President — Anna Hermanson, P.O. Box 922, Hot Springs, SD 57747; phone: 605-440-0227; e-mail: aghermanson@jacks.sdstate.edu
Vice-President — Ray Maize, 28658 Tree Farm Place, Pierre, SD 57501; phone: 605-295-0416; e-mail: sdtrapr@mncomm.com
Exc. Sec./Treasurer, Public Relations FTA Director — John Almquist, 521 2nd St. NE Watertown, SD 57201; phone: 605-886-8501; cell: 605-880-4165; e-mail: jcalmquist@aol.com
Secretary — Terry Olson, 921 North Harth, Madison, SD 57042; phone: 605-256-6311; e-mail: trapperto@yahoo.com
Youth Education Coordinator — Aaron Doyscher, Box 247, Volga, SD 57071; phone: 605-627-6558; cell: 605-690-4095; e-mail: trapperad@yahoo.com
NTA Director — Jerry Westphal, 17342 297th Ave., Agar, SD 57520; phone: 605-258-2142;
e-mail: Rodeoking@hotmail.com
Tanned Fur Coordinator — Steve “Pete” Peterson, 22251 448th Ave., Ramonda, SD 57054; phone: 605-482-8131; cell: 605-291-8945; e-mail: trapperpete@alliancecom.net
Membership Options:
• Individual membership including subscription to Trapper & Predator Caller — $20
• Junior membership with subscription to Trapper & Predator Caller — $13
• Family membership with subscription to Trapper & Predator Caller — $30
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
Greetings,
I hope this last trapping season treated you well. As you are aware, we had our spring convention near Britton in April. The weather wasn’t the best, but the turnout was very good. I would like to start out by thanking our demo individuals who braved the weather to educate us on their specialties. I would like to thank Mike Berg from Spearfish who did a muskrat trapping demo. I would also like to thank Catherine Bachman from MN who did a beaver skinning demo. Also, thanks go out to Aaron Doyscher for doing a youth muskrat skinning demo. We also couldn’t go without thanking Tami Hoops for putting together a great lunch for everyone and her family for helping out.
At our membership meeting we began by reviewing what we could expect from the Game Fish and Parks in terms of regulation changes for the upcoming trapping season. We began by reviewing the legislation the SDTA helped introduce that changed the non resident trapping season to a reciprocal trapping season. We discussed what reciprocal meant: state by state. What that means is that if SD residents can trap in a state such as Wyoming, then Wyoming residents would be able to trap in SD.
The bill was not introduced as a species by species bill or season by season bill. What that means is that if a state such as MT did not allow SD residents to trap bobcats but still allowed SD residents to trap in that state, MT residents could still come to SD and trap all species included in the SD trapping season including bobcats. The bill will simply allow a state by state reciprocity. If non-resident from other states that allow SD residents to trap, and come to SD to trap, they must follow the season dates and species included in the SD traping regulations.
The SDGF&P are planning on introducing regulations that would change the bobcat checkin time at the end of the bobcat trapping season. The check in time would remain the same during the season, but at the end of the season, the check in time would be reduced to 24 hours. That means that you would have to call in that you had a bobcat to be tagged within 24 hours after the end of the season, but not necessarily have it tagged within 24 hours of the close of the season. A second change that the membership discussed was the start date for nonresident trappers. The change in the status of the season to reciprocal will mean fewer trappers from out of state in SD.
Members felt that to be reciprocal and to prevent other states from banning SD residents because of our late start, we should even the playing field. The membership voted to have a 1 week delay for nonresident trappers, so that the non-resident start date would be 1 week after the start of the resident trapping season this is what the SDTA recommended to the GF&P. However, The Game Fish and Parks thought that a 2 week delay would be more appropriate. The GF&P is going forward with a 2 week delay for nonresident trappers. A third recommendation the GF&P will bring forward is to allow 330 conibears in water before the start of mink season West River. This will allow landowners west river to take care of problem beaver without having to remove the sets before mink season starts.
