Message for ITA Directors
Feb 1, 2008 12:24:37 GMT -6
Post by 4fur on Feb 1, 2008 12:24:37 GMT -6
I know there are some directors on here. These are a few thoughts I'd like you to consider for upcoming meeting.
First of all I am embarrassed when I think of how little I do politically for the sport of trapping! So I usually just don't think much about it. Sure I'm a member of ITA, FTA and NTA. But as a life member I am actually costing these organizations money if I don't continue to contribute.
I attended a meeting in Ames once when my district was open but changed jobs and moved out of state so I did not become a director. After that meeting I was more drained than I am after a 16 hour day on the trapline! They even worked through lunch which they ate at 3:00!
I remember from school a little about Maslow's hierarchy of needs. It was a triangle with Man's different needs shaped like a triangle. At the bottom were basic needs like food, clothing, shelter,etc. and at the top was what Charles Maslow called self realization. As I looked around the room that day I realized that most of the guys would be at the top of a trapping hierarchy of needs. They were some of the few who could honestly say they had given more than they had taken to the sport here in Iowa. They were guys who knew virtually everything about harvesting fur bearers but would always be "real trappers" even if they never set another trap in their lives. So I doubt these guys need any help from me but here are a few thoughts.
As far as eliminating out of state trappers, don't even think about it. Along with the money they bring to our economy they typically are more law abiding than the average trapper. They can't afford not to be lawful because everyone watches them like a hawk. They usually set drowning set to take advantage of our check laws so they do not take kitties and other non targets. And since they only take the easy ones and move their traps frequently, they can't be accused of over-harvesting if there even is such a thing. The out of staters always get my attention when I see their plates or read their trap tags but I have never had any substantial problems with them. Actually I have benefited from them in terms of seeing their "tricks" and I always seemed to work harder when I have good competition!
And low coon numbers due to over harvest?! KMA to anyone singing that song! IF there is a decreased coon population it can be attributed to three events:
1) Over population contributed to Distemper in many areas.
2) The 6" rain here and in many parts of the state May 6th resulted in a lot litter mortality when their denning areas were flooded.
3) The record freeze in early April killed the Mulberry tree blossoms and there were no mulberries for the coon to eat mid summer.
My support of these ideas? Did you catch a higher percentage of big coon this year? Larger, stronger healthier coon often escape distemper. Did you catch a lot of really little coon pups this year? I believe they re-bred after losing their first litter. Did you have many sweetcorn patch complaints this year? They were starving because of lack of mulberries and some probably died of starvation, contacted distemper and an incredible number were road killed while searching for food.
I look at February 1 as my New Years Day in terms of the trapping year. My resolution this year is to give more to trapping. I called my distict director and told him how much I appreciate his efforts and the several hours it took me to research and write on this subject is a good start.
First of all I am embarrassed when I think of how little I do politically for the sport of trapping! So I usually just don't think much about it. Sure I'm a member of ITA, FTA and NTA. But as a life member I am actually costing these organizations money if I don't continue to contribute.
I attended a meeting in Ames once when my district was open but changed jobs and moved out of state so I did not become a director. After that meeting I was more drained than I am after a 16 hour day on the trapline! They even worked through lunch which they ate at 3:00!
I remember from school a little about Maslow's hierarchy of needs. It was a triangle with Man's different needs shaped like a triangle. At the bottom were basic needs like food, clothing, shelter,etc. and at the top was what Charles Maslow called self realization. As I looked around the room that day I realized that most of the guys would be at the top of a trapping hierarchy of needs. They were some of the few who could honestly say they had given more than they had taken to the sport here in Iowa. They were guys who knew virtually everything about harvesting fur bearers but would always be "real trappers" even if they never set another trap in their lives. So I doubt these guys need any help from me but here are a few thoughts.
As far as eliminating out of state trappers, don't even think about it. Along with the money they bring to our economy they typically are more law abiding than the average trapper. They can't afford not to be lawful because everyone watches them like a hawk. They usually set drowning set to take advantage of our check laws so they do not take kitties and other non targets. And since they only take the easy ones and move their traps frequently, they can't be accused of over-harvesting if there even is such a thing. The out of staters always get my attention when I see their plates or read their trap tags but I have never had any substantial problems with them. Actually I have benefited from them in terms of seeing their "tricks" and I always seemed to work harder when I have good competition!
And low coon numbers due to over harvest?! KMA to anyone singing that song! IF there is a decreased coon population it can be attributed to three events:
1) Over population contributed to Distemper in many areas.
2) The 6" rain here and in many parts of the state May 6th resulted in a lot litter mortality when their denning areas were flooded.
3) The record freeze in early April killed the Mulberry tree blossoms and there were no mulberries for the coon to eat mid summer.
My support of these ideas? Did you catch a higher percentage of big coon this year? Larger, stronger healthier coon often escape distemper. Did you catch a lot of really little coon pups this year? I believe they re-bred after losing their first litter. Did you have many sweetcorn patch complaints this year? They were starving because of lack of mulberries and some probably died of starvation, contacted distemper and an incredible number were road killed while searching for food.
I look at February 1 as my New Years Day in terms of the trapping year. My resolution this year is to give more to trapping. I called my distict director and told him how much I appreciate his efforts and the several hours it took me to research and write on this subject is a good start.
