Tanned Fur Project
Organization > Events/Activities
Minnesota Trappers Association
Tanned Fur Project
Tanned Fur Project Coordinator
- Click here for list of people willing to process fur for this project.
- If you want to be added to the volunteer list, send a request to the Webmaster
- Fur Donation to Cedar Ridge Elementary School
Tim Caven
7444 County Rd 27
Pennock, MN 56279
(320) 599-4176
Spring 2021 ReportRecent donations to the MTA Tanned Fur Project came from the following generous members and conservation officers:
Trappers:
Charlie Schaeffer – 2 Beaver, 1 MuskratBert Highland – 3 Red SquirrelsJim Rogenrud – 6 Beaver, 1 MuskratBrett Dancker – 2 ErmineDoug Abel and Doug Padgett – 45 Raccoon, 3 Mink, 1 Red Fox (all stretched and dried)Isaac Hahn – 1 Raccoon, 1 MinkJeff Bussler – 1 Red Fox, 1 Raccoon, 1 BeaverScott Watson – 1 CoyoteIn Memory of Jill Thompson and Erin Fischer – 5 Cross Fox
Conservation Officers:
Officer Dan Star – 4 Fisher, 1 MuskratOfficer Kip Duncan – 1 Otter, 6 MuskratOfficer Tim Maas – 3 Otter, 1 Mink
Donations to The Tanned Fur Project have been very slow due to the fact of no winter meeting, district meetings, and get-togethers in general. I have talked to a good number of trappers that are planning on donating but getting together is an issue at the present time. I believe a lot of fur is going to show up at the 3rd Annual Pelting Day at the Hilburn residence in Princeton on Saturday Feb. 27th. There will be a recap of the donations and story of the grand event in the next newsletter. Thank you very much to Mac and Craig Hilburn and Andy Shoemaker for all their work putting together Pelting Day.Due to school shutdowns and distance learning our traveling fur sets have gotten a break. When statewide in person learning resumes I anticipate a huge rush from teachers wanting to use our pelts in their classes once again. The break has given us a chance to get many traveling sets of fur boxed and ready to ship.The new Tanned Fur Project competition started August 1st for 2020-2021. Each specie has a point value for starters and then quality and whether it is carcass, green, or dried determines its final point value. A good quality stretched, and dried pelt is the ultimate donation, but we have folks in place now to assist in the processing of carcass and green skins so are appreciative of any donation. Often I receive pelts second or third hand so please if your donation is not acknowledged by me in the newsletter get a hold of me. I don’t want to miss a single pelt donation.Hoping to see all of you at the MTA Legal Defense Fund Banquet in April. Throw a beaver or two the Tanned Fur Projects direction this spring. Have fun, be safe.Tim CavenTanned Fur Project Coordinator7444 County Road 27 NWPennock, MN 56279
Photo Right:"Thank you to the Minnesota Trappers Association for the use of your furs. Our youth enjoyed learning about the animals and being able to touch the pelts. This has helped them to prepare for upcoming competitions."--Benton County 4-H Shooting Sports and Wildlife
"TANNED FURS TO A GOOD CAUSE"
For years I had heard of a Stillwater Area High School teacher who does an incredible job in teaching High School Biology Courses. He has been employed there for over 30 years.
My three children had all been students of this teacher and all said the same thing, he makes learning really fun, is interesting, and teaches in a way that makes students interested in the subject, even when they thought they wouldn’t be.
A licensed Master Falconer, this teacher has been involved in Peregrine Falcon restoration since 2002, and regularly hunts with a variety of hawks and falcons. Live hawks or falcons are kept in the classrooms at the High School, giving students up close and personal experience with Birds of Prey they normally would never see or learn about.
This teacher has involved students in live trapping raccoons on the school Environmental Learning Center (ELC) fitting them with radio collars, and studying movement patters and denning locations. Deer have also been live trapped and radio collared there, so movements can be monitored.
Every year, a trail camera collects hundreds of animal photos from the ELC which get posted on a Facebook site, and in the classrooms, showing students just how many animals are present in the suburban setting.
A member of MOHA (Minnesota Outdoor Heritage Alliance) this teacher has represented the Minnesota Falconers Association on issues relating to the sport of Falconry.
Almost every year, I will bump into young hunters in the Stillwater area. Always interested in youth hunting/trapping, I ask them where they got started or how did they find this hunting spot? In many cases, they say the same thing, we got interested in hunting from a Stillwater Biology Teacher, and he gave us directions on where to go!
On December 3rd 2019, I was able to meet with Stillwater Area High School Teacher Andrew Weaver, at the High School Biology Area, and presented him with a set of tanned furs, collected by Trappers from Minnesota, donated by Trappers from Minnesota, and tanned through the MTA’s Tanned Fur Project. He will now have beautiful tanned furs on display in their classrooms for students to see and touch and be used for animal identification. All will know that the furs were donated by Trappers and the MTA. He was very appreciative and couldn’t wait to display them in the classrooms.
Special thanks to Trappers who donate to the MTA’s Tanned Fur Project, and to Tim Caven of Minnesota Trapline Products, for heading up the Tanned Fur Project! Consider donating some furs this year!
Andy Shoemaker
Photo #1: Biology Teacher Andrew Weaver, with tanned furs.
Photo #2:
Stillwater Area High School Biology Teacher, Andrew Weaver’s class rooms have lots of interesting things in them. This is a female Goshawk, captured by Weaver and used for teaching students, and for hunting.
Photo #3:
Another photo of teacher, Andrew Weaver, with the Goshawk.