Our July meeting was pretty much all about our upcoming Sportsman Show. We had some problems getting our show programs printed. Computer problems of course! Brian Davis said he could do the programs next year as long as he can set up the program a few months ahead of time and that he could do it for free. Then they would just need printing, folding and stapling. We will see if it can be done.

Some of our vendors are asking for more tables, which we can provide. John has hired three boys to help work at the show to replace the regular boys who have moved on to new jobs. We had a good time teasing John for forgetting to bring his raffle tickets, show fliers and show programs. Derwood Say was reminded that he needed to get the knife for our raffle prize yet. He reported that he was bitten by a deer tick which tested positive for Lyme disease and had to take the medicine for it.

Dale gave a report on our radio advertising costs and amount of advertising. We are getting a pretty good deal this year. He suggested that we should ask people at the show where they heard about it. This could help in doing our advertising next year. Derwood said laundry mats are a good place to put up posters because people there are bored and will read the bulletin board. People ignore the bulletin boards in some other places as they don’t have time.

We voted to send a team to the Cathy Young shoot again this year in August. Derwood then gave the CANY report. John Milks reminded us that we need people on Sunday to help tear down after the show.

Anyone interested in joining should contact John Milks at 716-557-2523.

CORTLAND COUNTY REPORT

The meeting was called to order at 5:15pm by President Bill Howe on July 18, 2010.

Bill H won the 50/50 and Joan M won the other stuff.

Bill introduced a guest, Joshua Kisner.

Presidents list: Bill has plenty of gun raffle tickets left to sell, get some.

Joshua will do a demo next month and he even volunteered to bring the food.

We discussed stuff for the Chinese auction at the Rendezvous.

Discussion on 2011 Maple Festival. Consensus says we attend. Bill will purchase enough furs for us to operate and have enough stuff to sell. Rich Beckwith and Butch Jenks just came in with the food. Welcome.

Discussion on our fur inventory. Bill is authorized to purchase enough furs for the Festival if he can get them at a reasonable price. We all agreed that Bill has been in the business long enough to make a decision for us when it comes to furs.

Secretary will send money to NYSTA to pay for our calendar ad in the 2011 NYSTA calendar.

We went over the Rendezvous schedule and adjustments to the times will be made as necessary.

Treasurer’s report was accepted as given.

Minutes were accepted as corrected. We misspelled Mr. Gebo’s name.

Round table:

Shirley Howe has sent thank you to Marie Shea for donation to Club

Butch and Rich discussed new magazine and its competition with the T&PC. Rich Beckwith suggested Secretary try and get our meeting date in the Fur Fish and Game magazine. Art will check it out.

Joshua told us about himself and joined our association. Welcome aboard.

Bill Howe will do a demo on the box sets he makes for the new regulations.

Mark Slocum noted that Greg Schmidt will do a demo at the Rendezvous, not sure what but were not fussy

Meeting adjourned at 7:00pm.

Respectfully submitted.

— Art Manz

ERIE COUNTY REPORT

We began our July meeting with Rick reporting on our latest fur check from Fur Harvesters. As expected, our 28 donated muskrats from Dennis Smilnich sold well with an average of $7.24. Auction prices were solid and held close to the previous auction, with the exception of raccoons , which were mostly unsold. It was mentioned that selling beaver castor can increase your average by $6. Make sure to clean the membrane, hang for 2 days, flip and hang for 2 more days , then freeze. When ready to sell, put into an onion bag, inside a paper bag.

Keith Richards noted that he sells to both Fur Harvesters and North American. He was pleased with selling some XXX raccoons for $30, and reminded to get your furs into the earlier sales. We talked about the NYSTA Trapper Youth Camp, slated for Oct. 8-11 at Camp Rushford. Some more members volunteered to attend. We voted to budget in a $50 a year donation for the Region 9 Youth Archery Camp, this year hosted by Elma Conservation Club. As in the past, a trapping segment will be offered by a few of our members. Thanks to Rick Walton for reading the latest Federation resolutions. We had good discussion on the 21 that we voted on. Finally we voted to amend our meeting schedule. In summary, We will not have a March meeting, as we set up at the Sportsmen Show . We will hold our July meetings at a guest location. Harold agreed to have it at his house for next year. It will be a pot luck and we can get our Fair plans done then. Patti has a new calendar printed up , and it will be available to the membership.

Thanks to Keith for doing our meeting demo. He showed us his modified wire stretchers which he uses for fox or raccoon. He uses anything from duct tape, to wood bottoms, to plastic tubing (which keep pelts free from rust), to make his stretchers work as well as wood boards. Some of these plans can be found in the North American fur handing booklet. Keith uses 5/16” tubing from any hardware store (usually 6 feet per stretcher). He also mentioned how well clothes pins stay on to hold your pelt down. It was great to watch him explain his methods, and hope that you were paying attention. His fur prices reflected his skill as a fur handler, and we hope he will set up a station at our next fur demo. Thanks Keith!

