Fur Takers Association Report - Dale Hayes
Dale Hayes
The Fur Takers of America National Rendezvous is scheduled for June 10th to the 12th in Columbus, Indiana. Barb and I will be heading out on Tuesday, the 8th and hopefully will be there between 8 and 9pm. It looks to be about a 10 hour drive from Rochester. Barb will have full day on Wednesday to enjoy all the FTA ladies that she met last year in Arkansas, maybe even do a little shopping. The Rendezvous which is being hosted by Chapter 7-B is having a couple of new events, so it should be interesting. New, this year will be the 1st annual muskrat skinning contest which is being sponsored by Fur Harvesters Auction. There will also be "a once in a lifetime" trap auction. These traps were donated by trappers who wrote articles for the FTA top trappers’ books. One of the traps, a modified Victor 220 conibear which caught a cat, was donated by our past president Gary Meis. The trap that won the Trapperman.com largest weasel contest for Arnie Peterson is also on the list. The last report I heard there was close to 100 traps on this auction and they are all listed on their web site. To check out the list, just go to furtakersofamerica.com
On Friday night, at the National Council Meeting and Banquet I will represent Affiliate 25 and will also present a check to the Fur Takers for $2,000 from the Minnesota Trappers Association. I requested this donation at the last board meeting with $1,000 going to the general fund and the other $1,000 going to the Outdoor Channel Project. I will also have a table set up representing the MTA in Indiana. It should be a really fun time and I hope to see some other people from Minnesota.
At this time, I would like to switch to the Minnesota Trappers Association summer convention that was in Sauk Centre. That was the year we had the gopher contest that was held on the Richard Raeker farm. It was a really fun time and I must say that I did not do well, but at that time I was having problems with gout and arthritis. I mention this contest because it is one of my best memories of Richard, who passed away on April, 17, 2010. The MTA not only lost a member, we also lost a friend. May he rest in peace.
Affiliate 25 Representative
Dale Hayes