President — Kim Potter, 26424 436th Ave., Bridgewater, SD 57319; phone: 605-729-2691; e-mail: ktpotter@unitelsd.com
Vice President — Gary Dale Poppenga, 27961 463rd Ave., Lennox, SD 57039; phone: 605-647-2323; e-mail: mpoppenga@iw.net
Secretary — Terry Olson, 921 North Harth, Madison, SD 57042; phone: 605-256-6311; e-mail: trapperto@yahoo.com
Treasurer/Public Relations — John Almquist, 521 2nd St. NE, Watertown, SD 57201; phone: 605-886-8501; e-mail: jcalmquist@aol.com
NTA Director — Jerry Westphal, 17342 297th Ave., Agar, SD 57520; phone: 605-258-2142;
e-mail:rodeoking@hotmail.com
Tanned Fur Coordinator — Steve Peterson, 22251 448th Ave., Ramona, SD 57054; phone: 605-482-8131; e-mail: trapperpete@alliancecom.net
Youth Education Coordinator — Aaron Doyscher, P.O. Box 247, Volga, SD 57071; phone: 605-627-6558
Membership Options:
• Individual membership including subscription to The Trapper & Predator Caller — $20
• Junior membership with subscription to The Trapper & Predator Caller — $13
Complete membership application on first page of
association section and send dues to:
SDTA, Treasurer
John Almquist, 521 2nd St. NE
Watertown, SD 57201
PRESIDENT’S REPORT
I’d like to start by saying I sure missed seeing everyone at our Spring convention. Sorry I missed it. Teresa had a prior commitment with her work schedule, which included a trip to Las Vegas. She made it clear she wasn’t going solo and after being there for a few days, I don’t blame her for not wanting to go alone. Nice place to visit if you like crowds, noise, lights, action, lots of activities, expensive meals and $7 beer. It’s good to be back where things are a bit more laid back.
Sounds like the convention went well. Fifty or so folks were in attendance, typical for a spring convention. Here is my disclaimer, I obviously wasn’t there so if I miss something or someone or don’t get the facts perfectly straight, forgive me. I’d like to thank a few folks right away: Pete, Aaron and Todd for doing skinning demos, Todd Martel for donating supplies for the grub stakes raffle, Blair Wait for representing GFP, Nick from Delta Waterfowl for his Power-point presentation and all of you who attended to make the convention a success.
Some of the informational topics that headlined the day were:
#1 SDTA Donations — Monies other than our regular affiliation dues that are paid went towards the NTA $250, FTA- $200, United States Sportsman Alliance-$300, Farm Products Promotions-$200, NTA Gun Raffles-$200 and The Connecticut Trappers Ass. for issues they are dealing with, $500. We are not a rich association, but we feel the monies we do generate should go to support organizations that promote and need to protect trapping issues that at some point in time may effect all of us. We thank the support of our membership for making these donations.
#2 SDTA Winter and Spring Fundraising – I don’t have all the numbers but can tell you we have sold more tanned fur and goods at our Dakota Territory Gun Shows this year than any other year. The shows were held in Brookings, Sioux Falls, Pierre and Watertown. Once again we would like to thank all of you who gave of your time to work the shows and those of you who continue to donate good quality fur to our tanned fur project for these fundraisers.In addition to the gun shows, the fall raffle is also a great money maker. We know many of you put in a lot of time and effort selling raffle tickets. John will soon be sending tickets out for this fall so lets gear-up and keep up the good work.
#3 The 2009 Water Festivals – Great opportunities for us to come in contact with thousands of grade school kids to help educate the importance of aquatic furbearers in our society. The Sioux Empire Water Festival was held in Sioux Falls. Gary and Marty Poppenga, Charlie Eich, Gary Fawbush and Howard Hidelberger helped and we thank you very much. The Big Sioux Festival is in Brookings May 12. I know John Almquist and Don Lockwood will be working it, thanks again.
