Arkansas Trappers Association June-July 2009

President — Gary Helms, 1092 Vanderbilt Rd., Texarkana, AR 71854; phone: 870-772-3834; e-mail: Arkansastrappers@aol.com

Vice President — Aaron Hitchcock, 9331 Sister Ln., Mulberry, AR 72947; phone: 479-997-8401

Secretary/Treasurer — Karen Davis, 1350 Hwy 70 E, DeQueen, AR 71832; phone: 870-642-3674

NTA Director — Mike Fischer, 13823 Masoner Rd., Lonsdale, AR 72087; phone: 501-939-2325

Editor — Bill Fields, 543 Riverbend Rd.,
Mammoth Spring, AR 72554; phone: 870-625-7457; e-mail: bcfields@ortrackm.missouri.org

Membership Options:
• Individual membership including subscription to The Trapper & Predator Caller — $20
• Family membership with subscription — $25

Complete membership application on first page of
association section and send dues to:
ATA, Secretary/Treasurer
Karen Davis
1350 Hwy 70 E, DeQueen, AR 71832
www.arkansastrappers.org

PRESIDENT’S REPORT

I hope everyone is enjoying their offseason and taking advantage of this time to get your gear in shape for this fall. Now’s a great time to clean all of your equipment and make necessary repairs. Take inventory and write a list of supplies and parts needed to complete repairs such as chains, swivels, springs, cable, etc. … and pick them up at the conventions later this year.

Mike Fischer and I attended the Southeastern Leadership Conference in Birmingham, Alabama on April 18. Association Presidents and NTA Directors from across the Southeast get to sit down together along with NTA representatives and discuss national and state issues and pending legislation.

It’s an all-day meeting with a knowledgeable group of people with a common interests … preserving the future of trapping. One thing we decide on is the location for upcoming NTA Southeast conventions. Next year, Georgia and Tennessee are going to co-host the convention in Calhoun, Georgia. The year after, the NTA has asked us to host it here in Arkansas. We’ll be looking at some possible sites, and discuss it further at our convention in September.

The deadline for this report is a couple of days before our Spring Board meeting. I’ll have to let you know next month how that went. Remember, I’m just a phone call away if needed!

— Gary Helms

EDITOR’S REPORT

There is but one week left in turkey season and so far, I still am scoreless, but it has been an exciting season. That is all that I ask for; chances to work a few of those smart old Gobblers. I had expected that the numbers would be down. This does not seem to be the case. That week of ice covering the food sources I feel, should have caused some to perish, but there are still plenty of them out there. The gobblers do seem to be extra cautious though. It seems like I have to make a couple of mistakes before seasons end that costs me possible chances of scoring. Those bloopers have certainly shown up this season and I just might get lucky yet.

The Toe Pinchers Chapter had their annual Spring Picnic on April 4 at the Spencers, and Jim and Jill were great hosts. Their place is located in a nice little spring-fed valley with National Forrest all around; a beautiful place indeed. We experienced marvelous weather for the event and Jim showed that he could make good use of the “outdoor grill.” Our auction brought in $138 to be used in helpful ways for the Association. Our Fall Picnic is scheduled for the first Saturday in September at the city park in Calico Rock.

All of the furs caught last season have probably been sold at auctions or shipped to the big auctions in Canada by now and trappers are anxiously awaiting the outcome of the upcoming sales. China seems to be the only player at this time that has much income to have an influence on the sales outcome. If there are only a few buyers to show up, I am afraid things are going to sell cheap. We can all hope that a lot of buyers will show up. Not much to write about this month. All for now.

— Bill Fields

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