Arizona Trappers Association August 2009 Report

President — Rick Van Horn, 4185 N. Irving Street, Kingman, AZ 86409; phone: (928) 757-3860; e-mail: rgvan@npgcable.com

Vice President —  Mike Burris, 5452 E.  Farmdale Avenue, Mesa AZ, 85206; phone: (480) 654-1411; e-mail: bda30@cox.net

Recording Secretary — Mike Huffer, 7720 E. Beatrice, Scottsdale, AZ 85257; phone: (480) 970-5904; e-mail: mjwildlife@aaahawk.com

Treasurer — Mike Hull, P.O. Box 3355, Chinle, AZ  86503; phone: (928)674-9542; e-mail:  trapper7772003@yahoo.com

Membership Secretary
— Amanda Prosser, P.O. Box  4111, Chino Valley, AZ 86323; phone: (928) 499-2114; e-mail: atamembershipsecretary@yahoo.com.

Fur Auction manager — Bill Strauss, P.O. Box 183, Seligman, AZ 86337; phone: (480) 375-1183

NTA Director — Cindy Seff, P.O. Box 762, Seligman, AZ 86337; phone: (480)390-0723; e-mail: AzTrappers@hughes.net

Scent Post — Winter/Duncan Davis, P.O. Box 86783, Phoenix, AZ, 85080; phone:(623)466-6799; e-mail: dunksdonk@yahoo.com

Membership Options:

• Adult membership including subscription to The Trapper & Predator Caller — $30
• Junior (under 16) with subscription — $20
• Family membership with subscription — $35
• Oldtimer membership with subscription — $75
• Lifetime membership with subscription — $275

Complete membership application on first page of
association section and send dues to:
ATA, Membership Secretary
Amanda Prosser
P.O. Box  4111, Chino Valley, AZ 86323
Phone: (928) 499-2114

NTA DIRECTOR’S REPORT

The NTA will be represented to FWTH by Sam Smith on a temporary basis. Any legislative or PR issues will be handled by the EC and Legal Counsel as they arise. Sam attended the AFWA and the AWCP meeting in place of our conservation director because he was down from a surgery. The next scheduled meeting will be in August and then September.

NTA has been active in submitting comments in support of delisting the grey wolf. The Secretary of Interior recently signed the delisting of grey wolf in all the northern and northwestern Rocky Mountains states except for Wyoming. Wyoming will have to modify their Management Plan before their wolves are delisted.

There are several refuges across the country that will be starting their 15-year Comprehensive Management Planning Process sometime this year. If you hear of any actions in your state, please advise NTA so they can keep other members alerted. An Environmental Assessment by the Bureau of Reclamation concerning transferring 30,000 acres of wetlands in Nevada to the Nevada Department of Wildlife for a Wildlife Management Area has been reviewed and comments provided. The BOR has controlled these wetlands for decades without much consideration for wildlife. The next important step is to make sure trappers are involved in the writing of the State Management Plan.

Conservation Director Jim Curran has received new drafts of the mink and stripped skunk BMP to review. Last year, he recommended further testing of bodygripping traps on mink on dry land. Canada is doing all bodygripping tests and mink were not included in the EU agreement. Very little information is available except for computer modeling. Additional tests were also done for skunk using bodygripping and cage traps. These two BMPs should be finished this year with additional testing in the future, which might add additional devices.

MT is preparing for a ballot initiative from the “Footloose in MT” group. The NTA has been in contact with Tom Barnes, President of MTTA, regarding this situation. MT has received a proposal from Pac/West (an advocacy organization) to strategize against the Footloose group. The NTA EC has approved to provide $1,000 to MTTA upon their entering into an agreement with Pac/West.
In addition, it was approved to donate $1,000 to Connecticut Trappers to be used toward the lobbyist for their issues.

The NTA wrote letters to the Natural Resource Committee members encouraging them to work with the Michigan trappers to assure regulations that would best serve the needs of the furbearers and the tools needed to control their populations.

In April, the NTA received a donation from the Iowa Trappers Association to fund over 40 percent of the cost of a trailer to use to transport merchandise and other items needed to the national convention. The Executive Council approved ordering a 6×12 tandem axle trailer that will be delivered in late May. Any businesses or associations may have their name added onto the sides of the trailer by making a contribution.

North Carolina Trappers Association did an exceptional job at the 6th Annual SE Regional Convention this year, Kudo’s goes out to them.

The 5th Annual NE Regional Convention was hosted by Pennsylvania Trappers Association, District 1. A big thank you goes out to all their volunteers as well.

As a reminder, the 50th Anniversary National Convention will be held at the Allen Country Fairgrounds in Lima, Ohio, July 30 through Aug. 2.

The sweepstakes is completed and your tickets should be forthcoming. Please help by selling tickets.
NTA members should have recently received our fundraiser “Wake Up Call,” which was mailed on Feb. 6 with the stainless steel 16-ounce travel mug for each $20 donation. These mugs have the NTA’s 50th Anniversary logo printed on the side. If you have not sent yours in yet, please be sure to do so. This opportunity is also available on the NTA Web site. In addition, the NTA has a membership drive incentive for each five new members you sign up, you will receive a travel cooler. Our goal is to recruit 500 new or renewed memberships.

If your state is interested in hosting a Regional Convention for 2010, please contact Dan for more information.

Please work to make sure your Presidents and/or Board of Directors work with your NTA Director to fulfill their responsibility as a Director by setting up a booth at your state’s convention or rendezvous this year and signing up members to the NTA. We need to keep the NTA strong by maintaining and increasing our membership. In addition, please help your NTA Director with a booth at your local state conventions.

Remember this year is election year for President and General Organizer. The ballots for this year’s NTA election have arrived. Don’t forget to vote.

The link to the NTA Web site is www.nationaltrappers.com. Stop by and visit for current information as well as contact info for your national organization.

I will finish this newsletter off with the request that if you are not a member of the NTA, please get yourself signed up. You can send your $30 for your year’s subscription to the NTA, which includes the American Trapper magazine to:

National Trappers Association, 2815 Washington Ave., Bedford, IN. 47421.

I am only a phone call away so don’t hesitate to contact me with concerns or comments.

Catchcha Next Time.

— Cindy Seff

 

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