A new Trapper Training class was added and will be held on Sept. 18th at Collins Conservation Club. Call (716) 741-4457 to sign up. West Falls Conservation Club will have a class on Sept. 25th (716) 652-8025, and Wood & Brook in Alden on Oct.2, (716) 683-0419.

ECTA collected 4 ads for the NYSTA lottery calendar. Thanks to Kevin Kishel , John Stanley, Tim Kozub and the Wattengels for their ads. The calendars will be ready to pick up at the convention in Herkimer. We share the month of April with Cortland County Trappers.

Meetings are held the 2nd Tuesday monthly at 7:30 at Hamburg Rod & Gun Club on Hickox Rd. For club correspondence and mail in memberships, send to ECTA 12580 Jennings Rd. Lawtons NY, 14091 (Dues are $10 for individual, $15 family, $3 Junior, $50 Lifetime)
Next meetings are Sept. 14th , John Stanley will do a demo. Oct.14th (open demo).

Anyone interested in trapping should attend.

— Patti Wattengel

INDEPENDENT FUR HARVESTERS OF CENTRAL NY REPORT

Minutes of Meeting
July 8, 2010
9 Members present

• The Pledge of Allegiance was said.

• Minutes of last meeting were read and accepted.

• Treasurer’s report read and accepted.

OLD BUSINESS

• We sent $100. to Pat Arnold for the Trappers Youth Camp, she sent us a thank you letter stating it would go for food.

• The lease for the building was rewritten and was accepted so Al signed it, we’re good for another year.

• We sent our membership check and updated information to the Onondaga County Federation of Sportsmen.

NEW BUSINESS

• A good but scary read is Barack Obamas Rules For Revolution by David Horowitz, information contained in the book is what is happening now. We voted to buy 100 copies and distribute them to the members and local sportsmen’s clubs. It’s time WE take back the country. We had a lively discussion on the current administration and the direction this country is headed in.

• Another discussion was about Dave Miller’s decision to keep the wildlife regulations in the hands of the DEC biologists and not in the local municipalities which we agree, but some individuals have threatened us trappers if we don’t go along with their agenda, hhmmm who does that sound like?

• The bear issue has been tabled due to the amount of letters received that were against the DEC’s decision to outlaw the feeding. Letter writing DOES work!

• Al submitted invoices from the last 2 months newsletters and was reimbursed.

• Now for the hard news:

• ROBERT H. EVANS JR., “The Trapper”, passed away peacefully on June16, 2010 at his home, while his loving family was at his side. He was a life member of WCT and NWCOA both national trapping organizations. He also was an avid and devoted member of the Independent Fur Harvesters of New York. In memory of Bob he asked that donations be sent to the Independent Fur Harvesters. Even at the end Bob was thinking of this club, but that’s the man he was, always thinking of others firt. He will be greatly missed!

COUNTY REPORTS

• Al received a letter addressed to Jim Dougherty from NY Senator Kristen Gillibrand expressing her support of the 2nd Amendment, interesting letter.

• Please contact Dave Valesky and thank him for his support of the NY Sportsmen, he has and is doing a very good job for us, he can be reached at valesky@senate.state.ny.us

DATES TO REMEMBER

• We will be having the “Bob Evans Memorial Coyote Hunt”, October 1-3.

• Trapper training class – October 9, 2010.

• December 12th – Fur Sale at Pompey Rod & Gun Club.

• December 19th – Christmas Banquet.

• THE NEXT MEETING IS AUGUST 12th at 6:30 p.m.

Respectfully submitted. — Rich Palmer

OSWEGO COUNTY REPORT

JUNE MEETING

Called to order 12 members in attendence

The pledge was given

The newsletter was gone over

Treasurer’s report was given and accepted, the school scholarships were sent out.

OLD BUSINESS: Convention date had to be moved to the following weekend due to a wedding being booked at the camp’

 The NTA northeast gerorge took the gun up with him and sold some tickets , thanks tom and kim race for taking the raffle tickets up.

 The boyscout camporee went well , Don hillman, Howard skellington, john rockwood and myself went up and set up a real nice display.

 Bob Fravor is home from the hospitol , and recooperating.

Wayne Jones’s summer rondy we took out a full page ad for $10

NEW BUSINESS: The youth trapper’s camp this fall. A motion was made to sponsor a child from osewgo county if possible if not from elsewhere.

There was a letter going around about baiting bears and how it should be defined we discussed this and the club took a strong anti approach to the bill.

The county fair is upon us and George and Howard are planning on being here, but any help would be appreciated.

George was remibursed the $25 he had to pay for a booth space at the NTA northeast.

Camp Zerbe made the paper as they are looking at removating the old dining hall.

The Family Dinner will be at the Leatherstocking club August 3rd. Please bring a dish to pass and your own place settings and drinks. The club will supply hamburgers and hot dogs and buns. Dinner will start around 6:30 or so. Meeting to follow.

Respectfully submitted.

— Charles L lamb Jr.