President — Gary Helms, 1092 Vanderbilt Rd., Texarkana, AR 71854; phone: 870-772-3834; e-mail: Arkansastrappers@aol.com
Vice President — Aaron Hitchcock, 9331 Sister Ln., Mulberry, AR 72947; phone: 479-997-8401
Secretary/Treasurer — Karen Davis, 1350 Hwy 70 E, DeQueen, AR 71832; phone: 870-642-3674
NTA Director — Mike Fischer, 13823 Masoner Rd., Lonsdale, AR 72087; phone: 501-939-2325
Editor — Bill Fields, 543 Riverbend Rd., Mammoth Spring, AR 72554; phone: 870-625-7457; e-mail: bcfields@ortrackm.missouri.org
Membership Options:
• Individual membership including subscription to The Trapper & Predator Caller — $20
• Family membership with subscription — $25
Complete membership application on first page of
association section and send dues to:
ATA, Secretary/Treasurer
Karen Davis
1350 Hwy 70 E, DeQueen, AR 71832
EDITOR’S REPORT
Hello Arkansas Trappers! It was great to get a break from the Arkansas heat at the NTA Nationals in Columbia last month. Missouri trappers sure know how to put on a convention. The main building was overflowing with vendors and tailgater’s avenue seemed to go on forever. Trapping and fur preparation demo’s went on all day long for each day of the convention.
The ATA is affiliated with the National Trappers Association. If you’re not a member, please consider joining. For membership information, you can contact the ATA’s NTA Representative Mike Fischer, call NTA at (812)277-9670 or visit their website http://www.nationaltrappers.com.
The 53rd Annual NTA National Convention will be held August 2nd-5th, 2012 in Owatonna, MN. The 9th Annual NTA SE Regional Convention will be held April 13th-15th, 2012 in Russellville, AR.
Blake Sasse, AGFC Furbearer Program Leader visited chapter meetings last month with highlights of the AGFC 2010-2011 Furbearing Animal Report. The 38-page report is arranged into five parts. Part 1: Fur Purchases, has detailed information for furbearer harvesting including seasons, pelt quantity, pelt values, citations and injuries with comparisons to previous years. Part 2: Bowhunter Observation Survey, is the results of a voluntary survey of the sightings of six furbearer species. Part 3 is the results of the Resident Trapper Survey. Part 4 is results of the Non-Resident Trapper Survey. Part 5: Species Accounts, is pelt purchase data from 1990-2010 for each furbearer species with bowhunter sighting and county breakdowns for some species. The furbearer report is available from the AGFC website. The ATA website has a link to the report on the AGFC website.
Mike Fischer, Jeremy Staton, TL Wasson and Rocky Weeks represented the ATA at the Arkansas Wildlife Federation Event Day, August 27th in Bryant. The ATA table had a trapping video running and had tanned furs and traps on display. Most everyone passing the table couldn’t resist handling the Arkansas fur, especially the kids. ATA is an affiliate of the Arkansas Wildlife Federation. The AWF was founded in 1936 and advocates environmental protection while at the same time supports the sustainable harvest of animals for food and for pleasure. For more information, contact AWF at (501) 224-9200, or http://www.arkansaswildlifefederation.com/history.html.
There’s still time to make reservations for the ATA Trappers Workshop on the weekend of October 28-30. The workshop is held at Camp Clearfork (20 mi west of Hot Springs), the cost is $10 for age 18 and under, $20 for over 18, lodging and meals are included.
Scouts, 4-H and other groups are welcome. Space is limited in the cabins and priority is given to first time attendees. Camping facilities and motels are nearby. Reservations must be received by October 15th. To register for Trappers Workshop by mail, send check or money order to Trappers Workshop, c/o Aaron Hitchcock, 9331 Sister Lane, Mulberry, AR 72947. Please include the following information for each trapper registered: Name, Address, Phone, Age, Arrival Time (Fri PM or Sat AM), First Time Attending? (Yes/No), Staying in Cabins? (Yes/No). For more information, contact Aaron Hitchcock 479-997-5361.
See ya next month!
— Mark Alexander
