President — Tom Barnes; phone: 406-683-2791; e-mail: t_barnes@wmc.edu
Vice President East — John Graham, Jordan, MT; e-mail: VPEast@montanatrappers.org
Vice President West — Dennis Schutz, Stevensville, MT
Recording Secretary — Jim Buell; phone: 406-376-3178; e-mail: 7mbuell@ttc-cmc.net
Membership Secretary — Valerie Esche, 17 Allison Dr., Absarokee, MT 59001; phone: 406-328-7264; e-mail: wetrap@nemontel.com
Treasurer — Terry Sheppard, Ovando, MT; e-mail: Treasurer@montanatrappers.org
NTA Director — Brian Stoner, Belgrade, MT; e-mail: NTAdirector@montanatrappers.org
Membership Options:
• Individual membership including subscription to The Trapper & Predator Caller — $25
• Youth membership including subscription to The Trapper & Predator Caller — $15
• Family membership including subscription to The Trapper & Predator Caller — $35
• Lifetime membership with subscription to The Trapper & Predator Caller — $350
• Senior Lifetime membership with subscription to The Trapper & Predator Caller — $200
Complete membership application on first page of association section and send dues to:
MTA Membership Secreatary
Valerie Esche
17 Allison Dr., Absarokee, MT 59001
http://www.montanatrappers.org
PUBLICIST’S REPORT
Montana Trappers Association will hold the Western States Fur Auction February 18-20 at the “Little Metra” in Columbus, MT along I-90. Receiving dates on site will be February 18 & 19. To arrange shipping your fur, contact Tom Barnes, Chairman at 406-683-2791 or 406-660-2792 or barnesauction1@yahoo.com.
The Fur Auction is a sealed bid sale. The fur is consigned and put on tables as it comes in. Fur buyers grade it and place a bid that is entered into the computer. After all bids are in, the computer prints out the highest bid for each lot and the buyers settle up. MTA will accept fur on Friday (Feb 18) from 10:00 Am till 8:00 PM and on Saturday (Feb 19) from 8:00 AM till Noon. After that, the building is closed for only fur buyers to grade. Depending on how much fur shows up MTA will try to finish the sale on Saturday night.
In November, the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife & Parks published a New Information Sheet, “Wildlife Management & Regulated Trapping.” That information sheet is listed on the the MFW&P website http://fwp.mt.gov/hunting/trapping
This information sheet was published to provide MFW&P authorized information about trapping after a proposed ballot initiative to ban all trapping on all public lands in Montana came close to qualifiying for the November 2010 ballot. The information sheet shows strong support by MFW&P for trapping by explaining how trapping is managed in Montana, supported by wildlife professionals internationally, provides biological data on furbearers, is biologically sustainable, provides multiple benefits, is economically important to Montanans, and supports trapper education programs among other topics. This information sheet, prepared by MFW&P provides great information that will be usefull if/when animal rights groups make another effort to ban trapping in Montana. It also provides information that trapping organizations in other states should find useful when they have to battle to protect their trapping rights.
Thank you very much.
— Paul C Fielder