ASSOCIATION CONTACT — Arkansas Fur Trappers Association, P.O. Box 1681, Greenwood, AR 72936; 479-651-3597; arkansasfurtrappers@gmail.com
President — Brad McDaniel; 479-651-3597
Vice President — Greg Griffith; 479-774-1434
Secretary/Treasurer — Mark Alexander; 479-310-0692; arkansasfurtrappers@gmail.com
General Organizer — Jason Sumpter; 479-430-3857
Membership Options:
• Individual membership without subscription to Trapper & Predator Caller — $10
• Individual membership with subscription to Trapper & Predator Caller — $22
• Family membership without subscription to Trapper & Predator Caller — $13
• Family membership with subscription to Trapper & Predator Caller — $25
• Lifetime membership with plaque (without subscription to Trapper & Predator Caller) — $100
• Commercial membership/sponsorship — Please contact an AFTA officer for pricing and information.
Complete membership application on first page of association section and send dues to:
Arkansas Fur Trappers Association
P.O. Box 1681
Greenwood, AR 72936
SECRETARY/TREASURER’S REPORT
The Lee Creek Chapter of the AFTA had their first meeting last month and elected President Jack Entrekin, VP David Nicodemus, Secretary Will Turnage, Treasurer Jason Ellis, Organizer Mike Cady and AFTA Board member Jay Gill. There were 24 in attendance with 15 new memberships. The meeting was held at Mike Yancey’s fur shed and besides elections, they had a program on learning about blue, flat and prime fur with hands on several types of fur.
Lee Creek Chapter meetings will usually be held in northern Crawford County Arkansas. Should be convenient enough for those in Washington County, southern Madison and northern Franklin counties to attend. We’ll get meeting schedules and contact phone #’s in next months report. Lee Creek Chapter also has a Facebook group page where you can get more info, just search for “Lee Creek Chapter of AFTA” and ask to join the group.
In AFTA elections held last month, all positions remain the same except General Organizer is now Jason Sumpter. Jason can be contacted at 479-430-3857. He will be contacting members occasionally to organize potluck dinners, fish fry’s, the convention, the workshop and other association events.
Outgoing organizer Don Wilcox isn’t off the hook though. He thought he was getting away but was informally nominated as Assistant General Organizer. Thanks for all your help the last couple of years Don and for your lifetime support of trapping.
Blake Sasse, Furbearer Program Leader for AGFC has released the 2013-14 Arkansas Furbearing Animal Report and it is available for downloading from the AGFC website at http://www.agfc.com/resources/Pages/ResourcesScientificReports.aspx#Furbearers. That’s a handful to type, so you can also go to the AGFC website and in the search box, type “2013-14 furbearer report”. The first link should get you to the reports page, scroll down a bit to the furbearer section for furbearer reports.
Some highlights from the 35 page report are that 41,658 pelts valued at over $519,935 were purchased by licensed fur dealers in Arkansas. This represents a 25% increase in pelt purchases and a 22% decrease in the total value of the harvest.
That’s all for this month. Let us know if there is anything you would like to see in this report.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! — Mark Alexander