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
By the time that this report has been printed, our fur trapping season for this year in Tennessee will have come to and end. According to what I have been hearing lately and seeing the amount of fur being brought to our fur auctions this season, there are not very many folks trapping this season. Some trappers may have pulled their traps up early because of the unknown fur market prices. Not to mention the economy, fuel prices and the added amount of dollars it will take in order to run a profitable trapline.
Very hard for some trappers to go out of the way. I pretty much trapped close to home and took care of local beaver and ’coon problems. Nevertheless, prices on some items look pretty good as some fur buyers are probably speculating on several last season demands. Anyway, the TFTA Auctions have went as scheduled and I hope members went home satisfied with their fur check. I understand that many new members signed up. I want to welcome all.
The last fur auction for this season in Alexandria has not been held at the time of this report. You can see the results of this auction on the TFTA Web site at www.tennesseefreetrappers.com. The results of the first two (2) TFTA Fur Auctions are as follows (listed by species, quantity, high price, low price, average price and total):
VFW Post – Bulls Gap, TN, Jan. 10
Muskrat — 20, $3.75, $0.25, $2.28, $45.75
Raccoon — 86, $12.50, $0.25, $3.52, $302.75
Mink — 2, $11, $9.50, $10.25, $20.50
Red Fox — 5, $6, $2, $5.20, $26
Gray Fox — 2, $24, $24, $24, $48
Opossum — 37, $3, $0.25, $1.43, $52.85
Beaver — 3, $8.50, $8, $8.33, $25
Coyote — 2, $14, $11, $12.50, $25
Otter — 3, $30, $4, $19.17, $57.50
Bobcat — 5, $42, $42, $42, $210
Skunk — 3, $4.50, $3, $2.50, $7.50, $820.85
Humphrey’s County Ag Center – Waverly, TN, Jan. 24
Muskrat — 23, $4, $0.50, $2.88, $66.25
Raccoon — 326, $8.25, $0.50, $3.98, $1,297.30
Mink — 6, $13, $1.50, $7.21, $43.25
Red Fox — 5, $17, $13.50, $15.30, $76.50
Gray Fox — 48, $24, $2, $19.92, $956
Opossum — 51, $3.75, $0.50, $0.85, $43.10
Beaver — 108, $21, $1, $9.02, $974.25
Coyote — 25, $14, $2, $8.52, $221.50
Otter — 31, $31, $7, $19.77, $613
Otter (White Whole) — 1, $70, $70, $70, $70
Bobcat — 30, $49, $3, $26.47, $794
Skunk — 2, $2.25, $2.25, $2.25, $4.50, $5,089.65
The last TFTA Fur Auction for the 2009 season is as follows: Auction #3 – Alexandria, Tenn., DeKalb County, Feb. 28, 2009 at 9 a.m. CDT. This auction will be held at the DeKalb County Fairgrounds in Alexandria, Tenn. Directions: From I-40 take exit 254 (Alexandria Exit). Turn right off the interstate. Stay straight continuing on Hwy. 53 South, then take a right on Hwy. 70 in Alexandria and follow the TFTA signs.
TFTA SPRING MEET: This meeting will be held rain or shine on Saturday, April 25, 2009, beginning at 9 a.m. CDT at the Cedars of Lebanon State Park, Lebanon, TN at Shelter #1. This meeting will be a potluck-type luncheon, so bring a covered dish if possible. Coffee and cold drinks will be provided by the TFTA at no cost. Please bring a donation item for our fundraising auction if possible. We will be having some trapping and snaring demos also. For more information, contact Chris Jacobsen 615-672-8546.
DIRECTIONS: To get there from Nashville: Take I-40 East, Exit 232A (Hwy. 109 South, Gallatin). Go right. Continue on Hwy. 109 for 3.7 miles, continue on Hwy. 265 S. (Central Pike) for 4.6 miles. Turn right onto Hwy. 231 (TN-10, Murfreesboro Road) for .6 miles. Turn left onto Cedar Forest Rd. There will be TFTA signs pointing the way.
Thanks to all members whom helped out at the fur auctions this season. Working together and helping out is what it takes to make things happen.
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact me. Thanks.
— Mike Renfro
STATE ORGANIZER’S REPORT
We are in the process of setting up a trappers education seminar and a fur handling workshop sometime this summer. The exact date is not yet set. Also a wild game cookout dinner. This will be an all day event. We are in the early stages. Look for more information on this trapping seminar in future issues of the Trapper & Predator Caller magazine.
Hey, don’t forget the NTA South East 6th Annual Convention May 1 to 3, 2009, in Williamston, NC, and the 50th NTA National Convention July 30 to Aug. 2 in Lima, OH.
— Chris Jacobsen