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
Greetings everyone!
The rendezvous on Aug. 22 and 23 was yet another event for the association record books. Camp Beaver proved to be a nice location for the event, the weather cooperated and the demonstrations were first class. Everything from the craft fair, the food, demonstrations and the fun made attending worth your while.
If you couldn’t attend, here’s what you missed: a fur grading seminar and market discussion from Mary and Mel of North American Fur Auctions in Winnipeg; and demonstrations on avoiding river otters, catching beaver with Tyler Haase, the Flann Clan method of mink and raccoon trapping in Stutsman County, and rifle cartridge reloading with Jeremy Duckwitz. Special thanks to Jeff Sommerville and Pete Peterson for attending as vendors, Stan the Ice Cream Man for the treats, each of you that stepped forward to help with all of the events, and to Ron Gore and his family for their hard work and being such special hosts for this event.
Certainly a great time, and thanks to everyone who made this event successful.
The most important time of the year is fast approaching. Take the time to be prepared, both mentally and physically, and have your equipment ready to perform as needed. You need to be a risk manager on your trapline every day of every season. Risk management is weighing what is good and productive against what is bad and would be unproductive. Being in the news or appearing on a newspaper headline with an incident that has a negative impact on what we do would be a risk. You are in charge; you are responsible; and what you do affects us all. Using risk management won’t control everything, but it will control what we can control — understand? Know what risk is; assess your line for risk every day; and do everything to avoid it.
We’ll be involved in a Best Management Practices for Trapping research project again this fall.
The field work for 17 of the 23 furbearers in North America has been completed, and we have been asked to help with the fieldwork for badger. The research will include three types of foothold traps and will collect data relevant to selectivity, efficiency, practicality and safety. If you or someone you know can catch 10 to 12 badgers, let me know. Stay tuned for more information as we get closer to the trapping season.
Remember to keep your membership current so you stay informed. Until next time, take care and be safe.
Catch ‘ya.
— Rick Tischaefer
