President — Fred J. Becker, 8 Grove St., Clinton, CT 06413; 860-669-2847; FKMBecker@comcast.net
Vice President West — Jules Perreault, 1271 Durham Road, Wallingford, CT 06492; 203-284-8051; PerreaultJules@SBCGlobal.net
Vice President East — Mike Cote, 50 Hopevalley Road, Hebron, CT 06231; 860-228-2404;
littlemike96@hotmail.com
Treasurer —Eric Schupp, 45 First Ave, Enfield, CT 06082; 860-796-8284; ESchupp17@gmail.com
Secretary —
NTA Director —
FTA Director — Herb Sobanski Jr., 194A Abbe Road, Enfield, CT 06082; trapper43@hotmail.com; 860-874-3172
Membership Options:
• 1-year membership including subscription to Trapper & Predator Caller — $30
• 2-year membership with subscription to Trapper & Predator Caller — $48
• 3-year membership with subscription to Trapper & Predator Caller — $64
• 15-years and under — $10
• Lifetime — $350
Complete membership application on first page of association section and send dues to:
Connecticut Trappers Association, Inc.
Attn: Secretary/Treasurer
P.O. Box 1633
Wallingford, CT 06492
PAST PRESIDENT’S REPORT
Fellow Trappers,
It has been my honor to be of service to the CTA for these past years, first as your Secretary/Treasurer for 11 years, President for 2 years, and as an active participant in the Executive Board meetings.
I have witnessed and participated in the legislative workings of this state from speaking to our state representatives, managing a state wide petition, representing Connecticut Trappers in both the legislative public hearings and media outlets.
It was my honor, to organize and participate in this state’s first ever, National Trappers Association’s Regional Convention held in Berlin, Connecticut.
I have been around trapping all my life. My Dad (Herb Sr.), was a lifetime trapper, self-taught at a young age, he blazed the trail for me. Dad would take me on his trap line at a very young age and taught me the art of trapping as he learned it. He guided me to see the beauty of nature and the wonders of our furbearing wildlife.
My Dad passed away in April of this year at the age of 80 after a long battle with Alzheimer’s disease. As many of you can imagine, it was a tough time for him and my family witnessing this brutal diseases progression. Throughout this time period, my father kept his humor, pride, and dignity.
One of my Dad’s final wishes was to be buried with a trap. I made sure that that was performed and he was given a Victor 1½ coil-spring to start his new trapline in heaven.
I have shook many of your hands over the years, shared trapping adventures with some of you, and hopefully, always made myself available for any of your trapping concerns.
I have decided to no longer be an active participant in the CTA Executive Board. I will always support the CTA and will continue as a proud member into the future.
I am not turning my back on fighting for our trapping rights, educating our new trappers, standing up in pride of my heritage, or participating in progressing our fur trapping experiences here in Connecticut.
I hope I served you well; I am very proud of my accomplishments in the CTA and look forward to continuing my activity to protect our humble trapping heritage.
Please feel free to contact me via email at trapper43@hotmail.com or cell at 860-874-3172.
In the words of my Dad’s favorite saying: “May your plews be prime and your boots stay dry.” — Herb Sobanski Jr.
REPORT
Well it’s that time of year again, but I don’t mean the start of trapping season. I am referring to election day on November 4th 2014, here in Connecticut. This is a very important day to Connecticut trappers. All seats in the state Senate and state House of Representatives are up for reelection. ALL ELIGIBLE TRAPPERS MUST VOTE. If you are not a registered voter become one! Get to know the candidates in your Districts and vote for those who will support trapping in the legislature.
The Connecticut Trappers Association strongly believes that anti-trapping bills will be introduced in the next session of the General Assembly, which begins on January 7th 2015 and runs until June 3rd 2015. We need all the legislative support we can get so, PLEASE VOTE.
What follows is a short article that I wrote for the Connecticut Trappers Association’s 2010 Almanac entitled The Trapper and The Connecticut General Assembly.
Unfortunately, because of the times we live in every trapper has the following responsibility; to do his or her part in preserving fur trapping in the state of Connecticut.
In Connecticut there are several animal rights groups that over the years, have been very successful in having anti-trapping bills introduced into the Connecticut General Assembly. Thus far the Connecticut Trappers Association has been able to prevent the passage of these bills in the legislature, but every year it becomes more difficult to do so. In the future, every Connecticut trapper must help in this effort.
The General .Assembly is divided into two components; the Senate with 36 members and the House of Representatives with 151 members. The Assembly [the legislature] meets or is in session every year. In the odd years, regular sessions are held from January to June. In the even years, short or budget sessions are held from February to May.
The state is divided into 36 Senate districts and 151 House districts. The senate and house districts are different and do not cover the same towns. Every trapper lives within a senate district and a house district and therefore is represented in the legislature by a Senator and a Representative. lt behooves every trapper to contact his or her Senator and Representative and get to know them. Most importantly let them know your position on trapping and that they have trappers in their constituency. Elected officials will always listen to their constituents. They may not agree, but they will listen to your concerns.
Why is all of this so important to the trapper? Well, in a majority of the sessions since the CTA was founded in 1967, anti-trapping bills have been introduced into the legislature. They have never become law because of the vigilance and opposition of the CTA, supportive outdoor groups, the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection, well versed lobbyists and knowledgeable legislators. To deal with all the different issues that come before the General Assembly, the legislature has created about 27 special committees, each composed of about 20 to 30 Senators and Representatives. The one that is all important to the trapper is the Environment committee, co-chaired by a Senator and a Representative.
All bills pertaining to trapping must be submitted to this committee for review, to determine by majority vote, if the bill has merit and should go forward to another committee or the floor of the Senate or House. If the bill does not get a favorable vote it dies in committee. HOWEVER, IT CAN APPEAR LATER TN THE SESSION AS AN AMENDMENT TO ANOTHER BILL, SO THE CTA MUST BE VIGILANT UNTIL MIDNIGHT OF THE VERY LAST DAY OF THE SESSION!
The Connecticut Trappers Association will inform its members when a bill has been introduced into the legislature and ask you to take specific action, such as letters, e-mails or phone calls to committee members stating your position. ln addition, you must contact your legislators to make sure they know an anti-trapping bill exists and request them to vote against it.
The CTA through its officers legislative committee and lobbyists will stay on top of the issue, keep you posted and direct you to take further action as required.
Since trappers are in the minority they always need additional support from their fellow sportsmen and others such as farmers, landowners, etc. Keep this in mind and always look for those willing to help the trapper.
So, as you can see, without this constant vigilance .trapping as we know it will cease to exist in Connecticut. The fact that fur trapping still exists is due to the efforts of the CTA during the last 47 years.
PLEASE DO YOUR PART WHEN THE TIME COMES. — Tip Garritt
