President — Mike Renfro, 401 Norton Hollow Road, Erwin, TN 37650; phone: 423-330-8134
Vice President — Jerry Scott, 190 Mockingbird Drive, McMinnville, TN 37110; phone: 931-692-2035
Secretary — Cindy Jacobsen, 938 Tyree Springs Rd., White House, TN 37188; phone: 615-672-8546
Membership Secretary/Treasurer — Cindy Jacobsen, 938 Tyree Springs Rd., White House, TN 37188; phone: 615-672-8546
State Organizer, NTA Director and FTA Director — Chris Jacobsen, 938 Tyree Springs Rd.,
White House, TN 37188; phone: 615-672-8546
Trapper Education/Public Relations Coordinator — Jackie McMurtry, 143 Pond Rd.,
Cottontown, TN 37048; phone: 615-672-4163
Membership Options:
• Individual membership including subscription to The Trapper & Predator Caller — $18
• Family membership with subscription to The Trapper & Predator Caller — $20
• Junior (16 & under) with subscription to The Trapper & Predator Caller — $12
• Lifetime membership with subscription to The Trapper & Predator Caller — $200
Complete membership application on first page of
association section and send dues to:
TFTA, Membership Secretary/Treasurer
Cindy Jacobsen
938 Tyree Springs Rd., White House, TN 37188
615-672-8546
http://www.tennesseefreetrappers.com
PRESIDENT’S REPORT
Hoping all of you have had a great summer and that you have had the opportunity to visit either a regional or a national event. There is always great information to be had at either of these events.
Please don’t forget that this is an election year. Show your support for trapping.
On a sad note, I regret to inform you of the passing of Bill Vernon. Please keep Ms. Tommy in your prayers. Bill was a great asset for many years to TFHA and to the trapping community. He will be sorely missed.
— Gene Gagstatter
STATE ORGANIZER’S REPORT
Hello TFHA family,
Hope you’ve been enjoying this weather and that your gardens are producing all you hoped for.
The rest of this year is looking pretty full for our members. Please try to come and support TFHA at one or more of these meetings. First, Allen and Nancy Rogers and their wonderful family have graciously invited TFHA to their farm for the Dist. 5 meeting on Aug. 8, 2009, starting at 9 a.m.
Directions: From Knoxville: take I-40 W to Rockwood/Harriman exit, go left on 27S, follow it until you hit 30W, Go up Dayton Mtn. Once on top of the Mtn/ go approx.3 miles Riggs Rd. will be on your left, from there follow the signs. From Chattanooga: Take 27N to 30 W, go up Dayton Mtn (very winding) approx.3 1/2 miles look for Riggs Rd. on right follow signs from there.
Any questions contact Allen or Nancy at 423-570-8467. Please bring chairs, side dishes and desserts.
There was a tentative plan for another Trapper Training Day at Muddy Pond Hosted by Mark and Laura Smith for info on this event please call Mark at 931-261-8727.
Also, there is a Middle Tn. Trapper Training Camp free to the public. Hosted br Jerry Bowman. It will begin at 6 p.m. Friday Sept. 4 through Sunday Sept. 6 at noon. Location: Cedar Rock Hunting Preserve: 1326 Warner Bridge Rd. Shelbyville. For info, call Jerry Bowman at 931-580-0846.
This is our 30th anniversary! At Falls Creek Falls there will be new patches, t-shirts, demos and great food. Please plan to attend and bring a friend. Any dishes you can bring will be very appreciated. There is also going to be a dutch oven cook-off on Saturday night. Break out your best recipes.
This is an election year. All ballots must be sent in the included envelope to Bunky Rector Before Sept. 19 or brought to Falls Creek Falls. The ballots will be counted after the general meeting on Saturday.
Anyone wanting to volunteer to help please give me a call. Thanks in advance for your help.
Please, keep Ms. Tommy in your thoughts and prayers as Mr. Bill has recently passed. He was without a doubt a cornerstone of TFHA and trapping. His efforts can be appreciated every time a trapper finds an otter in his trap or when a Tn. trapper picks up the phone to work with TWRA.
There have been many happy nights spent under the stars listening to Mr. Bill laughing and telling stories of the past, his adventures and his friends. That is how he should be remembered, sitting back stroking his beard, smiling and picking on the “love of his life,” Ms. Tommy. That is how he will remain in my heart forever.
God Bless.
— Tei Gagstatter
NTA DIRECTOR’S REPORT
By the time this report is received, the NTA National Convention in Lima, Ohio will more than likely be underway. I hope everyone who wants to go makes it. This year’s convention has the potential to be the best one held in years. There are several states still under attack with Montana being one of the latest. They have a ballot initiative underway.
Remember this is an election year so if you read this and you haven’t sent in your NTA ballot, please do so if there’s still time. If you are not a member of the NTA I strongly encourage to join, with the Anti’s getting stronger everyday, we need each other more than ever. The NTA needs your support to continue the fight on behalf of trappers and more than ever we need the NTA in our corner. The Anti’s have learned to fight a new style and they are the most dangerous when we’re not seeing them or hearing them. The NTA and state organizations need to grow numbers and supporters. An organization that is not growing is dying and there is no such thing as maintaining an average.
It’s like a herd of cows with no bull to increase the numbers in 10 years. Your herd is decreasing by the laws of nature and eventually you have no herd. It takes new blood and management to prosper. Please lend your support and encourage others to do the same.
I attended the Southeastern Biologists Conference at Tims Ford Lake in May. I learned a lot of interesting things. For one, all the biologists there were interested in promoting trapper education.
Arkansas has a great program going, and could be used as a model. Tenn. is taking steps to improve the program here. Don’t forget the trapper training camp in Shelbyville in September. I met with Jerry in May and looked at the grounds on the Duck River, where it will be held. It’s a beautiful place. Jerry is working very hard to make this event successful. This is one event you don’t want to miss. In closing, as many of you know, T.F.H.A. lost one of it’s most loyal servants. Bill Vernon passed away in his sleep at home. Bill has been ill for some time. Bill and Tommie were the backbone of the T.F.H.A. for 20 plus years. When my family and I first started attending trapping functions, Bill and Tommie were some of the first people we met and they immediately made us feel like family. Bill, you will be sorely missed. As long as there is a T.F.H.A., your legacy will live on.
Tommie, we love you and we’ve got your back.
Until next time, keep your boots dry.
— John Daniel
