www.coloradotrapper.com
President — Otis Latham, P.O. Box 61, Mesa, CO 81643; 970-268-5554; latham@centurylink.net
Vice President — Dan Gates, P.O. Box 128, Canon City, CO 81215; 719-275-4077
Secretary/Treasurer — Cheryl Oleyar, 1362 Hillcrest Ave, Colorado Springs, CO 80909; 719-471-0739;
c.oleyar@comcast.net
Fur Auction Manager — Greg Ashmore, 38967 Country Road 24, Hugo, CO 80821; 719-743-2552; ashmore@esrta.com
Public Relations Director — Opal Watts, PO Box 29, Dumont, CO 80436; 303-569-2953
NTA Representative — Otis Latham, PO Box 61, Mesa, CO 81645; 970-268-5554; latham@centurylink.net
Historian — Dick Hane, 1971 Frontage Road, Fruita, CO 81521
Raffle Manager — Dan Schirer, 531 County Road 326, Silt, CO 81652
Membership Options:
Membership dues including subscription to Trapper & Predator Caller – $30
Complete membership application on first page of association section and send dues to:
CTA Secretary/Treasurer
Cheryl Oleyar
1362 Hillcrest Ave
Colorado Springs, CO 80909
VICE PRESIDENT’S REPORT
Either you jumped with joy from the past season or you wanted to slit your wrist. Either way, it was one for the ages for sure. For those of us that have done this since the beginning of time, it is nothing new. Some years are good, a few are great and some are dismal. One has to just look at the overall average. I remember getting $400.00 for Bobcats 30 plus years ago. Gas was 90 cents a gallon and a new truck cost about $15,000. I bought a brand new Ruger M-77 Rifle for $109.00 at the Gibsons in Alamosa. I don’t even think Gibsons even exists anymore and a new truck is over $50,000. Gas is for sure is not 90 cents. If Bobcat prices kept up with the cost of goods, cats would average $1,200.00 or more.
Sure, we have seen an increase, but in all reality, most trappers don’t do this for the money. Some of us have been able to scrape out a living over the last 30 years while fur trapping, trading and performing nuisance and ADC work, but for the most part and to the average fur harvester, breaking even is the ultimate goal. Higher prices help but keep in mind the fur market is peaks and valleys. Always has been and always will be. It’s kinda of like life, or marriage.
April 26th, is the Furbearers Unlimited Banquet in Grand Junction. For tickets or more information contact Kandy at 970 379 6024. You can also get tickets from some of the above officers. Several members are scheduled to set up booths at front range and west slope Sportman’s Warehouses to promote the organization and to sell tickets and to continue to build on these relationships.
I have been in contact with Parks and Wildlife staff and we continue to tweak the fur harvester survey to produce legitimate results that would help manage the states furbearer resources. Things continue to come together while working on the convention/rendezvous on Labor Day weekend. The Herman family is serious about continuing to go forward with what has been started. Anyone that is interested in assisting can contact me. Preparation, setup, tear down and demos are all areas that could use help. If you have something to bring to the table jump on board. This years auction will a have a limited number of items. We will expand on the silent auction format. We will also not take any food items unless they are processed and prepared commercially. This has to do with food licensing and insurance. It looks like we will be able to have shooting events once again but the insurance continues to be a hurdle that we will address annually.
Try to attend a commission meeting, volunteer for an event and save your pennies for the convention. They say that gas prices might be $5.00 a gallon by then. Heck, that is half a muskrat hide. I’m not sure if that is the top or bottom or the front or the back. Watch your top knot and keep your powder dry. — Dan Gates
SECRETARY/TREASURER’S REPORT
President Otis Latham called the February 2, 2014, CTA Membership Meeting to order at 11:25 a.m. at the Lincoln County Fairgrounds building in Hugo. The President led the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America.
The minutes of the September 1, 2013, Annual Meeting were approved as read. The financial report was distributed and will be filed. A bill from Opal Watts was paid. The secretary read correspondence from Marv Miller.
President Latham reported that Joan Hane, wife of Dick Hane, had surgery for lung cancer yesterday and will be back home later in the week. Latham read an issue paper from the CPW concerning the labeling of live traps. He read the motion the Board had adopted concerning the issue. An amendment was made, so that the amended motion read: “That the CTA recommend the use of Utah trap tag standards with separate, individual lifetime numbers, at a cost of no more than $10 for the issuance of that trap tag number, with the clarification that wildlife control operators do not fall underneath that clause.” The amended motion was adopted.
President Latham also brought up the fact that the Fur Auction consignment agents have been paid the same percentage (2%) for many years. Dan Gates moved that consignment agents receive 3%, to be evaluated every year. The motion was adopted.
Latham will check with the NTA concerning some questions about insurance.
Vice President Dan Gates has been working with the Herrman’s and Schirer’s on Rendezvous plans. The Rendezvous will be held on Labor Day weekend at Garfield Creek Campground near New Castle. BBQ tickets will be sold ahead of time to give the caterer an idea of how many dinners will be needed. Insurance for shooting events may be obtained if some requirements are met. Pat Dorsey, the Colorado Parks & Wildlife (CPW) SW Regional Manager, plans to attend with some other staff. Gates read a letter from Dan Prenzlow thanking the CTA for inviting the CPW to participate in the 2013 Rendezvous. Gates also read a thank you letter from Jerry Apker, CPW Furbearer Biologist, for the trail cameras the CTA donated for bobcat studies.
Kandy Herrman gave an update on the FBU banquet plans. It is scheduled for Saturday, April 26th, in Grand Junction at the Marriott Hotel. Seven firearms are needed for prizes. Gary Crawford moved that instead of donating $600 to Furbearers Unlimited, the CTA use the money to buy two firearms to donate to the FBU banquet in Grand Junction. The motion was adopted. Invitations to the banquet will be mailed and emailed to members, and the information will be posted on the website.
