President — Steve E Colvin, 2000 SB Rd, Barboursville, VA 22923; phone: 434-996-6067; e-mail stvcolvin@aol.com
Vice President — John Bedwell, 210 Fairway Lane, Wytheville, VA 24382; phone: 276-620-5145; e-mail: sinkthemink@hotmail.com
Membership Secretary — Dickie Craig, 2714 Knollwood Dr., Staunton, VA 24401; phone: 540-886-3937; e-mail: ddcraig9@gmail.com
Recording Secretary — James G. Covais, 10401 Moore Ct., Spotsylvania, VA 22553; phone: 540-760-9694; e-mail: jcovais@comcast.net
Treasurer — Thomas Teague, 2920 Cross Keys Road, Harrisonburg, VA 22801; phone: 540-564-1930; e-mail: thomasteague@verizon.net
General Organizer — Glen Mabe, 211 5th St., Luray, VA 22835; phone: 540-860-2634;
e-mail 19612004@yahoo.com
Training Coordinator — Ed Crebbs, 175 Waldrop Rd., Gordonsville, VA 22942; phone: 540-832-2708; e-mail: edcrebbs@yahoo.com
NTA Director — John Coakley, 1188 Turkey Knob Rd., Quicksburg, VA 22847; phone: 540-335-6088
Membership Options:
• 1-year membership including subscription to Trapper & Predator Caller — $20
• 2-year membership with subscription to Trapper & Predator Caller — $38
• Junior (under 16) with subscription to Trapper & Predator Caller — $10
• Lifetime membership with subscription to Trapper & Predator Caller — $250
Complete membership application on first page of association section and send dues to:
VTA, Membership Secretary
Dickie Craig
2714 Knollwood Dr.
Staunton, VA 24401
PRESIDENT’S REPORT
Hello everyone, hope everything is going well. The VTA had a successful training class Jan. 9 in Purdy, VA; I believe 32 people completed the course. Special thanks to Norman Pierce, Kevin Cornwell, Brandon Martin, Ed and Charliene Crebbs, Belin Watson and Bud Jenkins, hope I didn’t miss anyone.
We have a lot going on in the VTA, the board has been busy. We had a great board meeting in Wytheville on Jan. 16 and got a lot done. Currently, we have formed a bylaw committee to work on bringing our bylaws up to date. Art Foltz is the committee chairman with Larry Klien, Jim Covais and Scott Painter. We have also purchased a laptop computer for the membership secretary position to help us be more efficient and mobile. Our VTA Web site is currently being updated. We encourage everyone to go and check it out at www.Virginiatrappers.org.
We have some very nice links to be added very soon. We have our annual fur sale coming up March in Fishersville. Hope to see a lot of you there. For info, please call Glen Mabe at 540-860-2634. Our annual convention is just around the corner, July 9, 10 and 11 at Pulaski County Fairgrounds. We need lots of volunteers and vendors. Please call J.R. Bowling at 540-641-9653. We need to step up and give him a hand.
We also have a big raffle coming up at the fur sale. This will take everyone’s help. We need to sell 1,200 tickets by the drawing date at the convention. Top prize $1,000 or an LCD 47-inch’ Vizio television. Contact Ed Crebbs for information at 540-832-2708.
We need volunteers for the ways and means committee. Currently Ed and Charliene and Jim Covais are on this committee. They could use a couple of more guys or gals to help them out. We have lots of good ideas going on right now to promote the sales of our merchandise and membership.
There are many other things going on to make us a stronger organization. But we need your help and input. Feel free to call anytime — 434-996-6067.
— Steve Colvin
VICE PRESIDENT’S REPORT
Hope everyone is enjoying a safe and productive trapping season. I have had a pretty slow season trying to juggle a full-time job, kids, snow, rain, ice, etc., etc., etc. You guys know what I mean.
We had our first official board meeting Jan. 16 in Wytheville at District 1’s fur handling demo. First, I would like to thank everyone who drove to my end of the state for this meeting. We had a very productive meeting and got the ball rolling on many issues. We are looking for volunteers for several different committees including a bylaws committee, legislative committee and someone to take over the newsletter. If you are looking for a way to get involved with the VTA, then there is no time like the present.
