-hand with our member and has expressed satisfaction to me about the help of our association. Score one for the association. I am sure the landowner will tell others how we helped. Hope all of you had a good season and are looking forward to next year as I am. Please don't forget the District 8 Spring Meeting, April 12, 2008, 9:30 AM, at the Great Western Bank on the southwest corner of the square in Albany, MO. Till then, be careful. District 8 Director - - - - - - - - District 9 Report - Spring 2008 By the time you read this, we should be ready to string our trap lines out and start filling those stretchers. My name is Ronnie Barton and I am the newly elected Director of District 9. My trapping partner and good friend is the newly elected Secretary/Treasurer for District 9 and his name is Henry "Hank" Wendt. We are pleased to have the opportunity to serve our district to the best of our abilities. At this time, I want to thank Mr. Dwight Holman for his years as Director of District 9. We have had four good years for our district and we appreciate all his hard work. From all District 9 trappers and their families, we want to congratulate Kenny Wells on his induction into the Missouri Trappers Hall of Fame. You have earned this honor Kenny. We appreciate all that you and Mary Lou do for our Trapping Association. We also want to congratulate Mary Lou Wells. She won the gun raffle that we had in District 9. Good shooting to you Mary Lou. On Saturday, Oct 20, 2007, Doren Miller, Lynn Miller, Kenny Wells, Hank Wendt, and Ronnie Barton met Mr. Bob Parsons (Vo-Ag Instructor) at the Salem High School. They held a trapping seminar for the FFA chapter and their parents. Everyone enjoyed the event for almost 2 1/2 hours. We also visited the Cultural Center in Salem, Mo. They offered the Missouri Trappers booth space. We want to do this the best possible way to represent our association. Fall Rendezvous 2008 – Cape Girardeau, Mo. Looking on to fall 2009 – Get ready District 9 – it is our turn. We have already had Doren Miller looking at some possible facilities for the rendezvous. Lots of work to do – we are starting now and ask every trapper to do his or her part. So long for now and remember to get some kids involved in the great sport of trapping. May God bless you and yours. - Ron and Hank District 9 Director
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