Virginia Trappers Association June-July 2013 Report

www.virginiatrappers.org

 

President — Steve E Colvin, 2000 SB Rd, Barboursville, VA 22923; 434-996-6067; e-mail stvcolvin@aol.com

Vice President — John Bedwell, 210 Fairway Lane, Wytheville, VA 24382; 276-620-5145;
sinkthemink@hotmail.com

Membership Secretary — Diana Craig, 2714 Knollwood Dr., Staunton, VA 24401; 540-430-2161;
ddcraig9@gmail.com

Recording Secretary — David Brugh, 240 Cherry Lane, Christiansburg, VA 24073; 540-230-4260;
apexwildlifecontrol@ymail.com

Treasurer — Francis Richards, 10721 Thompson Lane, Spotsylvania, VA 22551; 540-840-5542

General Organizer — Glen Mabe, 211 5th St., Luray, VA 22835; 540-860-2634; 19612004@yahoo.com

Training Coordinator — Ed Crebbs, 175 Waldrop Rd., Gordonsville, VA 22942; 540-832-2708;
edcrebbs@yahoo.com

NTA Director — Larry Kline, 3707 Overview Drive, Fredricksburg, VA 22408; 540-891-4282; larrynta@aol.com

 

Membership Options:

• 1-year membership including subscription to Trapper & Predator Caller — $25

• 1-year membership without subscription to Trapper & Predator Caller — $15

• 2-year membership with subscription to Trapper & Predator Caller — $48

• Junior (under 16) with subscription to Trapper & Predator Caller — $18

• Lifetime membership with subscription to Trapper & Predator Caller — $300

• Lifetime membership without subscription to Trapper & Predator Caller — $150

• Organization membership — $40

• 2-year organization membership —$75

• Lifetime organization membership — $350

 

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

VTA, Membership Secretary

Diane Craig

2714 Knollwood Dr.

Staunton, VA 24401

 

PRESIDENT’S REPORT

Hello everyone, I hope everyone had a great trapping season. Trappers seemed really happy with this year season prices. All indications are we can expect to see the same next year. It was nice seeing everyone at the VTA Fur Sale. Thanks to all that helped out especially Adam Hanger. This young man never ceases to amaze me with his respect and hard work ethic. I would also like to thank Allan Shank for donating a tanned raccoon and red fox hide to the VTA.

I would like to thank Tony Daniel for stepping up to be District 9 director. Tony has already been very active in the VTA. I look forward to working with him. District 10 is still currently vacant if anyone is interested please contact me.

The VTA annual convention will be held July, 12-14 at Augusta Expoland in Fishersville VA. Any vendors interested in attending please contact Francis Richards at 540-840-5542. For other info you can contact me, Wynston Holbrook at 804-698-9780 or Ed Crebbs at 540-832-2708. I would like to give and big thanks to Diana and Dickie Craig for negotiating a great deal to get this facility. We will be doing the T man dinner again this year Friday and Saturday night so everyone please bring plenty of food for both nights to donate all proceeds will go to the VTA. Please call Wynston Holbrook to let us know what we have coming to ensure there is plenty of food for everyone.

Also remember the VTA raffle tickets are $5.00 each or 10 tickets for $40.00. The winning ticket will be drawn at the VTA convention July, 13 $500.00 cash prize. Contact Francis Richards at 540-840-5542 for tickets. Call anytime. 434-996-6067. — Steve Colvin

 

MEMBERSHIP SECRETARY’S REPORT

Hello VTA Members, As I am writing this, it is March 26th, and snow is still on the ground. Will warm weather ever be here??? Careful for what I wish for, huh? For all who came, sold or bought fur and helped with our Fur Auction on March 9th, thank you for making it a success. Our VTA Convention is now scheduled to be at Expo, Fishersville, but in the attached large addition on the left side of the main building, not the right, as was our fur auction. The convention is scheduled for July 12, 13, & 14, 2013. The location is just off I64 with access to plenty of parking for cars, and RV’s and tent set-ups (in a grassy secured area) and is located between Waynesboro and Staunton with numerous fast food chains and motels. We will be having our Trapperman’s dinner on Friday evening, July 12th. The main building of Expo will be having a roller derby on Saturday. If you would like to volunteer to help or have any questions about the convention, please contact, Wynston Holbrook at 804-698-9780 or wholbrook@rdhva.com Now back to our membership…..the total is now up to 524, thanks to all who signed up at the fur auction. I do have some concerns for our VTA membership, however. Because of the trouble I have had with memberships and money being taken by others and not being sent to me in a timely manner, I have voiced that I think VTA membership forms should be handed out at ALL VTA related events, trainings or set-ups in the state. But when others take in money, that is where it gets complicated. I had 10 memberships sent to me in October 2012 that were taken in the summer, which made those members 6 months behind once all goes through the process between me, the VTA treasurer and the T&PC. I got a phone call from a gentleman who attended the Wytheville Fur Auction on March 2, who was very upset that he could not sign up a couple of 10 year old boys because no one was there to represent the VTA, and there were no membership forms available either. I explained to him that the membership secretary’s job is a daily occurrence and even though I would like to be at every VTA event to take memberships, that is not cost effective for me, as it would be all out-of-pocket, as all trips for those holding VTA offices are. But I do think that membership forms should be available at these events, so they can be sent to the VTA membership secretary. Also, as I have written before, please send in your renewal notice from the T&PC asap after receiving the first notice or especially by the 2nd notice. I have been receiving many renewals very late with the expiration date close to when sent in. This makes your magazines stop and then restart and you miss out on issues. The entire page is to be sent to me. The 2 top portions go to the T&PC and the bottom part is for my records. Also, please send a check or money order written to the VTA. Please do not send cash, as I have to go get a money order myself, in order to send to our treasurer. Also, I would like to thank the gal I email constantly with all magazine and renewal problems, Missy Fenn, for all her help. If I get a call from one of you, I email her and she takes care of it. Sometimes mistakes are mine and some are the T&PC, but we always seem to get things resolved. Thanks, Missy!!! Thanks also to Frances Richards and Steve Colvin for listening to all my concerns and talking me out of quitting this job. I am still hanging in there, but some days are harder than others. Hope to see a great crowd at the VTA Convention this year. To all the trappers out there, if you are not a VTA member, please consider joining, and please come to our convention and check us out! If any member has any problems, please contact me asap. Thanks, and have a fantastic summer. — Diana Craig

