President — Rod Zullinger, 4886 Raccoon Valley Rd., Millerstown, PA 17062; phone: 717-589-7594; e-mail: rodz@tricountyi.net
Vice-President East — Joel Whitehead, RR #2 Box 90, Thompson, PA 18465; e-mail: JFRED@nep.net
Vice-President West — Ned Weston, 120 Swope Rd., West Sunbury, PA 16061; phone: 724-894-2239; e-mail: Nweston@netzero.net
Secretary — Tereasa Houtz, 300 Flint Ln., Landisburg, PA 17040; e-mail: PTASecretary@paonline.com
Treasurer — Ed Price, P.O. Box 327, Union Dale, PA 18470; phone: 570-679-2318; e-mail: pricee@nep.net
Editor — Russ Ford, 309 Pine Dale Rd., Carlisle, PA 17013; phone: 717-249-7271; fax: 717-249-8509; e-mail: ptaeditor@pa.net
FTA Director — Mark Kasten, RR 2 Box 2287, Hallstead, PA 18822; phone: 570-278-2553;
e-mail: willsher@epix.net
NTA Director — David Shuttleworth, 5452 Tamarack Drive, Sharpesville, PA 16150; phone: 724-962-4260; e-mail: Dianeshutts@aol.com
Public Relations Director — Mike Gontar, 87 West 7th St., Jim Thorpe, PA 18229; phone: 570-325-4974; fax: 570-325-4974; e-mail: FuFiGa@msn.com
Membership Options:
Individual membership including subscription to The Trapper & Predator Caller — $25
Individual membership without subscription — $10
Junior, age 16 and under without subscription — $5
Lifetime membership with subscription to The Trapper & Predator Caller — $300
Lifetime membership without subscription — $100
Complete membership application on first page of
association section and send dues to:
PTA Treasurer
Ed Price
P.O. Box 327, Union Dale, PA 18470
http://www.patrappers.com
Editor’s Report
NTA Director’s Report
District 1 Report
District 3 Report
District 5 Report
District 7 Report
District 8 Report
District 10 Report
District 11 Report
Hello to all of you.
Well, as I sit here, trying to put some words together, it has dawned on me to thing about this past year as well as to think about the upcoming new year.
2008 was a interesting year for me. Many things came about that I was not exactly in control of. Life’s many surprises have a way of changing how one thinks or does things. Perhaps these surprises are what makes life so interesting.
Yes, living as well as trapping would soon become very boring with out the fortunes or misfortunes that we are dealt with. Misfortunes, to me, seem to at least turn into a great opportunity for tuning around and becoming a benefit. Sure, we all have our own Ups & Downs. I look at these Downs and somehow find an Up in them. So, no matter what you may encounter try to find the good in it!
2009 looks to be a challenging year for all of us.
People, across this Earth, will be put to the test, as to what we can endure. I see some very hard times for many of us. Just the same, being the optimistic guy that I am, I can also feel good, that we will all be better at the end do next year.
Humans are capable of making their lives better and most will strive to do so. Perhaps, that point, is one of the major qualities that we have, The will to make things better for ourselves, as well as all others too!
I look forward to what is waiting in the wings. Are you?
Hope and the best to all of you!
THANKS!
— Russ Springfield
Hello to all.
By the time you read this, trapping season will be underway. It’s amazing how fast time goes by, it seems like I just left Mason City.
Currently I’m working with District #1 on possibly hosting the NE Regional Convention in May ’09. It’s still in the early stages, but when more information becomes available I will pass it along. I think this would be great for both the NTA and PTA.
Pennsylvania currently has just over 900 NTA members. It would be great to see this number grow even higher. Trapping is a numbers game. The next convention or meeting you’re at look around, the person who puts up good numbers will always have people wanting to hear what they have to say. Politics is no different; numbers make them want to hear what you have to say. With the current fur prices, one good raccoon will buy you a membership. If you’re not a member, join and support your state and national associations. The larger we become, the more we will be heard. We’re all in this for the same reason.
Have a safe and enjoyable season.
— Dave Shuttleworth
Hello members. The district’s next gun raffle meeting will be held on Feb. 22 at 2:30 p.m. at Kings Family Restaurant in Meadville, Penn. Our sponsor gun is going to be a Mossberg 4X4. The sponsor deadline is Feb. 22. If you need more information or can help in any way, please contact Jim Murphy at (814) 382-2561.
Dave Shuttleworth and I will be meeting with Dan from the NTA in Warren County. We will be going to look at the fairgrounds and start to make preliminary plans for the Regional NTA Convention. If you have any questions or can help in any way, please contact Dave or me.
Please remember if you have extra fur, contact Derrick Cross. Derrick is working with the PA Game Commission and the HTE classes. They are looking for fur to be donated. His phone number is (814) 664-0873.
By the time you get this, most the trapping season will be over, as well as deer season, but we still have beaver and CR seasons to enjoy.
Best of luck to all of you and I hope each of you have a Merry Christmas.
God Bless.
— Charlie Sykes
Hello all,
Hope this report finds you busy doing what you love to do this time of year. Did the weather baffle you as much as it did me this season? First warm summer days, then as water trapping starts, a covering of ice. Don’t remember having to chop ice here in November before. Just a short update for our members this month, as it’s a pretty busy time of year.
Don’t forget about our district fur sale, Jan. 25, at the Washington County Fairgrounds. Also remember that we will be having a District 3 top pelt put up contest for fox, coyote and raccoon. Still working on prizes, but it should be fun. Can’t promise anything on the fur prices, but we can only hope for the best. Hope to see you there. Any questions, give me a call at 724-348-6721.
