President — John Clark, 907 Holmes Flat Rd., Redcrest, CA 95569; phone: 707-722-4259
Vice President — James C. Schmerker Jr., P.O. Box 1166, Bethel Island, CA 94511; phone: 925-684-3855; e-mail: animaldamagecontrol@netzero.com
Membership Secretary — Rita Clark, 907 Holmes Flat Rd. Redcrest, CA 95569; phone: 707-722-4259
Secretary — Leona Hencratt Treasurer — Walter Hawering, 900 Hillgate Rd., Arbuckle, CA 95912
Membership Options:
• Family membership including subscription to The Trapper & Predator Caller — $20
• Junior membership with subscription — $15
• Lifetime membership — $300
• Subscription cost for life members — $10
Complete membership application on first page of association section and send dues to:
CTA, Membership Secretary
Rita Clark
907 Holmes Flat Rd. Redcrest, CA 95569
707-722-4259
PRESIDENT’S REPORT
Hello trappers here in California.
Another season is well underway; there is a lot of fur and that. I got a call the other day about the lawsuit. All is going really good; the lawyer said, the judge is looking things over and will give us a pre-trial sometime after July. When I find out the when and where, I will let all of the trappers know. When we get a date, things will get moving a lot faster.
One thing that I would like to mention is, I would like to thank the Utah Trappers’ Association for the help they gave Larry Moore and me when we went to Utah to hunt coyote. A Utah trapper, Sanford Randall, was a big help, showed us where to go and even had maps; he even went hunting with us. Thank you Utah again.
Around California it is warmer this winter and there is less snow in many places; at this time, the fur looks good. The fur sale will tell that. At this time, the trapper rendezvous will be at the same place as last year. We are looking at some time earlier, so stay tuned. Last year was a good time. I hope more people will be there. That is about all that will fit in a #0 ’rat trap.
Later.
— John Clark
VICE PRESIDENT’S REPORT
Hi folks, hope the winter is treating you well. Been an awfully dry year, drought again, they say. As one in three years of my life have been in a drought, statistically, what does normal rainfall mean, anyway? I dunno.
Beavers are busy, as is their wont; most of my Hancocks are in the shop. Six months of our brackish (read very salty) water, and besides barnacles — really! — the baskets rust to the point that beaver chew out, lose me animals, dogs fold up, pans fall off. It is amazing to look at Delta damage to equipment. Even truly well-built and sturdy equipment like the Hancock is. By the way, their customer service is great and they fix what I break; all they say is I have the worst-looking traps they have seen. I suppose that folks elsewhere must work in similar conditions. I was surprised, but not very.
They want to send water south in greater quantities. I can’t imagine that helping. Maybe the sharks will help control the beaver … just kidding, of course. Our water is too salty to drink safely, and ice cubes don’t freeze solid; yet the experts in the paper claim that taking water from upstream of us and shipping it south will preserve the Delta. I suppose that’s in the fashion of salt preserving jerky.
See you at the fur sale.
Happy trappin’.
— James C Schmerker Jr.