Wisconsin Trappers Association January 2010 Report

President — Virgil Schroeder, 3471 Earlwyn Road, Cottage Grove, WI 53527; phone: 608-764-5218; e-mail: virjo4t@msn.com

Vice President — Lee Sillars; phone: 715-218-5041; e-mail: Isillars@aol.com

Secretary — Dorothy Abrahamson, 508 E. 9th Ave., Stanley, WI 54768; phone: 715-644-0644

Treasurer — Pam Mather, P.O. Box 305, Oregon, WI 53575-0305; phone: 608-335-2700; e-mail: wtatreas@verizon.net.

NTA Director — Chris Bezio, 5479 Hawthorne Dr., Pulaski, WI 54162; phone: 920-822-3427

Trapper Education Coordinator — Nicke Shumaker, P.O. Box 28, Caroline, WI 54928; phone: 715-754-2121; e-mail: wctep@mwwb.net

Public Relations Director — Ken Kasper, P.O. Box 367, Fremont, WI 54940; phone: 920-446-3815;
e-mail: wtapr@centurytel.net

Trapper Correspondence Course Director — Mike Widner, P.O. Box 483, Baraboo, WI 53913; phone: 608-356-3621

Future Trappers of Wisconsin Coordinator — Jennifer Roever, W14399 Highway 45, Tigerton, WI 54486; phone: 715-754-5317

Membership Options:

• Individual membership including subscription to Trapper & Predator Caller — $25
• Junior (under 17) with subscription to Trapper & Predator Caller — $12
• Lifetime (under 62) with subscription to Trapper & Predator Caller — $300
• Lifetime (over 62) with subscription to Trapper & Predator Caller — $100
• Husband & wife lifetime — $400

Complete membership application on first page of association section and send dues to:

WTA Treasurer
Pam Mather
P.O. Box 305, Oregon, WI 53575-0305;

http://www.wistrap.org

PRESIDENT’S REPORT

Hello Trappers,

It’s been a fast-moving month, but not a whole lot to report on for a change.

Here’s hoping the trapping season is going well for all of you, though the prices aren’t so good.

One major bill that passed, but was vetoed by Governor Doyle was to have the DNR Secretary appointed by the DNR board rather than the governor. I haven’t been advised as to whether there will be an attempt on an override or not.

I would encourage each member to start thinking about the Spring Banquet. There will be a different format this year. The plan is to have a well-known trapper from out of state to be the main speaker. I haven’t received a definite confirmation yet. Hopefully I will know soon.

We have two additional Personnel and Finance Committee members. John Irwin and Richard Clark have agreed to take on this very important job. The committee members have put in a great many hours for the WTA. Thank you so much!

That’s about it for this month. Have a Merry Christmas and Blessed New Year.

— Virgil Schroeder

DISTRICT 8 REPORT

Sorry I missed the last issue. I have been trying to trap, work and have had to take several medical tests this fall and time just got away from me. I am listing our events and activities for the next few months below.

Saturday, Jan. 9, 2010, District 8 will staff two tables and a booth at the 14th annual Chilton Alliance Church Conservation Day. That day is a WTA BOD meeting and thus I and Chris Bezio will be unable to attend. Brenda and Kelly have volunteered to staff the booth and are working on finding others to assist them. Contact Brenda at 920-743-4195 if you are willing and able to help out. The event is free and a real good event.

Sunday, Jan. 17, 2010, is our annual meeting and district sponsored fur sale. Each of you should have received a letter with an agenda, format and time table for our annual meeting and fur sale. Bring a friend or a fur harvester that is not a member. I need you to contact me so that I can reserve you a lot and also get some idea of the number I can expect to attend so we can plan food amounts better as well.

Friday, Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 26, 27 and 28, 2010, is the Green Bay Deer Classic. District 8 is working toward being fiscally responsible for this event and also providing the bulk of the staff for this event. We will be discussing this in detail at our winter meeting on Jan. 17, 2009.

Saturday, March 13, 2010, (the Saturday before the WTA spring banquet). I have been asked to put on a demonstration using our trap and fur kits to a Calumet County 4-H event. It would be nice to have at least two of us to talk about our furbearers, their habitat and also fur harvest management and the tools and traps we use.