 

NTA DIRECTOR’S REPORT

In recent years there have been very few nominations for VTA Awards. It has come to our attention that this was due in large part because description of the various awards and the criteria for evaluating the nominees has not been well known. Please consider submitting nominations for any VTA member that you feel is deserving of one of the following awards. Individual members should submit nominations through their District Director. District Directors may mail or email nominations to me and I will forward them to the Awards Committee for consideration. The deadline for receipt of nominations will be June 1, 2013.

President’s Award – awarded by the President, VTA, for service well above and beyond any assigned duties which may devolve upon that individual by virtue of his or her position on the Board of Directors, his or her assigned duties, or his or her actions providing considerable assistance to the membership and the organization.

Director of the Year – awarded by the Awards Committee from nominations received from the membership of the VTA for service as a District Director which brought distinction, leadership and a high level of membership support and activism to his or her District and the VTA in general.

Trapper of the Year – awarded by the Awards Committee from nominations received from the membership of the VTA for activities which bring distinction upon himself or herself and upon the VTA especially in the areas of leadership, activism, and training.

Honorary Lifetime – awarded by vote of the Executive Board of Directors for prolonged and continuous distinguished service to the VTA. Nominations are received from the general membership by the District Directors and forward with a recommendation for approval, or disapproval, to the Executive Board for action.

Hall of Fame – Awarded to any member who has devoted many years of continuous distinguished service to the VTA. Selection is based upon nomination by the Executive Board of Directors and approval by the full Board of Directors and then by vote of the General Membership.

Certificates of Appreciation – awarded to any member of the VTA for exemplary service to the VTA when nominated by a District Director or any other member of the Board of Directors and approved by the President or Vice-President. Any person not a member of the VTA who meets the above criteria may, upon approval of the Executive Board, be awarded a Certificate of Appreciation.

Our annual Fur Sale was held On March 9, 2013 in Fishersville, VA. Nine buyers participated. Trappers enjoyed excellent prices for most species. On the downside there was too much poorly handled fur. We owe is to the resource to properly care for the animals we harvest.

I’m already planning an expanded trapline for next Fall. I’ll be out there whether the prices hold up or not though.

VTA Fur Sale-2013

Listed by Species, Quantity, High, Low, Average and Total

Coyote — 175, 28.50, 1.00, 14.84, 2596.50

Red Fox — 364, 62.00, 8.50, 41.54, 15120.25

Gray Fox — 376, 40.00, 1.00, 30.00, 11280.50

Bobcat — 88, 112.00, 6.00, 72.00, 6336.50

Raccoon — 1214, 18.00, .25, 10.62, 12886.75

Opossum — 83, 3.25, .05, 2.23, 185.00

Skunk — 47, 4.00, 2.00, 3.31, 155.75

Otter — 127, 100.00, 30.00, 76.40, 9702.50

Beaver — 577, 30.00, 2.00, 19.92, 11492.00

Muskrat — 697, 12.75, 1.00, 10.27, 7161.25

Mink — 56, 30.00, 1.00, 21.78, 1219.50

Total Sales: 78136.50

— Larry Kline

 

DISTRICT 4 REPORT

As we approach convention time, there seems to be a lot of hustle and bustle getting ready for the big event. As most of you have probably heard, the convention will be in Fishersville, at the Augusta Expo Land, same place as the fur sale location. That falls in District 4 territory. There will be a board meeting there this Saturday, to scope things over. At this point, I plan on being there, and will report in the Newsletter some things to pass along. One thing I can go ahead and say, I’m sure there will be a need for volunteers, so think about helping out, if you can. Let me know!

Awards! If you know someone who deserves recognition for what they do or have done in the VTA, please drop me the name, and I’ll pass it on.

I was glad to see Steve Colvin bring up a subject that has had hit and miss interest over the years. That would be trapper license’ sold as a whole, in Virginia, compared to VTA membership. It only seems fair to me that anyone who benefits from another one’s effort, should help support the effort. I think the cost of mailing anyone buying a trapping license, and are not at least, VTA members, a courteous informative letter, is a good thing to do.

Another matter of concern to us all, is the proposal of the prohibited trap distance from a carcass, and that would be 50 feet. The proposal can be found on the VTA web site, and should be read carefully by all. Having said that, a very well response was posted on the VTA Facebook by Tim Shifflett, and also on the VTA website. I recommend reading Tim’s letter if you haven’t. If you are a little unfamiliar with the ins and outs of this proposal, take a few minutes and check out the information.

Well I guess I’m gonna go try to straighten out that live catch trap now. I backed clean over top of it with my truck! — Jeffry Hart, jfryhartsburial@aol.com, 804-512-7998

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