News Bites and Trapper Stories
Updated 9/25/07
FTA Convention Recap
by Gary Meis
This was a great event. The MTA must be so very proud of convention coordinators Cory and Deb Van Driel for the GREAT job they did. Attendance was down but that is not the fault of MTA or FTA. For anyone who keeps track the attendance was a little over 2000 including kids and vendors. Cory and Deb saw to it that everyone was well entertained. If you were a kid and went home bored you either slept through the convention or were not there. There were four different events for children to keep them occupied. The ladies were kept entertained as well with several demos such as wreath making, hat making, Dutch oven cooking, etc. Our own Richard Turcott even took the ladies for a tour of Duluth. I may also add that Richard put in as many if not more hours at the gate than anyone.
For those entering the grounds Cory had Dave D’Aigle escorting the campers to the camping grounds to avoid any confusion. Of course Dave Graham was right there as always to slide the tail gaiters right into their slots. Tim Bauer as always was running around setting up the vendors and answering a million questions. I can see why he is so skinny, as he never stops.
Cory decided to try something different here in Minnesota and he had Carl and Virginia Ernst make up an appreciation luncheon for all inside vendors on Saturday. That went over real big. Kathy Peterson was on hand to meet and greet folks at the MTA booth for the entire event. I could go on and on about the convention but I’m sure to miss someone so I will let Cory and Deb write about the event.
I can summarize the FTA convention as one of the greatest events I have ever attended. I was finally able to meet Chick Andres and the rest of the FTA executive Council and board of directors. What a great bunch of people. It was an honor to put on this convention and I sincerely hope we can do it again in the future. The FTA is a first class operation. I would hope that everyone would sign up as a member.
Gary Meis
RAFFLE TICKET TOP SELLERS
Congratulation and thanks to the following for being
the top raffle ticket sellers
Dick Hartmann 9,000 Tickets
Ray Sogard 4,020 Tickets
Gary Strand 2,292 Tickets
Bill Schmidtke 2,060 Tickets
Michael Stollcop 2,000 Tickets
Allen Thompson 1,610 Tickets
Joe DeJaeghere 1,500 Tickets
David Grell 1,510 Tickets
Fran Unger 1,142 Tickets
Terry Anderson 1,125 Tickets
Bruce Elfering 1,200 Tickets
James Meyer 1,000 Tickets
Eric Lindgren 1,000 Tickets
2007 MTA LADY TRAPPER OF THE YEAR AWARD
The following nomination for the 2007 Minnesota Trappers Association Lady Trapper of the Year is for a lady who has devoted literally hundreds of hours to the MTA. This MTA member first started showing up behind the MTA souvenir booth a number of years ago lending a hand when times got busy. As time progressed she started coming to district meetings giving sound input and joined in the conversations dealing with her district and the MTA in general. She must enjoy putting in time for the MTA because now she works behind the MTA business booth as well. She also helps out for several days behind the MTA booth at the Minneapolis Sport’s show and just never seems to say “no” when called upon. This lady, along with her husband, has also taken on the responsibility of being caretaker of the MTA trailer and tables. She sees to it that no table is put back into inventory after an event until it is completely washed with soap, rinsed and dried. As if this is not a big enough responsibility this lady also co-chairs with her husband the title of convention coordinator for the MTA. The amount of time put into the planning and organizing of the MTA summer and winter conventions and most recently the FTA convention is mind boggling. When she is in charge, no one needs to worry; the job will be done efficiently and correctly.
Besides being heavily involved in the everyday operations of the MTA this lady finds time to run the family trap line when needed, works a full time job, is a wife, mother and Grandmother. Whether it is weasels or the fisher she hauled out of the woods that was almost as big as she is, DebVan Driel manages to bring the fur home.
This lady is most certainly a deserving recipient of the 2007 Lady Trapper of the Year Award.
Submitted/nominated by,
Gary and Betty Meis
Arnie and Kathy Peterson
Trap Setting Contest Winners
Kid’s
1. Tucker Rockis 28.41
2. Tony Baratta 39.41
3. Jacob Kicker 48.50
Junior’s
1. Tim Swedberg 1:27.04
2. Seth Bercier 1:35.50
3. Brandon Schmid 2:04.12
Women’s
1. Melany Wilken 1:18.53
2. Nicole Strand 1:36.43
3. Tweety Highland 3:00.70
Men’s
1. John Essig 1:43.91
2. Dan Reich 1:57.29
3. Brent Carry 2:07.84
330’s
John Essig 5.87
Once again, Patti and Merlin Ladd deserve a special thanks
for running the Trap Setting Contest. They make it exciting for everyone,
if you are watching or setting traps. We also want to thank Becky
Fender who designed and painted the winning plaques.
Thanks again to all who entered.
The Minnesota Trappers Association wants to thank the following members, who generously donated their incentive prize for selling raffle tickets back to the MTA to use for education.
Steven Bayman
Stanley Christenson
David Grell
Dave Graham
Floyd Griffith
Phillip Harry
Rally Hess
Scott Kalbow
Matt Leek
Tom Lundberg
Rick Mershon
Daren Ratheke
Gerald Sanderson
Brenton Sawatzky
Bill Schmidtke
Dennis Sperl
Robert Wilhelm
Thank You Senator Pariseau!
Minnesota Trappers want to thank you, Senator Pariseau, for authoring, sponsoring and helping to pass the bill authorizing Lifetime Trapping Licenses.
You are a true friend to the Minnesota Trappers.
Old Magazines
Are you wondering what to do with some of the magazines you are finished with, and just hate to throw them away? There are many retired trappers, hunters and fishermen who are living in nursing homes without the means to buy their own subscriptions. They would love to have them. Just take a pile of them and drop them off at the front desk. If you don’t want to do that, we take them to the local school. There are the future trappers, hunters and fishermen who devour those magazines of yours like candy. They pass them from student to student until they are just worn out. If you are near an elementary school, the students cut out the pictures. Those magazines that you would normally throw in the trash are a treasure trove waiting to be discovered by someone else.
Thanks