Saturday, March 20, 2010, is our WTA spring banquet and spring meeting. This is a great fundraiser for the WTA and this year Ken Kasper and our President Virgil Schroeder are working together to plan this event. This is a fun time. District 8 will challenge the other districts. Let’s see if District 8 can’t fill up four to five tables this spring. It will be our turn as an even numbered district to sell raffle tickets again so we will need your help. Come and have a good time.

Be sure to mark Sunday, Jan. 17 on your calendar. We need you at our meeting to be able to update you on the status of the WTA as our BOD meeting will be the Saturday before. We also would like you to save some fur to sell at our auction and donate a pelt or two or three to the District 8 fur lot.

As your district director, I serve you the members of District 8 so let me know where I can help you and also let me know how you can help the district or the WTA. We have had two personnel and finance committee teleconferences since the fall rendezvous and we have made considerable progress in realigning our staffing and programming coordinators and have also received several recommendations from the accounting firm that should help us manage our financial affairs better in the future.

I have listed our county directors below for your convenience if you need to contact your county director

Brown Rick Winans 920-434-3761

Calumet Tod Zitzelberger 920-853-3915

Door Mark Richard 920-868-3924

Kewaunee Nick Waslikoff 920-937-2990

Manitowoc Mike Stueck 920-323-9230

Sheboygan Dave Mielke 920-994-4143

District Trapper Ed coordinator Chris Bezio 920-822-3427

District Treasurer Brenda Keys 920-743-4195

District Director Bryce Larson 920-693-8734

I trust you have had success on your line this season. I did a four-day wilderness pack your gear in canoe rat line this year. This has been something I wanted to do for six years now. It was more work with less fur than I had thought it would be, but losing 7 pounds and catching 70 ’rats were both good things.

“The straight and narrow path would not be so narrow if more people followed it”

— Bryce Larson

DISTRICT 9 REPORT

We wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. We hope everyone in District 9 has a very good year for trapping. First off, Patrice Rhodes would like all District 9 members to send her their e-mail. This is so we can contact each member and let them know what is coming up for our District. Her e-mail is patrice@phrhodesinc.com.

Our Spring meeting will be Saturday, March 6, 2010, at 9 am at the Woodman Town Hall. To get there, take 133 West out of Boscobel. This will be a potluck meeting with some great silent auction and raffle items. This will be our last meeting before the National Trapper’s in Marshfield so it is very important that we have good attendance.

Please let Denny Knuth know what you have for donation or raffle items so we can have a complete list in our next Trapper & Predator Caller. You can e-mail Denny at demak@rucls.net. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the District Director, Dan Carroll @ 608-847-5538.

DISTRICT 10 REPORT

The District 10 winter meeting will be held on March 6, 2010, at NAFA in Stoughton. As in the past, we will hold a business meeting, have a raffle, draw for door prizes, enjoy a great fish fry, and get a chance to talk with old and new friends. Our next summer rendezvous will be held on Aug. 21, 2010, at the Delevan Sportsman’s Club.

Last time we were at Delevan, we had a great turnout and enjoyed fantastic demos. Plan to join us for a good time, good food and good friends. Mark your calendars.

District 10 will again hold a 50:50 ’coon raffle this year. In addition to helping the WTA, we have a new scholarship fund that will give an annual scholarship to an upper class natural resources student at UW-Stevens Point each year beginning in 2010. Other good deeds that we have sponsored include helping a grad student at UWSP, helping trapper’s education students with equipment and posting marten restoration areas in northern Wisconsin. If you like the types of efforts our district is supporting, consider donating one or more raccoons to the ’coon raffle.

All you need to do is donate at least one raccoon at NAFA and tell Virgil Schroeder that it is for the District 10 WTA 50:50 raffle. There is no limit on the number of raccoons you can enter. Your chances of winning increase with each raccoon. The winner will split half the proceeds with District 10.

I hope all of you are having a rewarding trapping season and have a terrific Holiday season.

— Scot Stewart

Related Posts

  • No Related Posts Found

Leave a Reply