#4 We have the South Dakota Outdoor Expo coming up June 13-14 at the State Fairground in Huron. This is an event that I think is going to get bigger and bigger every year. There is about anything and everything to do with the outdoors at this event. It would be a great place to take your kids to spend the day for hands on participation just about any outdoor activity there is. We need members and friends to work at our educational booth, people to do some trapping demo’s. A good number of folks helping would be great so everyone has a chance to partake in activities at the expo. Check out the Web page at www.sdoutdoorexpo.com. Call John or myself if you can help, thanks.
#5 Nominations For Director Positions – We are going to change this procedure a bit. We have a great bunch of directors that have nothing but the best interest in our association and its future. Every other year, we have at least five director positions to be voted on. That’s just the way the terms run. Seems like in the past we struggle to get enough nominations to fill these positions. Some years we don’t even need to vote because we only have the number of nominations we need to fill a vacancy. When John sends out the raffle tickets he will include information on the nomination ballot process we are going to use for election of directors at this falls convention. Apparently the association has done this in the past and we feel it will give members a more informed insight on candidates and their desire to serve as a director. We believe that this process might also increase the number on nominations if we start the procedure at an earlier date than waiting till the business meeting and take nominations from the floor. I personally believe change is good so here’s a chance for everyone to look for candidates you think will serve this association and it’s best interests. Call John for nomination information.
#6 Proposed 2009-2010 Trapping Regulations – There have been a few proposed rule changes for the next trapping season. One has to do with pre-staking and claiming road right of way by and public land sets. It will treat pre-staking these areas similar to muskrat house regs. Another proposal is extending the spring rat season in the NE part of the state for a week or so because the ice isn’t typically out till a later date in that part of the country, Blair talked about the possibility of a year round beaver season east river and the interest in a voluntary only trap tag participation on public land program the state may make available. The official proposals will be introduced at the GFP commission meeting in May with finalizations in June. To get the real deal go the GFP Web site and look up commission then proposed trapping regs to get the official language. I don’t know if GFP will pursue the year round beaver trapping or not?? Must have met some opposition at the spring convention.
#7 Just a couple other events in the near future: Prairie Luce Days at Lake Herman on June 13 contact Gary Poppenga if interested in helping. Oakwood Lakes Walk In Time July 18. Call me, I don’t know who the contact person is at this time. We will have our Fall Rendezvous Sept. 11 and 12 at the Japanese Gardens at the east end of Flandreau. I know Anna, Aaron and John have all checked this place out and it’s going to be a great location for a fall rendezvous. Lots of water will make for a emphasis on water trapping as our demos.
Just a last couple thanks yous. Thanks to all who donated fur throughout the year and thanks to those involved at the skinning bee at Petes after the convention. I believe those who worked the fur were Pete, John Almquist, Gary Olson, Mayron Wiggins, Pete’s friend (sorry, I don’t have his last name) and I’d bet my bottom dollar Sue had another great lunch for all. Todd Martel’s daughter Chloe has been making some updates on our SDTA Web site. Thank you Chloe for your time in doing that and if anyone has some more recent pictures or information you would like to add, please feel free to send the information to Chloe at Trapper.22@hotmail.com.
I’m sure I didn’t cover everything, but if you’d realized how long it takes me to sit down and just get this much written! Anyway, hope you all are having a good spring season. I’m back in a sprayer for the summer or whatever the spraying season might be. It’s not for the local Cenex, but for my brother and another private farmer. Somehow they contracted me out to do all the applications for Cargill, who is operating out of Emery, SD. Should have a minimum of 20-25 thousand acres to spray. It’s a new John Deer sprayer that has more $$ tied up in the computer system than the cost of one of the Rogator units I use to operate. GPS, auto steer, auto shut off, swath control, the works. A monkey could run the thing once you get it figured out – or even me!!
Take care, talk to you soon.
— Kim Potter