I also would like to remind everyone of a few VTA events in the near future. First is the District 1 fur sale on Feb. 27 at Wythe Co. livestock market. If you have any questions, you can contact Ashley Arney at 540-818-4752 or Bob Newberry at 276-688-3670. Next is the Annual VTA Fur Sale at Fishersville Expo Land on Mar. 13. For more info, contact Charlaine Crebbs at 540-832-2708 or Glen Mabe at 540-860-2634. Be sure to mark your calenders for the VTA State Convention at Pulaski Co. Fairgrounds in Dublin on July 9-11. It is shaping up to be a real exciting event you will not want to miss.
I would like to invite everyone to visit the VTA Web site. There are many good changes coming. We are updating and changing and are looking for new pictures. We also have added a link to the VA Trappers Forum or Cottons site as many of know it.
On a final note, I need to mention that District 1 will be electing a new director in April. Our meetings are now being held on the second Sunday of every month at Shoneys in Wytheville. Please make plans to attend if you are a District 1 member.
Well, it has taken me about an hour to type this and my finger is starting hurt (notice I said finger instead of fingers). So, I’m going to end by challenging each one of our members to get involved in one way or another. We are only as strong as our weakest link. With everyone’s help, we can make this organization the strongest in the country. Take a kid to the outdoors.
— John Bedwell
MEMBERSHIP SECRETARY’S REPORT
Hopefully most of you have had a good trapping season, but in my area the heavy snow and high water hasn’t helped. My trapping season was short after having to pull my traps before the 28 inches of snowfall.
Just to let you know how the membership transition is going, all the renewals and new membership forms I’ve received (after being forwarded to me by the postmaster) up until Jan. 27, have been recorded. Each end of the month there is deadline to record and separate the checks from the Trapper & Predator Caller forms and send them to the treasurer. He then writes one check to T&PC with the forms for the month and sends to T&PC.
So, as a helpful reminder, when you receive your renewal notice from T&PC, do not delay in sending it to me with your check. This will keep your issues of T&PC from being interrupted. Also remember, the T&PC comes 10 issues a year and not 12.
Bear with me as we start this new year. I am sending out your VTA membership cards as soon as I receive your checks and renewals notice. If you have any concerns, please contact me.
Your “hanging-in-there” membership secretary.
— Dickie Craig
RECORDING SECRETARY’S REPORT
I sit here on the last day of January, getting the newsletter together and writing this report. The new board is only 31 days into its term and already we have accomplished so many things.
Thanks to a brain child of Ed Crebbs we will have a raffle that should replenish any money we intend to spend on expenses over the next two years.
We will also have, by the time the fur sale rolls around, a rewrite of the loopholes in the Bylaws ready to be mailed to the membership as well as a Code of Ethics written. These were two committees I had the pleasure of serving on.
The Code of Ethics is something I’m extremely proud of. But I can’t take credit for this. It was Scott Dean who originally brought this issue up when he was on the board. Scott saw that our Bylaws said we had one, but we actually didn’t. The idea went nowhere partially because of me, as I was on the board at the time and didn’t speak up to support Scott. It’s not often we can correct our mistakes, so it’s good when you can. I am proud to say that I assisted Scott with the writing of the Code of Ethics. We all owe Scott a “Thank You” for a Code of Ethics that defines who we are to other trapping organizations and to anyone who wants to know what we stand for as an organization.
Until next time.
— Jim Covais
TREASURER’S REPORT
I look forward to serving the V.T.A. for the next two years. It was late January before I was officially certified, due to a requested arbitration. The arbitration was completed by a third party (NTA) due to an election dispute. This has been a tough winter to trap due to poor weather and suppressed fur prices. I will be at the annual V.T.A. fur sale in Fishersville for the B.O.D. meeting. I will report following the meeting on any major financial decisions.
