President — Stacy J. White, U.K. Cooperative Extension Service, Bell County, 101 Courthouse Square, Pineville, KY 40977; phone: 606-337-2376; cell phone: 606-521-1705; e-mail: sjwhite@email.uky.edu
Vice President — David Kriege Jr., 3513 Cowie Ave., Erlanger, KY 41018-1608; phone: 859-342-8109
Financial Secretary — Dave Dykes, 152 Mapleview Ct., Mt. Washington, KY 40047; phone: 502-538-3290
Executive Director — Chet Hayes, 3951 Neises Rd., California, KY 41007; phone: 859-635-3102; e-mail: lhayes@fuse.net
Membership Options:
• Class A Kentucky trapper including subscription to The Trapper & Predator Caller — $25
• Family Membership including subscription to The Trapper & Predator Caller — $35
• Associate Membership including subscription to The Trapper & Predator Caller — $20
• Youth Kentucky trapper including subscription to The Trapper & Predator Caller — $15
• Lifetime Class A Kentucky trapper — $250
Complete membership application on first page of association section and send dues to:
UTK, Financial Secretary
Dave Dykes
152 Mapleview Ct., Mt. Washington, KY 40047
502-538-3290
PRESIDENT’S REPORT
Now that trapping season is over for a while, it is time to clean all of our traps and equipment and store everything for next season. I like to give everything a quick shot at the carwash. That takes a lot of the work out of the cleaning for me. Dyeing and waxing traps now will save time in the fall also. Once all of that is done our thoughts can turn to other adventures. Turkeys are gobbling, fish are biting, morels are popping through the leaves, and the garden is ready to be tilled. If you are like me it is hard to decide where to begin.
I have taken the boys fishing once already and I spent a day in a turkey blind with Jeremiah during the youth season. We had a gobbler strut to within 30 yards but the adrenalin in the blind was too much for Jeremiah to hold a steady bead. He is now making plans for the regular season hunt. Hopefully the birds will cooperate again. I can see now how turkey hunting becomes addictive.
UTK had a good fur pick up at London. In spite of the bad weather this winter there was considerably more fur brought this year that last. There were several familiar faces as well as some new ones. Coyotes, beavers, and raccoons seemed to be the most prevalent species. Mark Bruner from Knox County bagged up 70 muskrats. I was impressed. I didn’t know there were 70 muskrats in all of southeastern Kentucky. Mr. Ralph Holland had the most unusual piece of fur: a nearly white coyote with orange guard hairs down the middle of its back. I am sure it will make for some good conversations as it hangs on Ralph’s wall.
We finished our yearly trapping program with Knox Central High School by taking a beaver and a muskrat into the Vo Ag shop and processing them with the students. We are working with the Whitley County High School to take a class to a nuisance beaver site this spring. I will update you on that next time. It is difficult to schedule things with school groups near the end of their year due to their busy calendar.
Steve Pickard, 9th district director, has worked the Laurel County and Whitley County hunter education classes this spring. As most know, he represents us well and promotes trapping to all the participants in a very down-to-earth way. He takes names of those interested in learning more about trapping. Usually in the fall we invite everyone on the list to a 9th district get together at my place. We do demos, tell a few tales (at least Dude does), and eat plenty. It is always a good time.
Until next time enjoy and take time to ponder on why you were put here in the first place. Include a youngster or two in your adventures as the opportunities come around. You will be rewarded greatly.
— Stacy J. White
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S REPORT
March 2011
Another trapping season is behind us, and weather-wise, perhaps the worst since the 1970’s. A low catch of many wild furs species should help prices a bit at the upcoming international auctions. The February auctions and some private treaty sales were promising in terms of clearances and slightly stronger prices. Hopefully the May sale at N.A.F.A. will continue an optimistic trend. Here in Northern Kentucky our season was somewhat salvaged by the final two weeks when we had decent temperatures and open water. Coons were abundant, though going downhill in terms of fur quality. I personally found several coon, dead from starvation, and younger coon were completely devoid of body fat at skinning time. Surprisingly, some adult coon still had decent fat, thanks to our bumper crop of fall acorns.
Many of us now are looking forward to spring turkey and fishing. Don’t forget to get a youngster out there with you. We have a large Youth Turkey Hunt here in the 5th District during the Youth Weekend, put on each year by the Conservation Officers, UTK, and the local N.W.T.F. Chapter. We also have Hunter Ed. Classes, Trapping Workshops, J.A.K.E.S. events and more to keep us busy.
I’d like to remind everyone of our partnership with Kentucky National Wild Turkey Federation. If you would like to demonstrate trapping to the youngsters at J.A.K.E.S. events or serve as a guide on youth hunts, contact me and I will put you in contact with the right folks.
Until next month.
— Chet Hayes
April 2011
Just a few short lines here since our Spring Newsletter will be coming out soon. In fact, by the time you read this you may already have received it.
We did not have a Spring Meet due to our inability to find a suitable location for the event, well enough in advance. With the rainiest spring in many years, along with the skyrocketing gas prices, perhaps this was a blessing. We will instead look forward to a great Fall Fling in Hancock County. Many of us are very excited about having this meet in an area of Kentucky where, to our knowledge, no trapper’s meet has ever been held. I am sure with Fred Stephens in charge, this will be an excellent meet.
We have lots to do this summer with J.A.K.E.S. events, 4-H, Hunter Education and planning for our fall trapping workshops. We also need to hold our regular 2 officer’s/director’s meetings this spring thru fall. (We missed an officers’ meeting for the time ever in 2010). We’ll get busy and get back on track. Please keep your dues up to date and sign up a new member.
Until next month.
— Chet Hayes
