http://www.montanatrappers.org
President — Toby Walrath, P.O. Box 182, Corvallis, MT 59828
Vice President East — John Hughes 3065 Winnet Hwy, Roundup, MT 59072; 406-429-2002;
jandmfur@midrivers.com
Vice President West — Jason Maxwell, 4232 Hermione LN, Missoula, MT 59808
Executive Secretary — Jim Buell, P.O. Box 133, Gildford, MT 59525; 406-376-3178;
7mbuell@itstriangle.com
Membership Secretary — Karen Chapman, P.O. Box 174, Belgrade, MT 59714; (406) 539-1871
Treasurer— Terry Sheppard, P.O. Box 129, Ovando, MT 59854; 406-793-5885; office: 406-793-5718;
tjsheppard@blackfoot.net
NTA Director — Jim Buell, P.O. Box 133, Gildford, MT 59525; 406-376-3178; 7mbuell@itstriangle.com
Membership Options:
• Family membership with Trapper & Predator Caller — $40
• Family membership without Trapper & Predator Caller — $30
• Adult membership with Trapper & Predator Caller — $30
• Adult membership without Trapper & Predator Caller — $20
• Youth membership with Trapper & Predator Caller — $20
• Lifetime membership with Trapper & Predator Caller — $350
• Lifetime membership without Trapper & Predator Caller — $250
• Senior lifetime membership with Trapper & Predator Caller — $200
• Senior lifetime membership without Trapper & Predator Caller — $100
Complete membership application on first page of association section and send dues to:
MTA Membership Secretary
Karen Chapman
PO Box 174
Belgrade, MT 59714
REPORT
As the MTA President, Toby Walrath, reported this spring in the MTA newsletter, the Montana Trappers Association has a lot going on, and the MTA was present at all four of the Great Rockies Sport Shows this year, which included shows in Billings, Helena, Missoula and Bozeman. Hundreds of people offered their support for the MTA via donating, purchasing MTA raffle tickets, buying fur/skulls/other merchandise and some people even became members. Children also had a blast with the animal track stamping station, managed by Fran Buell, where kids enjoyed stamping animal tracks on paper and guessing which type of animal each track belonged to, along with learning about the different types of fur with the fur display.
Another topic Toby reinforced is that it will be “through increased visibility that we gain support”. This couldn’t be more true, and the Montana Trappers Association is off to a good start with having exposure in major newspapers, radio interviews on prominent radio shows, along with several more interviews and meetings scheduled for the remainder of the year. The MTA has also recently implemented a Facebook page that currently has over 1,100 likes from trappers and trapping supporters all over the world. Additionally, the trapping forum Trapperman.com used their site to raise $25,000 to fight the animal rights activists, too. Our membership count has increased to over 1,200 members from all of this exposure, and we need everybody’s help in being visible.
With upcoming events such as the MT PLUS Event, scheduled for May 31st from 8am -6pm at the Missoula County Fairgrounds, featuring special guest Tom Oar from the hit show on the History Channel “Mountain Men”, which will unite all sportsmen and public land users to fight to keep Montana’s public land public and keep Montana’s trapping heritage alive, a potential three-day adult trapping education program which is currently in the works and the upcoming MTA Rendezvous in Lewistown this September 5th through 7th, we are hoping to bring more people together than ever. The Montana Trappers Association annual Youth Trapper Camp will be held on June 13th through the 15th this year, too. Also, look for our billboard which will be up between Missoula and Lolo from mid-May through mid-June. For more information on the MTA’s upcoming events in all trapping districts, visit www.montanatrappers.org, and be sure to Like the MTA on Facebook at www.facebook.com/montanatrappersassociation.
Toby’s words appropriately summarize everything we, as trappers and MTA members, should be focusing on right now in our everyday lives:
“Be visible. Be proud you’re a trapper. Let people know how these issues impact every Montanan. If people don’t know we exist, they can’t rally around us and cheer from the sidelines as we stomp the antis. Trappers Rock!”
See you at our upcoming events! — Angela Gerych, MTA District 2 Director