— Winston Marshall
DISTRICT 1 REPORT
Hello all. It has been quite some time since I have been able to submit a report due to personal obligations. I hope you all have had a great fur season. I haven’t as yet even been able to make one set, but I have wished many times I was able to be out and about doing some trapping. It has been nearly three years now since I was elected District 1 director. In line with VTA bylaws, we need to elect a new District director. Anyone who is interested, please let me or our president, Steve Colvin, know. We will have a meeting on April 10 at 6 p.m. at the Fort Chiswell Family Restaurant to elect a new director. — Jonny Wright
Greeting from southwest Virginia. Hope everyone is having a great trapping season. I have been setting a few lately and catching a few critters. I had the opportunity to have my 11-year-old grandaughter with me on my trapline this weekend. She got the opportunity to see a bobcat and coyote trapped. Really exciting for her. She also was setting out a few traps herself.
Now to D-1 news. We recently had a meeting at Shoneys in Wytheville with approximately 19 folks, including members and family. District 1 has changed our meetings to the second Sunday of the month at Shoney in Wytheville at 3 p.m. D-1 members, please attend if at all possible and enjoy the meeting. At the meeting, we voted to donate $500 to the NTA. We also voted to have a raffle for D-1. We will be raffling a Foxpro-3 or six Jake traps, [winners choice].
Drawing will be at our state convention in Dublin. Anyone wanting chances, see a D-1 member. I understand that the D-2 director has the buildings lined up for our convention. Good job J.R. We had our fur demo day at Wytheville livestock market and also a board of directors meeting was held. A lot of fur was put up and a good time was had by all who attended. Would like to thank Bob Newberry for all his help making the fur demo day possible. Not much else to report from this district.
We got a lot of young trappers in our area who are really excelling in trapping as well as fur put up, so every chance you get, take a kid trapping with you or on any of your outdoor excursions.
Till next time, take care and God bless.
— Larry King
DISTRICT 2 REPORT
Hello Fellow Trappers,
It has been a while, but I do have some news to tell you. District 2 is hosting the 2010 convention!
This will be held July 9-11 at Pulaski County Fairgrounds. We are trying to make one of the biggest and best ever, so anyone wishing to help, please call me at 540-641-9653.
— J.R. Bowling
DISTRICT 4 REPORT
The VTA Board of Directors meeting was on Jan. 16 in Wytheville, The BOD approved buying a small trailer for VTA educational use. Any donations to help with the cost of the trailer would be appreciated. Make checks to Va. Trappers Assoc. and mail to Treasurer Winston Marshall.
VTA convention will be at the Pulaski County Fairgrounds on July 9-11, 2010.
District 4 is planning an advanced trapper course this spring or summer. Date at location will be posted later.
Any ideas, complaints or questions, call me at 540-886-8014.
— Billy Price
DISTRICT 5 REPORT
Hello everybody in the valley,
My name is Eric Frank and I live in the Winchester area. I am stepping in to help District 5 as the director. I have been fur trapping for over 30 years and I have been nuisance trapping for 15. I have also been a trapping instructor since the early ’90s.
If anyone has questions, comments or concerns, I might be able to help. We will be having a few meetings and a picnic this year. Dates are still to be announced. I hope that everyone got some traps out this season. It has been a tough season as weather goes. Hope to see you all at the fur sale.
— Eric Frank
DISTRICT 6 REPORT
Hello all,
Happy New Year to everyone and I hope that everyone’s trapping season has been going better than mine thus far. I could not dream up any worse trapping weather than what we have been dealt since 2010 started. Wet conditions, extreme cold and snow have dominated most of Virginia for most of the trapping season and that is bound to have fur producers down on numbers so far. I am hoping for a cool, dry month of February to make up for lost time and at least make a decent showing for the trapping season.
