President — Rick Tischaefer, P.O. Box 334, Butte, ND 58723-0334; phone: 701-626-7150; e-mail: tischrc@ndak.net
Vice President — Marty Beard, 9101 119th St. SE, Bismarck, ND 58504; phone: 701-224-0878
Secretary — Jeremy Duckwitz, P.O. Box 465, Hazelton, ND 58544; phone: 701-674-3535; e-mail: yodelyote@hotmail.com
Treasurer — Linda Penry, 3235 Crested Drive N., Mandan, ND 58554; phone: 701-667-9380; e-mail: lpenry@wildblue.net
Fur Harvester Education Program Coordinator — Rick Tischaefer, P.O. Box 334,Butte, ND 58723-0334; phone: 701-626-7150; e-mail: tischrc@ndak.net
Membership Options:
• Junior (14 and under) membership with subscription to The Trapper & Predator Caller — $12
• Adult membership with subscription to The Trapper & Predator Caller — $20
• Family membership with subscription to The Trapper & Predator Caller — $20
• Lifetime with subscription to The Trapper & Predator Caller — $250
• Lifetime (62 and over) with subscription to The Trapper & Predator Caller — $150
Complete membership application on first page of the association news section and send dues to:
NDFHTA, Treasurer
Linda Penry
3235 Crested Dr. N., Mandan, ND 58554
http://www.ndfhta.com
PRESIDENT’S REPORT
1. I had the opportunity to return to Fur School in Wisconsin back in March. Fur School is a week long education program for state and federal wildlife biologists, wildlife managers, conservation wardens, and various other state agency personnel. Stephanie Tucker (our furbearer biologist) also had the opportunity to attend, and I can say she did an excellent job.
Some of the course is classroom presentation and instruction, followed by hands on training with trapping equipment, sets, and many hours of extensive fur handling. Stephanie even took the opportunity to teach while she was there. Plans are in the works to have a Fur School in Bismarck next year. Stay tuned for more information.
2. State Fair – consider volunteering to work at the Pathways to Trapping booth at the State Fair. Fair Week is July 23 – 31, and the booth working hours are noon until 7 PM daily. It takes many volunteers and it’s a great deal of fun working with the public. If you’ve worked the booth before, you’ll get an orange volunteer postcard in the mail around June 1st. If you haven’t and would like to help out this year, please let me know.
3. Furbearer Workgroup Meeting – We participated in a workgroup meeting on April 13th in Bismarck. Other groups or agencies represented included USFWS, Wildlife Services, Northern Prairie Research Center, Chapter 3 FTA, and the Three Affiliated Tribes. There were a variety of presentations followed by a discussion period in the afternoon. Here are some of the topics I brought to the table:
A) Let’s make the proclamation a four page document so we can increase the font size, spacing, organize it better, and add a few things – seems like that was well received;
B) Allow trapping as a technique for tree squirrels – will have to talk with Stan Kohn (upland game) to move forward with that;
C) Allow the use of covered floats for spring muskrat trapping – seems like it was well received;
D) Remove the break-a-way requirement for cable devices used underwater – there was serious discussion and I don’t think that’s going anywhere;
E) moving forward with a harvest season for fisher, marten and otter, in addition to allowing a harvest of bobcat east of the river – good discussion and we’re still working on it;
F) working to address the waste of furbearers – may get an opportunity to address this with an educational approach in the proclamation; and
G) encourage the agency to move forward with an Automated License System (ALS) – seems like it is commonly known this needs to be done, but there seems to be a roadblock somewhere in the upper echelon of Game and Fish and we’re still working on it.
4. Your association sponsored the NDGFD District Advisory Board meeting in Granville on April 12th. There are eight Advisory Districts with a Board Representative from each. The Board meetings are held twice a year (spring and fall), and are sponsored by an organization, either to provide the location of the meeting or the snacks and refreshments. We did the latter and supported a meeting with about 55 people attending. I took along a pelt collection (and membership brochures) and displayed them on some tables in the back of the room. There was a constant crowd at those tables before the meeting, during break, and after the meeting. Scott Evens did a great job visiting with those checking out the pelts. Consider sponsoring a meeting on behalf of the association in your area this fall. Start by contacting your District Advisory Board member and offering your assistance – the association will help cover the costs for the sponsorship.
5. I hope you’re making plans to attend the rendezvous on September 11th near Jamestown, and if you get the chance, attend or help out with an education class this year.
That’s about it for now. Keep your membership current so you stay informed. Until next time, take care.
Catch ‘ya. — Rick Tischaefer