Northwest Director Jim Hooks said he will donate a gun for the prize for a membership drive, starting date was our 2013 Rendezvous and ending date will be our 2014 Rendezvous. He announced he will not run for NW Director when his term ends.
Southwest Director Kevin Herrman said he has been working on Rendezvous and FBU banquet arrangements. Dick Hane put on a Trappers Convention in the fall, which had about 40 attendees. There are up to 160 friends on Face Book. A link on the website to Face Book will be researched.
Southeast Director Ethan Gates has been working on obtaining Rendezvous sponsors and vendors. He set up a trap line with some local youth to teach them some trapping methods.
Metro Director Gary Crawford reported Miss Rodeo Colorado came to our booth at the Denver Western Stock Show. He has invited her to come to the FBU banquet and will see if she is available to attend the Rendezvous.
Fur Auction Director Greg Ashmore will set the dates for the 2015 fur auction to coordinate with the sale dates at Nephi.
Stock Show Booth Manager Don Clifford said income at the booth was up about $4,000 from last year. Miss Rodeo Colorado was really pleased with her red fox coat from the CTA, and he even repaired it for her when she got a small hole in it. Ideas for promoting the Bill Rodgers Memorial Scholarships were discussed. Three scholarships were awarded this year.
Raffle Fund Manager Dan Schirer said he needed a volunteer to do a demo during the second youth session (June 21-July 5) at the NRA Whittington Center. Dan Gates volunteered to do that. Applications from youth 13-17 years of age for scholarships to the Whittington Center need to be received by March 1st. Dan will research sending teachers to the Whittington Center or the Fur Takers of America College. He has raffle tickets to sell!
New business included renewal of the motion that the CTA donate a maximum of $2500 to the National Trappers Association and a maximum of $900 to Furbearers Unlimited annually, the funds to be taken from the Fur Auction account, and the donations to be reviewed every three years.
The meeting adjourned at 1:27 p.m. — Cheryl Oleyar
AUCTION MANAGER’S REPORT
Hello Trappers.
Another fur season has come and gone, as well as another fur auction.
I hope everyone had a successful fur season. I would like to start with a big thank you to everyone who helped at this years auction. Without all the help and hard work I receive during the week and at the auction, it would not be possible for everything to work as it does. I would also like to give a special thank you to all those who donated food and snacks for the week, and to Joy, Linda and Shelly for cooking for all the helpers and buyers during the week.
Thank you to all the buyers who were at this years auction. It was nice to see some familiar faces as well as some buyers who have not been here in awhile. We also had some new buyers at the auction, that we hope to see here in the future.
Prices on auction day were a mixed bag. Coyote prices were up some from last year, and most people I’ve talked to were pleased with that. Western Bobcats, on the other hand, were down from last years averages, while the Eastern Bobcats held about the same averages from a year ago. Raccoon also took a dip from last years averages. All the other fur at the sale were close to the same averages from a year ago. Prior to the auction we were hearing talk that Bobcats and Raccoon would be down from last years prices. Coyote averages would show better, but we did have a certain amount of Coyote lots that sold for one to ten dollars. Fur that was properly handled and put up paid off with better averages.
The fur auction overall was a success, despite having below freezing temperatures and snow most of the week. I hope to see everyone at next years auction. The dates have already been set for February 11 & 12, 2015. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to call me at 719-743-2552. Thanks. — Greg Ashmore
AUCTION RESULTS LISTED BY SPECIES, FUR QUANTITY, % SOLD, HIGH AND AVERAGE.
Badger — 21, 100, $40.00, $21.35
Beaver — 317, 94, $67.50, $19.72
Blue Fox — 3, 100, $40.00, $32.50
Bobcat Eastern — 36, 97, $285.00, $166.21
Bobcat Western — 247, 89, $790.00, $311.53
Civit Cat — 14, 100, $28.00, $23.50
Coyote — 1014, 97, $100.00, $40.29
Cross Fox — 34, 2, $75.00, $75.00
Gray Fox — 54, 100, $50.00, $31.31
Mink — 8, 100, $20.00, $15.88
Muskrat — 295, 100, $12.25, $6.95
Nutria — 3, 0, 0, 0
Otter — 1, 100, $55.00, $55.00
Pine Marten — 15, 46, $37.50, $24.80
Raccoon — 509, 96, $31.00, $14.86
Red Fox — 121, 100, $100.00, $42.56
Ringtail — 1, 100, $27.50, $27.50
Silver Fox — 6, 100, $30.00, $23.75
Skunk — 67, 100, $16.00, $11.62
Swift Fox — 123, 97, $25.00, $16.21
Wolverine — 1, 0, 0, 0
Caster Beaver — 27.25 lb, 100, $35.00, $23.40
RAFFLE MANAGER’S REPORT
Colorado Trappers Association Annual Raffle tickets are now available. The drawing will be held August 31, 2014 at 6:00 pm at the CTA Rendezvous, Garfield Creek Campground in New Castle, Colorado.
The prizes are 1st place a Cannon Challenger Gun Safe, 2nd place a Savage Axis 22-250 w/scope, 3rd place a Weatherby 12 GA pump action shotgun, 4th place an authentic fur bear, 5th place a Coleman All-in-One grill, 6th & 7th place are $100 cash and 8th-10th are $50 cash.
The tickets are $2.00 per ticket or 6 for $10.00. Need not be present to win. Please contact the CTA Raffle Manager, Dan Schirer, at schirer@sopris.net or send check for ticket purchase to Dan Schirer, CTA Raffle Manager, 531 County Road 326, Silt, CO 81652.
Please call me with any questions at 970.618.1366.
Many thanks. — Dan Schirer
