President — Shawn Johnson, 6122 McQuade Road, Duluth, Mn 55804; phone: 218.525.4970; e-mail: mcquaderoadfur@msn.com
Vice President — Dave D’Aigle, 29765 Holly St NW, Isanti, MN 55040
Secretary — Linda Salo, 5927 McNiven Road, Chisholm, MN 55719; e-mail: linda.salo@mwcradio.com
Treasurer — Tricia Coons, 403 Wood Ave., Bemidji, MN 56601; phone: 218-444-8244; e-mail: MTATrish@paulbunyan.net
Membership Coordinator — Kathy Peterson, 57124 Cty Rd., Northhome, MN 56661; phone: 218-659-4535; e-mail: kpeterso@paulbunyan.net
Director of Trapper Education — Deb Offerdahl, 14788 Lynx Rd., Milaca, MN 56353; phone: 320-983-6023
Mandatory Trappers Education Director — Shawn Johnson, 6122 McQuade Road, Duluth, MN 55804; phone: 218-525-4970; e-mail: mcquaderoadfur@msn.com
Membership Options:
• Individual membership including subscription to Trapper & Predator Caller — $25
• Junior (under 16) with subscription — $15
• Lifetime membership with subscription — $400
Complete membership application on first page of association section and send dues to:
MTA, Membership Coordinator
Kathy Peterson
57124 Cty Rd., Northhome, MN 56661
PRESIDENT’S REPORT
Greetings all,
Time for a short report- Newsletter deadline right around the corner and I didn’t want you folks to think I forgot about you.
Now that the entire State is now open for trapping, like most of you out there, I’m squeezing in some line time after work.
I’ve had an interesting season early on catching a coyote in a mink blind set in a foot of water!
I also doubled on red foxes in mink sets as well with one on each bank!
Unfortunately, I’m also becoming a raccoon trapper against my will.
Those greedy buggers are beating mink to my sets!
At least that will be done when the freeze sets in!
Firearms deer season begins this weekend so time is short.
Be careful in the woods folks.
Keep your skinning knives sharp. — Shawn Johnson
DISTRICT 1 REPORT
Hi everyone,
I hope everyone is having a good trapping season. It sure felt good to finally get out in the woods and set some traps! At the time of this writing (the beginning of the second week of water season) the water levels are stable and while there is some ice forming at night it hasn’t been all that bad, I hope this continues for a while.
I had mentioned a couple of months ago that the St. Louis County Land Dept. was interested in working with area trappers on nuisance beaver problems. It was understood that there would still be a need for a contract trapper during the year, but that by using local trappers during the legal season or just prior to or after that there could be a great savings in county administration and manpower costs. If you are interested in getting on this list of trappers the county can contact please let me or Con Christianson know right away. We’d like to have a complete list of available trappers to present to the county before spring. This has worked in the past and I know we’ll make it work again.
Also some food for thought, the Carlton Co. Fair Board has offered us a proposal for a 3 yr. contract on having our summer convention in Barnum beginning in 2013. Think about it and we’ll discuss and vote on it at our spring meeting in Feb. or early March.
Remember to consider donating a quality fur or two to MTA’s Tanned Fur Project, it will go a long ways towards educating our youth and others on the importance of our furbearers as a very beautiful and valuable natural resource. Her’s wishing you a successful trapping season, a happy Thanksgiving, and a very Merry Christmas. Have a good one. — Bert
DISTRICT 4 REPORT
Greetings District 4,
Here it is October 31st and already the seasons are going full bore. Hope you have full stretchers! I don’t know about the rest of you, but after a full day my you know what is dragging!
Deer season is in a few days. Wear your orange and be careful out there. Remember our District meeting is December 5th at Wealthwood Gun Club. Doors open at 5:00 and the meeting is at 6:00. Guaranteed there will be a fur buyer and a DNR official there to tag and buy fur. Also, remember to validate your coupons.
The Legal Defense Banquet is just around the corner. And there are some tickets still available, so get them soon!
Hope everyone has a safe and Happy Holiday season.
Till next time. — Buzz
DISTRICT 5 REPORT
Hello everyone,
I want to thank Minnesota Trapline Products and Schmitt Enterprises for the trapping supplies they donated to our fall meeting drawing at Melby Fur on September 17th. Their support is greatly appreciated.
If anyone want to donate something to the Legal Defense Banquet please let Mark, Jerry or me know, our next committee meeting is in December.
If you need to get Banquet tickets yet, contact Gary Meis.
Hope everyone is having fun trapping, its nice to have open water here still.
Our District 5 winter/spring meeting will be at Johnson Fur in Willmar on Saturday, February 4th. The doors open at 8 a.m. The meeting starts about 10 a.m. I will be sending out reminder post cards again so watch for them in the mail.
Take care. — Pete
DISTRICT 6 REPORT
Greetings members,
By now you should have some stretchers that have seen a workout. I only hope we all wait until fur is prime before harvesting, it’s not good for our prices when the auction houses are full of questionable or worthless fur. I figure we owe the resource that anyway! The wildlife science center at Carlos Avery would really benefit from the donation of carcasses, beaver, muskrat, otter, mink, weasel, etc. Please no canines, raccoons or skunks! They speak highly of us trappers to hundreds of folks all year long. Phil Harry and I had a booth at their Harvest Howl. Sold some fur and educated a bunch of people. I still want to see the fur boards get worn out, they got a great workout. So I figure the least we can do is donate some carcasses their way, there is always a need.
The winter meeting at Askov should be a dandy. I believe there are still tickets for the legal defense banquet as well. Contact Gary or Buzz. That’s about all I have for now, hafta get the flintlock ready and still soaking traps, love the smell of that gasoline! Remember, use good ethics in the field. — Jim
DISTRICT 7 REPORT
Hello fellow trappers. Trapping Season is upon us and I wish you a safe and successful trapping season.
The winter meeting is on January 7, 2012 at East Central School in Askov, MN. It will be a fun time to talk trapping, sell furs, see demos, dealers will be on hand to buy supplies, as well as contests happening throughout the morning. The general meeting starts at 10 am. Doors open at 8am. This will be a great day!
The annual pelt handling contest will once again be held at the winter meeting. Please think about entering your pelts into the contest. It is a great way to learn or teach others on proper handling. Please be sure to look at the next newsletter for all details on the Pelt Handling contest.
The 2nd annual Legal Defense Banquet will be Saturday, January 7 at 4:30 pm following the activities of the winter meeting. This is at the Askov Community Center/American legion. This is a nice evening out. Limited tickets are available, so be sure to contact Gary Meis if you want tickets.
Be sure to remember the Tanned Fur Project as you are skinning and putting up your pelts. It is always nice to be able to have members from District 7 donate to the tanned fur project.
From my family to your, Happy Holidays.
Until next time. — Leon Windschitl, Director District 7
