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
PRESIDENT’S REPORT
We had a great turnout at this year’s convention! There was a little rain on Saturday morning, and it was quite warm both days, but everyone seemed to enjoy themselves. I know I did. It was great to see everyone again and visit with all my old friends, and make a few new ones as well. If you’re not attending our conventions, you’re really missing out. Make plans now to join us next year. It’s always the second Saturday in September and it will be at Petit Jean again next year.
There are lots of people to thank after one of these functions, starting with the convention coordinators. Thanks guys for lining up the demos and making sure everything ran smoothly. I want to thank the demonstrators for sharing their favorite sets and secrets with everyone. Thanks goes to Willard and Charlotte Watson and the entire fish cooking crew…the fish fry on Friday evening was delicious! Thanks to everyone that contributed to the meal on Saturday…our group has some of the best cooks in Arkansas! I want to thank everyone that donated items to our fund raising auction, and all the people that hung around and purchased the items and supported the ATA! Thanks also to the dealers, vendors, and tailgaters for hauling supplies in for our members. I hope everyone was able to get all of the supplies they needed for this coming trapping season. I want to give a big THANK YOU to the ones that stayed over after the convention and cleaned up and shut down the building! I’m sure I’ve forgotten someone. Let me just thank everyone there for coming and supporting the Arkansas Trappers Association!
I was reelected for another term as President, and Aaron Hitchcock was reelected as Vice-president. Rocky Weeks was elected Secretary/Treasurer, and Mark Alexander was elected to serve as Editor. I want to thank everyone for their support and confidence in me as President. This is a great Association, and I truly believe it’s going to become bigger and better in the next few years! Karen Davis and Bill Fields stepped down as Secretary/Treasurer and Editor. I want to thank them both for their years of service on the Board and their contributions to this organization. At the same time, I also want to welcome the newly elected officers to the Board and look forward to their fresh ideas and input.
Congratulations to this year’s awards recipients! Trapper Of The Year went to W. C. “Dub” Shankle and Paul & Ann Browder received Mr. & Mrs. Trapper Of The Year. Thanks everyone for getting your nominations in and be thinking about next year’s awards.
The membership has voted to move forward with creating Districts within the State. The details will be worked out by the Board over the next year and will be presented for approval at next year’s convention meeting. I’ll give you updates here as things begin to come together. Basically, the idea is to have the entire State represented on the Board instead of concentrated pockets. Every member of the Association will belong to a District. We’ll likely start out with five Districts (One in each of the four corners and one in the middle of the State). We’ll move the convention around to a different District each year, hopefully picking up new members along the way. As we become more organized, we’ll likely see workshops in each District every year as well. As I stated earlier, I believe this will make us a bigger and better Association!
The days are getting shorter and furbearer trapping season is fast approaching. I hope everyone has a safe and prosperous season!
Until Next Month.
— Gary Helms
FORMER EDITOR’S REPORT
Hey guys and gals. I have decided to step down and let someone else get their feet wet, getting the association news out. I want all of you to know that I have really enjoyed doing the editor’s thing all these years. It has helped to make me a better writer and I want to thank you for the opportunity that you granted me. Through the job as editor, I have had trappers from all across the nation get in touch and it has been gratifying to have conversed with them. If my memory serves me right, I have been in the editor’s slot for 12 years, and I believe that this is longer than anyone else has held it. I appreciate you putting up with me as I know that there were times when the report did not reach the publisher on time and a few other slight flaws that were finally corrected after I had learned a little more about the PC.
I hope that everyone is near being ready for the upcoming season and that you will have a great one. The reports from those supposedly “in the know” are sounding better all the time and I sure hope that they have got it right. Red fox, cats, muskrats, mink and otter especially sound good. I am really looking forward to the season with a new fur shed about 90% completed. It’s usable right now if I can get some wiring done with overhead lights put up and I am one happy camper to have that much done.
We had a really good convention this year. Everyone that I talked to had favorable comments about it. The fish fry on Friday night was especially good. I also believe that the vote to set up the state into districts is also a positive thing and will allow our association to grow stronger as numbers will increase. A new secretary and editor were voted in and I am sure that they will do a great job at their posts. The new editor called me and assured me that he welcomed me to present additional writings any time so you just might hear from me from time to time. I appreciated that a lot and thank him for it. I wish the best to all.
— Bill Fields
