New Mexico Trappers Association December 2008 Report

President — Brad Janes, 110 Idaho Creek Rd., Rio Rancho, NM 87059; phone: 505-934-8341

Vice President — Wayne Derrick, P.O. Box 111, Maljamar, NM 88262; phone: 505-676-0001

Treasurer — Pam Johnson, 2304 Urton Rd., Roswell, NM 88201; phone: 505-320-8465

Secretary & NTA Director — Tom McDowell, 534 Camino Los Milagros Corrales, NM 87048; phone: 505-897-0719

Membership Options:
• Individual membership including subscription to The Trapper & Predator Caller — $25
• Family membership with subscription to The Trapper & Predator Caller — $30
• Junior with subscription to The Trapper & Predator Caller — $17.50

Complete membership application on first page of
association section and send dues to:
NMTA, Treasurer
Pam Johnson
2304 Urton Rd., Roswell, NM 88201


SECRETARY AND NTA DIRECTOR’S REPORT

We will be about a month into our season by the time you read this. Some will have begun trapping and others will just be starting in earnest. Gazing into my crystal ball and at the same time factoring in the results of other’s “gazings,” our fur markets will likely develop much later than usual this season. NMTA’s March 6 and 7 fur sale in Belen may very well fall at a very opportune time relative to this evolving fur market. Watch the market reports, test the waters with the local buyers, but please consider holding fur for the NMTA March sale.

The second edition of the classic tale of trapping and hunting in New Mexico “Tracks Across New Mexico” by the late Homer Pickens will be available this month from High-Lonesome Books, Silver City.

Homer joined his brother Albert Pickens (NMTA Hall of Fame inductee) in 1927. The Pickens brothers both had excellent reputations as trappers and lion hunters. In fact, Albert hunted and trapped extensively with the famous Ben Lilly in the Gila and Black ranges of southwestern NM.

In 1929, Albert retired from the U.S. Biological Survey and in 1931, Homer went to work for the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish. Homer moved through the ranks of the department and was appointed Director in 1953 and retired in 1958. While with the department, Homer’s home in Tesuque became the nursery/infirmary for Smokey Bear, who later flew with Homer to his new home at the National Zoo in Washington DC.

The accountings of the Pickens’ hunting and trapping are told in story form in Homers book originally published in 1980. This edition rapidly sold out and used copies, when they can be found, command $100 to $250. The second edition contains 30 additional pages and multiple never before published pictures. This new addition of Tracks Across New Mexico was edited by NMTA member, Homer C. Pickens Jr., who also has donated a dedicated copy of the book to the NMTA as a fundraiser. Watch for a book review article detailing the new edition in the next issue of the Tracker.

In closing, don’t forget that we are holding our annual rifle raffle to be drawn at our fur sale. Again this year we will be drawing for a CZ model 527 in the hot 204 Ruger caliber. For tickets please contact any officer of the NMTA. We are also going to raffle a Weatherby Sage Country Custom rifle in 300 Win Short Mag. next fall. Don’t miss out on either of these great guns.

— Tom McDowell

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