Have a great Holiday season.
— Dave Eckels
Trapping season is underway and I hope you are doing well. I have caught some fur so far, but have been unsuccessful in the bobcat area. I’ll keep trying. I write this column on the eve of the PA deer season so I’ll be a bit distracted for a while.
Planning is already started for the 2009 state convention that District 5 will be hosting. I encourage everyone to get involved and help out if you can. This will be the 72nd Annual Pennsylvania Trappers Association Rendezvous and it is being held at the Cambria County Fair Grounds, Ebensburg, PA on June 18 to 21, 2009. Gates will open Wednesday, June 17, 2009, at noon to allow dealers and tailgaters to set-up displays.
Dealer Contact Information: Art Crossman: 471-7565.
Advertising contact: Pat Wess 347 Elbert Street Johnstown, PA 15904 (814) 262-9455.
Informational updates will be posted on the Pennsylvania Trappers Association Web site at www.patrappers.com.
Convention planning meetings are under way and the next two scheduled meetings are Dec. 19 and Jan. 19 at 6 p.m. at Gander Mountain. Final plans for the fur sale will be made at these meetings also. The fur sale/auction will be held on Feb. 8, 2009, at the 4H building at Bedford.
I would like to wish all of you a happy holiday season and remind you to spend time with the ones in your life that are truly important. Harsh words are better kept to ourselves and never leave kind words unsaid. That’s my bit of advice for this holiday season. Merry Christmas everyone.
Please feel free to contact Pat Wess @ (814) 262-9455, Todd Harteis @ (814) 547-0076 or myself with any information you would like to see in this report or any questions you might have.
Thanks for reading.
— Brian Stern
Upcoming events — Jan. 21 fur auction at Washingtonville, 4 percent comm. starts at 9 a.m.
Jan. 22 to Jan. 25. Early Bird Sportsmen show at Bloomsburg. We will need help setting up and taking down the booth. We will also need help manning the booth during the show. Please contact me if you can help.
Thank you.
— Pete
Happy Holidays to all! I hope your fur sheds are filling up by now. This should be mid season by the time you receive this report. So you still have time to put that fur on those stretchers!
District 8 will be holding our next General Meeting Jan. 18, 2009 at Ickesburg Sportsmen’s Club, Ickesburg, PA. (Perry County) noon. Lunch 11:30 a.m. Bring a covered dish, drinks are provided. Come early to reminiscence!
District 8 will be holding our Sportsman Show at Marysville, PA. Sept. 12, 2009.
Also new for this year we will have a new show in October. The Blain Fall Extravaganza, Oct. 16 to 18, 2009, location Blain Picnic Grounds, Blain, PA. (Perry County). We will have tailgaters, dealers, demos and camping on the grounds. Oct. 8, 2009 noon we will hold our Fall District 8 General Meeting at Blain, PA.
So come to our next meeting and help plan the details for our new show.
You can contact me by phone 717-486-7573, cell phone 717-226-9623 or e-mail ALEPPLEMAN@COMCAST.NET or mail Allen Eppleman, 4232 Carlisle Road, Gardners, PA 17324.
God Bless.
— Allen Eppleman
Hello to all. Hope everyone is having good luck on the trapline. I do not know how the fur market will hold up with the economic situation. I do not think prices will be what they were talking earlier.
We do not have much going on right now. We will be having a planning meeting on Jan. 4, at Belfast Club starting at 1 p.m. Please come out and let us know what you would like to see done for 2009.
The next big event will be District Fur Auction held at Belfast Club on Jan. 17. Doors open at 8 a.m. and auction starts at 9 a.m. We will be setting up Friday night at 6:00 p.m. We will need help Friday night and all day Saturday. Please come out and support your district.
The committee for the Trappers Park has met with a lawyer & accountant to set up by laws for the park. I do not know if they are done with them. When I find out more, I will let you know.
We will be doing a 50-50 money raffle in conjunction with the fur auction. If you did not get your tickets yet, you should get them shortly. The tickets make good Xmas stocking stuffers. Either bring the tickets to the fur auction or return them in the envelope provided.
That’s about it for now. Hope everyone has a Happy Holiday Season. Good luck the rest of the season.
God Bless.
— Scot
This is the time of year that we make resolutions to do something a little better for the year ahead. I would like to suggest that you include the district in your New Year’s Resolutions. Come to a meeting if you haven’t done so for awhile, or help out with one of the events that we have going on this year.
Two things right off the bat that you can jump right into is our fur sale and the Eastern Sports & Outdoor Show. Both of these events take a lot of manpower to operate, so if you want to resolve to get involved, give me or Brian a call and we will put you to work.
The District fur sale (see ad in this issue) will be held at the Berks Co. 4H Center in Bernville on Jan. 10, 2009. Doors open at 7 a.m., auction will star at 9 a.m. You must be a PTA member to sell fur at this sale. There is a $5 accounting/registration fee collected for each lot and a 4 percent commission on all fur sold. All licensed fur buyers are invited and welcome to attend. The kitchen will be open at 7 a.m. for breakfast and remain open throughout the day. We again will be in need of baked goods to sell, so please bring those along to the sale. As always we need a good amount of help to run the sale and most importantly toward the end of the sale and to clean up after the sale is over.
If you are interested in helping over at the Eastern Sports and Outdoor Show that is held at the Farm Show Complex please let Brian or me know, even if it is only for a couple of hours one day or evening. The more volunteers we have that are willing to donate a small chunk of time, makes it easier on the ones who end up being there for large chunks of time.
Any participation at either of these events would be greatly appreciated.
Hope to see you at the fur sale.
— Mike Spittle