While I have not done much trapping, several folks, including myself, are taking great strides to ramp up our trapper education program in the counties of District 6, which include Buckingham, Cumberland, Amelia, Nottoway, Charlotte, Lunenburg, Brunswick, Halifax, Mecklenburg, Greensville, Price Edward and the towns of South Boston and Emporia. Norman Pierce has been instrumental in taking the first steps to reach out to Boy Scout troops in the surrounding area and educate them about the Basic Trappers Education Program administered via Virginia Trappers Association. My hat goes off to Norman for his efforts to get the ball rolling in regards to trapper education in Southside, VA. We had a very successful class in Purdy, VA on the 9th of January and had a great amount of support from many other VTA members.
Thank you all for your help. We need many other volunteers to help with potential upcoming classes to help spread the workload. Norman and I have our sights set already on another class in Kenbridge on the 22nd of May. This is another Boy Scout troop that has quite a few members interested in trapping. If you are interested in attending or helping with this class, please let me know.
I am happy to welcome our new Board of Directors for the VTA. Steve Colvin has hit the ground running and has been extremely busy since his inception on Jan. 1, 2010. We have already talked several times and I think that he is going to be a very good and active President for us all.
In closing, I hope that everyone finishes off their trapping season with a high note. Please feel free to call, e-mail or write me with any questions, comments or concerns you might have.
Best.
— Brandon Martin
DISTRICT 7 REPORT
Hello,
I wanted to reach out to everyone and let you know I have been appointed by the VTA Board of Directors as the current District 7 director. I will be sending a letter to the people in our District that I do not have an e-mail address for. Our District has not been meeting regularly, voting on issues that arise or performing like many of the other district’s in the state and I would like to change that.
We currently have 29 active members in District 7. Trapping is very important to me, even though it is only a part-time trade, and I would like to see it protected throughout our State for many years to come. My contact information is posted on our VTA Web site, www.virginiatrappers.org, but I can be reached on my cell phone at 703-586-7821.
I also wanted to note that Art Foltz, District 8 director, has invited us to meet with them on March 7 (around 2 p.m.) for a fur grading demonstration by an experienced fur buyer. Everyone is welcome to bring any of their pelts and have them graded on the spot. Art lives outside of Fredericksburg and if anyone would like any further details, please let me know.
The next major VTA event is the fur sale that will be held on March 13 in Fischersville, VA. If you have any fur that you would like to auction or ship to NAFA, this is a great opportunity.
Please do not hesitate to get in touch with me. I am excited to be the connection between the trappers of District 7 and our executive board. If you have a chance, please send me a quick note back to let me know you received this message.
Regards.
— Brian Lacey
DISTRICT 8 REPORT
Reports from members indicate a slow season; some probably due to weather, others due to limited steel in the ground based on the fur markets. Our newest members report having a great time and learning experiences putting their first fur on the stretchers. We anticipate hearing of their adventures at our district meeting.
The Board of Directors is meeting on March 12, the day before the Fur Auction, and our new Executive Board has an aggressive agenda to improve our Association. They’re asking for your input in their goals of trapping promotion, membership growth and fundraising. If you have ideas/suggestions for the Association you would like submitted, please e-mail or call me so I can present them at the meeting.
District 8 will be holding their first meeting of the year on March 7 at 6706 River Road, Fredericksburg. After the food and general business, a fur grading demonstration will be presented. Members and guests are encouraged to bring any or all of your fur to be graded by our experienced fur buyer district member. A meeting announcement with site directions will be sent to district members and guests however, the event is open to all trappers and trapping-interested persons. If you would like to attend, please contact me for details and directions.
— Art Foltz
DISTRICT 11 REPORT
How’s everybody doing? Deer season is finally over and the traps are out. Fur prices might not be what we would like, but the few of us that are trapping are doing it because we enjoy it. I have heard some encouraging news lately that some critters are doing a little better. Mike Drummond has been doing very good and is putting the rest of us to shame. You go Mike!
It’s still a pleasure to have such a great game warden here on the shore. Steve Garvis most definitely has trapping blood running through his veins, next couple months are crazy busy with picking up fur for NAFA (if there is any to pick up). But I’ll try and get off another report before the next month has come and gone. Try and sign up a friend, finish your trapping season with a big push and, above all else, be safe and have fun.
— Tom Tyree
