
President — Doren Miller, 26500 Pike 244, Clarksville, MO 63336; phone: 573-242-3319
Vice President — Robbie Page, 108 McCulley Street, New Franklin, MO 65274; phone: 660-888-2369; e-mail: trapperpage@sbcglobal.net
Secretary — Charlie Brown, 7130 Drury Lane, Maplewood, MO 63143; phone: 314-644-1364; e-mail: charliet1961@SBCGlobal.net
Treasurer — Paul Webb, 124 Mooreview Dr., Gravois Mills, MO 65037; phone: 573-374-2768
Conservation Director — Rick Friedrich, 11504 Hawk Hill Lane, Booneville, MO 65233; phone: 660-621-2131
NTA Director — Ron Pantry, Rt. 1 Box 84, Lancaster, MO 63548; phone: 660-457-2192
FTA Director — Henry A. Wendt, P.O. Box 123, Couch, MO 65690; phone: 417-938-4519
Membership Options:
• Individual membership including subscription to The Trapper & Predator Caller — $25
• Lifetime membership with subscription to The Trapper & Predator Caller — $365
Complete membership application on first page of association section and send dues to:
MTA Secretary
Charlie Brown, 7130 Drury Lane, Maplewood, MO
63143; phone: 314-644-1364; e-mail: charliet1961@SBCGlobal.net
http://www.motrappers.org
TREASURERS REPORT
Hello everyone,
Well Spring is here and I’ve been working out in the yard between rain showers. Folks talking about Spring, lets all take a moment to say a lot of prayers for all the folks who were injured and killed by all the tornadoes and storms that hit all the southern states.
Well it took almost 10 years, but the USA finally got the egg sucking dog that was the mastermind behind the Twin Towers disaster. Good job!
Now let’s talk about trapping and the NTA coming to Missouri in August. I know that Rick and his crew are planning a real good convention. The Missouri Trappers Association works very hard to make sure everyone has a good time. So even if gas prices are high, mark your calendar and try to come to the Show-Me-State and the N.T.A. Rondy. There will be something for everyone to see and do.
Till next time have a great Spring and do some fishing, hunting & boating.
God Bless.
— Paul Webb
PUBLIC RELATIONS CHAIRMAN’S REPORT
The spring meeting was well attended but I’m not sure we weren’t in Iowa. We are getting new trappers involved and I welcome new blood.
I worked the Missouri Department of Conservation Evening with Wildlife with Rick Friedrich at Moberly. We met both current members and signed up new members.
Remember to let me know as soon as possible your dates for clinics so we can publicize them. Please send me the name of the outdoor writer for your local newspaper so I can send articles about both the NTA and state conventions.
We are involved in planning the fall convention in Chillicothe. This is a new fair grounds and you will really like it. I still need demo’s, so I’ll be calling for help.
See you this summer. Come, it will be a great time!
— Karl Rice
DISTRICT 6 REPORT
The spring meeting went very well, and I’m sure Doren or someone will hit on the highlights. Thanks to District 1 for hosting, and thanks to those who made the trip.
Jeff Beringer is unhappy with his bobcat/otter study results, as he did not get much cooperation from trappers. I’m not sure what the answer is to this. I myself either sell all of my skulls (and they must be complete) or I sell most of my bobcats to taxidermy as a whole animal, and the skull is then part of their income. Most trappers don’t follow this path, so again, I don’t know what the answer to better data collection is. The “why’s” of this particular study have been explained, so I have to wonder what surrounding states are doing to protect themselves.
There is also concern about grey fox populations. While there are still good pockets of greys in the state, It’s easy to see there is an issue (just look at the auction numbers). For the first time in years I found greys hard to come by on my own line. Again, I’d like to know what’s happening in neighboring states. The muskrat situation has been seen nationwide over the years, so how about the greys?
There has been some discussion over otter issues. Living just 12 miles from where the first introductions were made, I know first hand how destructive these animals can be. Also, these “southern” otter are highly prolific and since they are at the top of the food chain they suffer little in the way of predation. What to do? The question has been raised about extending the otter season to match the beaver (thus getting rid of the issue of non-target catches). The first argument about why a lengthened season should not occur is that the fur quality is poor. And while it can be, it is still very sale able fur to the international market. The same with beaver- many of out March beaver show signs of fur deterioration and fighting, but there is generally still a market for the end user.
Another argument, and one I also hear about bobcats (whose fur by the way primes in most of Missouri WAY after the general trapping season is over) is over pregnant animals, or more to the point that we would be taking animals that are pregnant if we trap them too “late”, thereby hurting the population. Folks, this is false logic.
ANYTIME a female dies of any species you have taken her prodigy out of the equation FOREVER. Bottom line. Trapping a female otter or bobcat in February or March has the same effect on the overall population as a road-killed animal does in August. Otters need to to be controlled, but it’s just not gonna happen. Trappers cannot have enough effect on the population in most circumstances to make a real dent. Another interesting point is that bobcats can be pregnant ANY time of the year. Interesting stuff to think about.
Another interesting subject is one of CITIES tags. Apparently the USFW says that the CITIES tag is not necessary for cats or otter that stay in the U.S. ( more specifically on the level of those animals sold to the country buyer) and for the animals that ship out of the country the responsibility would fall on the shoulders of the shipping agents, NOT on the trapper. These tags are a real issue- our agents never have enough of them, getting animals tagged can be a real problem, and in some cases (for animals going to taxidermy in Missouri all the agent has to issue is fill out a disposition form) the CITIES tag is not needed at all. Is this form of record-keeping what we really need to get along with the international community?
We head off in two days to our Spring Meeting in Bolivar, and it looks like we’re going to have a good one. The weather is going to be perfect, and folks seem to be interested. I look forward to meeting some new people from the western part of the District.
Finally, the dates are set for our first annual District 6 Trapping Weekend (we’ll vote on an actual name for this event at our Spring Meeting). August 26, 27 and 28 we will get together at the Little Niangua Campground near Lake of the Ozarks for a few days of doing basically nothing at all. Just hanging out and talkin’ trappin’ is the idea behind this event, and EVERYONE is invited. Make plans to attend!
Take care.
— Dale Verts, ozarktrapper@yahoo.com