District 8
Director: Brad Wobbrock
Co-Director: Jim Blakley
Distric 8 Director of Minnesota Trappers Association
Director Report
Hello Everyone,
District 8 had their spring meeting March 13 in St. Charles. We had 60 members in attendance and also a couple members from District I. It was nice for me to be able to put some faces to the names of our members. Food was great and I want to thank all who brought their dish to share.
We polled the members on a few items and we will bring the results to the Board. We shared information from the DNR on some rules changes that are in the process, such as an otter season in southern Minnesota, fur season date changes, etc. The kids/youth under 16 that were in attendance at the meeting made out like ‘bandits’! They received trapping videos, traps, hats and we also had a youth raffle. We had many that donated to our district for the door prize and our drawings. I would like to thank everyone for their donations and support for District 8. We also had one of the largest raffles from our district in quite some time.
Cumberland Family will be hosting our fall meeting on September 18th at 1:00 in Owatonna. I am personally looking forward to this meeting as they put on one heck of a program for us. Also known as trapper appreciation day, this includes guest speakers, demos and lunch.
District 8 will again be at the Steele County Fair this year August 17-22. Any member who plans on attending the fair will be encouraged to stop by the MTA booth. Also anyone that would be willing to help out at the booth, it would be very much appreciated. Bill Ruhland has again agreed to represent us at the booth this year. If you would like to contact him his number is 952-290-0400.
Richard Davis and I will be putting on a Trappers Education Course and Field Day on August 14th – Class Room Training and August 15th – Field Day. Please contact me if you are interested 507-934-9378. The class limit is 25 students.
As you all know we had some flooding this spring and that held up spring beaver trapping. We did get out and managed to get some. But it was about two weeks later than normal. Hope everyone had a good spring beaver season. I caught wind the other day that one of the Districts 8 members has caught over 400 gophers already by May 1 – Great Job!!
A reminder this year you will need to pick up your incentive traps at the convention. We will no longer be mailing them out. Make arrangements to have them picked up if necessary. If need be, I could get them to my place and bring them to Cumberland's in September.
One more reminder, District 8 is hosting the State Summer Convention in Barnum on July 30th - August 1st at the Carlton County Fairgrounds. Please step up and volunteer and help make this a success.
Please keep the Richard Raeker Family in our prayers. He will be missed by many.
Happy trapping, be safe and travel safe.
Brad
District 8 Co-Director of Minnesota Trappers Association
Co-Director Report
Yesterday I attended the funeral of Richard Raeker a volunteer who gave the MTA many years of service as our Secretary /Treasurer. The Church was filled with friends and family and it was heart warming to see the people whose lives were touched by Rich!
We’ve had a dry and warmer than average spring so far this year and I hope for a wetter than average summer and fall. I had a great winter trapping muskrats and for the first time took over a thousand.
District 8 will be hosting our Summer Rendezvous and Convention at Barnum this summer. This will require us to set up and take down the tables in the dealer buildings, help the dealers get products to their booths, and set up and clean up after the dance. We will need people Thursday, July 29 to help set up the dealer buildings. I’ll be there early. On Sunday Aug. 1 we will take down starting at noon.
We won’t have any gate or MTA booth duty. You will be required to have fun!
The 2010 / 2011 season will be only 2 1/2 months away when you head home from our Rendezvous. Conventions are the best place to get your supplies. Most of our nation’s largest trapping supply dealers will be there, and I’m sure good deals will be found. You also won’t have to pay for shipping.
Jim