President — Steve E Colvin, 2000 SB Rd, Barboursville, VA 22923; phone: 434-996-6067; e-mail stvcolvin@aol.com
Vice President — John Bedwell, 210 Fairway Lane, Wytheville, VA 24382; phone: 276-620-5145; e-mail: sinkthemink@hotmail.com
Membership Secretary — Dickie Craig, 2714 Knollwood Dr., Staunton, VA 24401; phone: 540-886-3937; e-mail: ddcraig9@gmail.com
Recording Secretary — James G. Covais, 10401 Moore Ct., Spotsylvania, VA 22553; phone: 540-760-9694; e-mail: jcovais@comcast.net
Treasurer — Thomas Teague, 2920 Cross Keys Road, Harrisonburg, VA 22801; phone: 540-564-1930; e-mail: thomasteague@verizon.net
General Organizer — Glen Mabe, 211 5th St., Luray, VA 22835; phone: 540-860-2634;
e-mail 19612004@yahoo.com
Training Coordinator — Ed Crebbs, 175 Waldrop Rd., Gordonsville, VA 22942; phone: 540-832-2708; e-mail: edcrebbs@yahoo.com
NTA Director — John Coakley, 1188 Turkey Knob Rd., Quicksburg, VA 22847; phone: 540-335-6088
Membership Options:
• 1-year membership including subscription to Trapper & Predator Caller — $20
• 2-year membership with subscription to Trapper & Predator Caller — $38
• Junior (under 16) with subscription to Trapper & Predator Caller — $10
• Lifetime membership with subscription to Trapper & Predator Caller — $250
Complete membership application on first page of association section and send dues to:
VTA, Membership Secretary
Dickie Craig
2714 Knollwood Dr.
Staunton, VA 24401
PRESIDENT’S REPORT
Hello everyone,
The VTA has been very busy; we have a lot going on. I would like to thank everyone who has been helping.
We attended a hunting expo at Village feed in Orange County. I would like to thank Blanche Conley, Mike Meisberger for sitting the entire day at this event and thanks to Lisa and Cierra Colvin and Ed and Charliene Crebbs for their time at this event.
Ed Crebbs had a basic training event at his home in Gordonsville. I was surprised at the turn out there, because it was also youth hunting day. I believe 9 people received certificates. People attended from Bristol VA and VA Beach to participate in the class. Thanks to everyone involved.
Currently the VTA Eddie Maxey Fallen Trapper fund has $125.00 in it. Thanks to Barry Warner of Dallas PA for his donation of $100.00 to this fund. Tom Tyree was gracious enough to make a donation out of his own pocket in the VTA’s name for the Garrett’s in Maryland for the loss of their son. Thanks Tom, please keep the Garrett’s in your prayers.
We recently lost a good friend, Melvin Lamb. I knew Melvin all my life as I grew up with his sons. He was one of the finest men I’ve ever known. He was an honest hard working family man, which he passed on to his sons. I ask that we keep Marie his wife and three sons Randy, Jody, and Kevin in our prayers. Jody and Kevin are currently members of the VTA. Lisa, Cierra and I sent flowers in the VTA’s name to the family.
Art is working hard on our convention in 2011. If any one has any suggestions or would like to volunteer please contact him. Any one interested in tail gating or renting a booth please contact Art at 540-630-1756.
The membership has supported the idea for a VTA land fund. We are currently seeking suggestions from you the membership on this issue. We need to find an attorney to handle this if anyone knows of an attorney at a reasonable rate let me know. We also need to agree on a location. Most have agreed on central Virginia any input will be appreciated. Frances Richards has agreed to help look for land in the area we agree on. This is a big step for the VTA and we need donations; please call me for more information on the issue.
I wanted to take a second to talk to everyone about advertisers. We are asking that everyone try and find people that are willing to advertise in our news letter and convention booklet, please help. Secondly we need to support the advertisers in the news letter so they will continue to advertise. Please feel free to call me anytime 434-996-6067. I hope your traps are full this season.
