California Trappers Association November 2012 Report

President — John Clark, 907 Holmes Flat Rd., Redcrest, CA 95569; 707-722-4259

Vice President — James C. Schmerker Jr., P.O. Box 1166, Bethel Island, CA 94511; 925-684-3855; animaldamagecontrol@netzero.com

Membership Secretary — Rita Clark, 907 Holmes Flat Rd. Redcrest, CA 95569; 707-722-4259

Secretary — Leona Hencratt; 530-547-3240

Treasurer — John Clark, 907 Holmes Flat Rd. Redcrest, CA 95569

 

Membership Options:

• Family membership including subscription to Trapper & Predator Caller — $25

• Junior membership with subscription — $15

• Lifetime membership — $300

• Subscription cost for life members — $12

 

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

CTA, Membership Secretary

Rita Clark

907 Holmes Flat Rd. Redcrest, CA 95569

707-722-4259

 

PRESIDENT’S REPORT

Hello Trappers,

I missed a couple months getting things out, I have a lot going on and things are slowing down a little. Well trapping season is just around the bend so we have to get some of our things together for the season. We need to get out there and look for a place to make our sets. If you deer hunt or just go camping. You know how to look for a place to make a catch. a hint to help others is look at the deer trails coming and going from a road, look up and down these trails for a ways and look for a place that has a lot of dirt and a few rocks. Take a little broom or a tree limb even a clump of grass and smooth out the dirt for about 3 feet up and down the trail. Come back the next day to see what went there. Even trail cams work for things like this. I had 1 trail cam out for 3 weeks and had 499 picks on it. Deer, bears, mt. lion, bob cats, coyotes. Fox. Pine marten, man, and one women and about 8 or 9 different rat coons. So that place looks good. When weather gets cold man and girls will be gone, to cold for most. Some I can not take but the ones I can I will. You can look things over where you want to trap and get some idea what is there just have to do it. Last year is last year things change so does the food chain. Put some though into it and you will get more fur. There is a lot of it out there. Not many going after it. Other than that for now there have been some bill go the Gov. Brown that he has not signed. And I hope he does not. I have made phone calls and sent letters. Now we wait.

If your membership is coming due don’t forget to get it in. About all I have for now. — John Clark

 

VICE PRESIDENT’S REPORT

Hi, folks, long time no communicate. If you have ever had to buy a home and it went anything like my experience, you will understand how preoccupied I have been. Sorry for the lapse.

Things are appreciably worse on the Senate Bill 1480 side of things: We have a unified political apparatus from the local level to the Governor, all one party, it’s a steamroller. You guys can figure out how to vote. Enough said. The problems are too big to spell out in this forum. I would suggest going to a computer and finding out the latest iteration of this mess. Here’s one small example from the land of unintended consequences: Say you want to control ground squirrels without poisons, in a responsible fashion. You’d normally set traps, catch and remove animals, etc. Now, you will have to put up signs all around the work site exclaiming, “Danger: Lethal traps set for wildlife – No dogs…” Guess what: Broadcasting blue oats suddenly looks incredibly enticing, and damn the secondary poisoning possibilities; it’s better than a daily war with the animal-rights crazies that kind of signage will attract. And that’s just one small nugget in this landslide called SB1480.

The Nuisance-Wildlife Control Operators’ Association did try to mount a response to this bill, and I tried to participate. The Legislature is a … I can’t think of a nice word, difficult to approach, insular, self-important. They listen to each other, do each other favors, and play nice-nice; too bad I don’t know anyone in that club. The only good thing, if it can be called that, is this awful playing field will be the same for all of us in the industry. I can see less committed folks dropping out, or getting prosecuted for simple mistakes; it will be really interesting to see how things play out: I can’t imagine Fish & Game will be particularly enthusiastic having this mess dumped in their lap to implement. We live in interesting times, we do.

On the fun side of life, boy, are there a lot of furbearers out there to catch! November 16 is coming up fast. Hope you all have a safe and productive season. — James C. Schmerker Jr.

 

Breaking news as of 9/28/2012: I have to amend and revise my opinion of our esteemed Governor. Jerry Brown actually, thankfully, returned SB 1480 without his signature. His veto response was thoughtful, measured and accurate. He had issues with tasking DFG with enforcing consumer-protection-related issues and with limiting the options of Californians plagued with bats within their homes. All hail our (for the moment) awesome Governor of the Golden State! Huzzah! — James C. Schmerker Jr.

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