Washington State Trappers Association January 2013 Report

http://www.watrappers.com

President — Bruce Vandervort, 5338 US Hwy 101, Humptulips, WA 98552; 360-288-2466; brucevandervort@hotmail.com

Vice President West — Marsee Wilson, 13190 Avon Allen Road, Mount Vernon, WA 98273; 360-424-7580

Vice President East ­— George Brady, P.O. Box 535, Pateros, WA 98846; 509-923-2326; cascadeb@televar.com

Executive Secretary — Ralph Dobson, 711 196th Street NW, Arlington, WA 98223; 360-652-2132;
rlph.dobson@gmail.com

Treasurer — Tammy Rice, PO Box 604, Moses Lake, WA 98837; 509-855-4902; tjrice00@hotmail.com

NTA Director — Bob Maier, 38 Francis Dr., Walla Walla, WA 99362; 509-529-9568; bobmaier38@yahoo.com

 

Membership options:

• Regular Membership (18 And Older) — $25

• Junior Membership (Under 18) — $5

• Associate Membership (Non-Trapper) — $10

• Family Membership — $30

• Senior Membership (Over 70 and must be a former paid member whose dues are current) — $0

• Lifetime Membership (One-Time Payment) — $250

• To receive Trapper & Predator Caller through WSTA (members only) — $12

 

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

WSTA

(A non-profit organization)

PO Box 3687

Arlington, WA 98223

Dues entitles members to all newsletters, meeting notices, discount entry to workshops and the annual rendezvous. All monies are used to protect your right to trap.

 

PRESIDENT’S REPORT

It’s a month into the trapping season as I write this and I don’t have a trap out. I’ve been kind of set back a little due to a car accident. No injuries except to my truck. Might make it out in another week.

The George Sovie estate is finally settled. I don’t wish to air our finances here in public. You should have seen a report about it in the Newsletter. Suffice to say the lawyers probably did better than us but we did bank a little money. I will say George tried to help WSTA to the end and beyond. Kind of grumpy at times but always a big heart. I’m glad I knew him.

Something of a shake up in the WSTA and it has been the cause of me losing sleep. I don’t do well with worrying.

Tammy Rice submitted her resignation as our Treasurer effective February 1. Jack Thompson has agreed to take over as Treasurer. Bobbie is still handling the Sovie estate and will be with us as Assistant Treasurer until the end of our fiscal year. Bobbie and I talked about the work of the Treasurer and she convinced me that it is getting to be too much with our membership grown as it has. To that end I have appointed Bob Maier as Membership Secretary. Bob will take over the handling of membership applications and other jobs related to the membership. Ralph and Bob are going to work together and sort out a division of labor. For now Bob will be filling the empty Secretary position and of course Ralph at Executive Secretary. We will try to spell out the tasks of the Membership Secretary and add the position to our bylaws at the Spring Business meeting.

A thank you goes out to Karen Parker for her work in Trapper Education. Karen had been helping Alan Worrell for a number of years with classes in Olympia. Alan felt it was time for him to step back from the job. I asked Karen if she would take it on and she never hesitated. Her inaugural class is filled to the tune of fifty students. I’ll be helping her with it in a couple days.

A note about Alan Worrell. Alan has been has been a cornerstone of the Association for long before I was a member. Past president, Region 6 Director and I don’t know what else. Whenever asked he never refuses to pitch in. Give him a thank you next time you see him. He deserves it and more.

Don’t want to forget Ron Qualman. Ron gave a Trapper Ed class in November. Seems to be a lot of new trappers getting started. Trapping ain’t so dead like HSUS thought it would be is it!

I better mention my hunting season before I go. What a discouragement! Elk and deer populations are near rock bottom around here. I never thought I would see the day when it was this bad. I elk hunted 13 days during the height of the deer rut and never saw a deer. I did get a two point during the regular deer season but I have to say I was lucky to the extreme considering the amount of deer I saw. Saw one herd of elk with no legal bulls the entire elk season.

I think the cougars have just about drove the game to the bottom. Not much left here abouts.

I really do not understand the thinking behind all this predator protection. The predators kill off all the game and they have nothing left to eat so their numbers must fall also. We will have less of everything without a little effective predator management.

Sorry, didn’t mean to end this on a down note. Received my fur forecast from NAFA today and things look good so maybe I will feel better when I get to trapping.

Good Luck out there. — Bruce Vandervort 

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