President — Bill Howe; 607-756-6763
Vice President — John Slocum; 607-849-6681
Treasurer — Art Manz; 607-863-5434; amanz05@yahoo.com
Secretary/Newsletter Editor — Les Wedge; 607-749-3292; toadfish1@hotmail.com
Membership Options:
• Individual membership without Trapper & Predator Caller — $20
• Individual membership with subscription to Trapper & Predator Caller — $32
Complete membership application on first page of association section and send dues to:
Cortland Country Trappers of New York
Secretary Art Manz
Box 14
Cincinnatus, NY 13040
SECRETARY/NEWSLETTER EDITOR’S REPORT
The meeting was called to order at 5:18 p.m. by President Howe. The 50/50 was won by Art Manz and the 110 donated by Howe Trap Supplies was won by Low Giacco.
President’s list:
President Howe reported on the Independent Fur Harvesters Rendezvous. This was their first Rondy. He said that they had a good setup and expects it to be more successful in the future if it continues. Several Cortland county Trappers Association members attended. Hugh McDonald entered a few contests and won the snowshoe race. Not bad for the first time putting them on! The Cortland Trappers Association donated a dozen 160’s.
Bill Howe also mentioned the vandalism that took place at the Independent Fur Harvesters club house at the Onondaga County Pratts Falls Park. Severe damage, fire, loss of records and many items in addition to damage to county vehicles and theft of county property occurred. Some arrests have been made.
Bill discussed the furs he purchased for the Maple Festival exhibit.
A long discussion was held regarding our fall Rondy, which will be held Saturday, September 13 at the Solon Sportsman’s Club. Toby Edwards from Fur Harvesters Auctions will be there demonstrating fur handling. The Independent Fur Harvesters donated a body grip trap an d a CO2 chamber. Dale Beckwith produced posters advertizing the Rondy. Les Wedge will notify the local papers.
Treasurer Art Manz gave his report. Les Wedge made the motion to accept it and Hugh McDonald seconded the motion which passed. Art mentioned that it was time to renew subscriptions to Fur-Fish-Game Magazine for the Cortland County high school libraries. John Slocum suggested that we place it in the Greene Central school library since some of our members are from there. Hugh McDonald made the motion to do that and Greg Schmidt seconded the motion which passed. (Les Wedge later contacted the school and they accepted the gift.)
Les Wedge thanked the club members for their concern and prayer regarding his health status and reported on the progress. He mentioned that the 2013 club scholarship winner made the Dean’s list the first semester at Paul Smith’s College where she is studying forestry. He also mentioned an article in the current Fur-Fish-Game Magazine that mentions using feet or scraps of hide and fur at a flat set for coyotes. The use of feet would not be legal in New York unless covered so that it was not visible from above but the hide and fur with no meat or bone would be legal.
Round table discussions:
Dick Firsching mentioned that there was a rumor that the demos at the upcoming National Trappers Association to be held next year in western NY would be closed to non-NTA members. I later went to the New York State Trappers Association Convention and spoke with Jim Carmody, NTA Director of NYSTA. He reported that both he and NYSTA President John Rockwood spoke with the NTA President stating that requiring all demo attendees to be NTA members would hurt attendance. In a following NTA board meeting it was decided that there would be two closed (to non-NYA members) demos in the morning and two closed demos in the afternoon and that all volunteers working at the convention could attend. (They will be wearing T-shirts.) All other demos would be open to non-NTA members.
Gary Davis mentioned that the Cortland County Sportsmen’s Federation was holding a Sportsmen’s Show at the McDonald Center in Cortland September 6. He also mentioned that the McGraw Sportsmen’s Club will have a sporting clays range and that they won the Federation trap shoot.
Bill Howe mentioned that the Independent Fur Harvesters is having a raffle limited to 500 tickets for a bear hunt in New Brunswick, Canada.
John Slocum reminded members to bring items in for the Chinese auction at our Rondy.
Hugh McDonald mentioned that he bought 65 pounds of clean wax at an Amish auction.
Lou Giacco mentioned the new DEC licensing system for hunting, trapping and fishing licenses. Very time consuming. He also mentioned deer hunting at a Tompkins County deer focus area where limits are very liberal.
Dick Firsching had an excellent demo, mostly on borrowed ideas what really work for trappers.
Richard Beckwith discussed the German franks and kraut he brought for the dinner. (And they were good!)
Hugh McDonald will bring food for the October meeting. There will be no meeting in September since we are holding the Rondy Saturday Sept 13.
The meeting was adjourned at 6:50 pm.
Respectfully submitted. — Les Wedge