Another issue that was discussed was a motion by Kim Potter followed by a vote to switch from the Trapper and Predator Caller magazine to the Trappers Post magazine as the magazine included in your memberships. We will begin transitioning over as your membership is renewed. Stay tuned for an official date. If you would like to continue to receive the Trapper and Predator Caller you will need to send in a subscription specifically to them. Finally it was also discussed to mark your traps or use a unique feature so if they were stolen, they could be identified and returned. Several cases of trap theft occurred this year, but in several cases kids had stolen the traps and they were found and returned. In one case, the traps were actually found in a pawn shop in Sioux Falls. Congratulations to Bud Heart, winner of the People’s Choice photo contest this year with his dog and coyote photo. Second place went to Jayden Michaelson with his badger photo. Winners of the grubstake raffles were Ryank Skogstad, Chad Altfillish, and Richard Hoops.
Thank You.
— Anna Hermanson
REPORT
Hello S.D. Trappers,
After many years of managing the Water Festival in Sioux Falls, I’m proud to hand the reigns over to Gary Fawbush. He has many years of experience and I know he will do a super job. Thanks Gary for stepping up to the plate.
I want to also thank Howard Heidelberger and Matt Barnard for the great job they did working with the kids and supporting Gary Fawbush. I would also like to thank Charlie Eich and Susan for their support and help. Charlie has many years of experience and does a super job. Susan and Matt are new to our help this year and have excelled in their job of working with the 2800 Fourth Graders that came through the show from 62 different schools.
Now this is not the only Water Festival the SDTA does; we also do the show in Brookings. Don Lockwood has managed this show for years. Thanks Don. A big thanks to all the people who have helped him. A new show was started this year in Aberdeen.
Managing the Water Festival has been a great experience with some wonderful memories for both my wife and me. When I look through the photo album and see al the smiling faces of the kids, chaperones, bus drivers, parents and teachers it’s overwhelming.
It gives me a feeling of great satisfaction to know we have given kids the chance to touch natural fur and put on the fur hats. A chance they may never have had without the SDTA booth at the Water Festival. When Phil Kappen first called me to set up a booth showing aquatic fur bearers; I didn’t know what I was really getting into. The first day we had 20 kids in front of our two tables all asking questions about fur, the lines kept coming for two days. It indeed was a challenge after the lines kept coming for two days. It indeed was a challenge after the first year many parents and teachers started to bring along a camera and took pictures of the students with fur hats on. Today even some of the students have a camera to take pictures of each other and there teachers wearing fur hats, what a revelation, the number of people, the kids, teachers, parents, chaperones, and the bus drivers are amazed how soft fur really is.
If you count the kids, teachers, and helpers each year and take those times 18 years you would come up with 63,000 people. Then we have to add in the Brookings 1,500 kids plus helpers each year and the numbers grow even more. But there is another factor one could consider, when kids have a good time at your booth “What do they do?” I’m pretty sure they tell all their friends, parents, uncles, aunts, grandparents and cousins. When you factor them into the formula the number grows even more; maybe even to one hundred thousand. Just a thought!!! Just think a lot of these kids are now voting!! I like to think what an opportunity for the STDA.
My wife and I have gotten great reviews from teachers and parents from the schools of Tea, Worthing, Lennox, Centerville, Hurley, Viborg, Parker and Chancellor area. I have also had good comments from the people who put on the show and they are happy we are there and the way we run our show. This makes it very worthwhile.
I would also like to thank the 20 other people who have helped over the years in Sioux Falls to make the booth a success. Thanks, thanks, and thanks again for without your help it would have been hard to keep it going. All of your workers have done a great service for the SDTA and the whole trapping industry. You all need to be commended and proud of yourselves.
To all the members of the SDTA, take pride in your association! Always use your best judgment on what traps you use and where you set them. Also try to donate at least one good fur each year to the association. It’s a must in order to educate the general public. A prime well handled pelt is what makes the money at the booths for the association; the more we educate the public; our association will grow in numbers plus prestige; plus we will always be able to keep it going; it’s part of our heritage. The big picture is get involved and have fun! The possibilities for the SDTA are enormous.
Hope you had a good year trapping.
Thanks.
— Gary Poppenga