— Steve Colvin
MEMBERSHIP SECRETARY’S REPORT
Hello VTA members and welcome FALL!! We could do with cooler temperatures and much needed rain. The landscape here in Augusta County is yellow and parched. With fall here and winter not far behind, trapping season will soon be here. Time to get out those traps and prepare them for the trapline. Welcome to our new recording Secretary, David Brugh.
Hope the rest of us don’t make it too hard on you. Our VTA membership now totals 623. With the last reminder letters sent out for those who expired 8-1-2010 and 9-1-2010, we have received about 1/3 of them back renewing. Also, all lifetime members with the T&PC have been submitted for this year. If any of you do not receive any issue for the end of this year, please let me know. We need to keep the VTA growing, so be sure to keep up your membership, and ask a friend or relative to join the VTA. Your VTA Membership Secretary.
— Dickie Craig
DISTRICT 3 REPORT
Hello Everyone:
I would like to lead off by saying that the 2010-2011 trapping season is well underway, although the weather is unseasonably hot prior to the season starting the rain we have been blessed with the last week of September should help with the setting of traps, this has been a dry summer and the ground is dry and hard. Also the cool nights should help in seasoning the hides from being blue. I hope everyone had a good early squirrel season, keep in mind to save all the tails, fur buyers will also buy them at the upcoming seasons end.
I would like to wish every first year and young trapper the best of luck this season, I would like to add buy saying please don’t get discouraged if your first year of trapping is not is not successful as you had planed it to be at the start of the season. Just keep in mind trapping is a art and takes years of try and error so don’t give up especially you young trappers, every one of you are the further of trapping by keeping it clean and humane and educate the animal rights activist the importance of animal control and the heritage of trapping.
Also the Oct 2010 addition of the Trapper & Predator has a great article on fur handling 101 on pg. 29. Good luck to all VTA members thru out this season, just keep in mind you can’t catch fur bearers unless you set the traps. I can be contact thru E-Mail (mason63@jetbroadband.com)or Phone (434)480-1609.
In closing, I would like to reminded members to keep Eddie Maxey on your prayer list for better health in his time of need.
Thank you and have a Blessed Day.
— Gregg Mason
DISTRICT 8 REPORT
The steel is cleaned, dyed, and waxed. The weather is turning to tighten the fur. Land permission has been obtained. The fun and adventure is about to begin. As exciting as approaching a trap full of teeth and fur is; the most enjoyable part for me is the time spent afield with Dad and the lessons learned from him, nature and wildlife.
We had our last of the year district meeting on September 26th with 15 attendees. The last meeting is always interesting since you can see and hear the anticipation of the season. During the official business session, we discussed DGIF regulatory review process and the importance of submitting recommended changes either directly to the DGIF or through the VTA Board of Directors. Another point of discussion was the permanent VTA site proposal. Our district fully supports this iniaitiative and feels we should start looking for a site immediately. We submitted a request to the Executive Board asking the Board of Directors to determine the site locale and establish a committee to search for a suitable site. The meeting finale was an excellent beaver skinning demonstration conducted by Jonathan Graham and my specialty, fur repair.
The City Planning Commission conducted a Fredericksburg Watershed Property Management Plan public comment hearing on September 8th. We had thirteen trappers in attendance, the largest presence. Six of our own provided comments to the Commission and were well received. It looks as if we’re well on our way to opening land for trapping that has been closed to us for almost two decades. We owe a great deal of thanks to the Game Department for their support and actions to change the management plan on our behalf.
Our next district meeting is scheduled for March 6th, 2011 at 6706 River Road, Fredericksburg. The meeting is purposely set one week prior to the VTA Fur Auction so we can present a fur grading and valuation demonstration. A meeting announcement with site directions will be sent to district members and guests; however, the event is open to all trappers or trapping-interested persons. If you would like to attend, please contact me for details and directions. We hope you all have a safe, productive, and exciting season.
— Art Foltz
