# MTA Convention Report......



## Joe R. (Jan 9, 2002)

I can honestley say that this was one of the best conventions I have ever attended. Things just came together perfectly for this event. Things ran smoothly and everyone was upbeat. I've never laughed so hard in my life as I did on Saturday. One thing about trappers is that your circle of friends grows larger every year you attend conventions. How many places can you go were it doesn't matter who you are, or what you do, and still be welcomed into a group like you've been around for years. Trappers are a true class act that's for sure. I seen more people helping strangers, and welcoming people they've never met with courtesy and respect then I have at any other outdoor related event.

Goals are already being set for next year. Each year our attendance continues to grow. With the help from you fine folks and others from different sites I would like to see a goal next year of 1500 through the gates. What do you say folks? Lets all introduce one person or more to trapping this year. The more our numbers grow, the stronger we will be.


Joe


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## GERRYE (Dec 18, 2006)

Arived at the convention early saturday. Had breakfast, caught several great demos, made 4-5 trips to the truck to lighten the load, all in all my son and I had a great time. Many thanks to everyone involved. And already looking forward to next year.


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## Mister ED (Apr 3, 2006)

Joe R. said:


> Goals are already being set for next year. Each year our attendance continues to grow. With the help from you fine folks and others from different sites I would like to see a goal next year of 1500 through the gates. What do you say folks? Lets all introduce one person or more to trapping this year. The more our numbers grow, the stronger we will be.


Amen to that Joe. 

This year I brought (actually met up with) two newbies to the convention on Friday. One was a 15 year old girl and she brought her father (she needed a driver). Both were extremely excited to be there, and were AMAZED with the demos, and the amount and variety of supplies at the vendors. They also made comments about how nice, informative, willing to share info, etc, etc,etc, that everyone they talked to was. Needless to say I have this little gal hooked, and her dad is helping her out ($$) and learning as well. 

She is a special young lady with a great trapping future. I had traps on their place last year for the better part of the winter. She would go out and check my (our) traps everyday while doing chores. She removed and/or dispatched one of my mink, 3 of my reds, several opossums, and even the cross fox, all by herself. After I had finally pulled my traps, I got a call that she had caught a yote. She had one old sq jaw Vic #2, and made her own set with it and caught herself a yote ... all by herself.

Well, she is now set up for this fall. She is a member of the NTA & MTA and gets the Trapper Preditor caller (I bought these for her as a thank you, and thank you MTA board for offering the 3-fer promo) AND she now has close to a dozen 1.5's and a half dozen 1.75s (maybe a couple better #2s) along with all the swivels, double stake swivels, etc to go along with. I will help her dye, wax and tune them. Net result ... I lost my BEST property:gaga: ... but, more importantly, we gained a new trapper (2 including dad).

Well that was kind of a long winded dissertation, so what is my point?? How would you like to see the gate reciepts up to *3000 next year???* :yikes: If each family that attended the convention, brought with them next year, two new people ... we would EASILY reach that 3000 mark!! I'm sure John and Emily would have a heck of a smile on thier faces if they had 600 kids through the kid's 'booth'. 

As I was typing this, ironically enough, a commercial for the movie 'Field of Dreams' came on the tube (no kidding) .... "If you build it they will come". If we take the time and build the interest and a little knowledge ... we can break that 3000 people mark!!


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## Joe R. (Jan 9, 2002)

Ed,

If all of us bring just one person with us we would be close to 3000 adults. Once people realize the comradery (sp?) that trappers share with each other and newcomers, they will wonder why they never got into it sooner. Every year I hear stories of people not attending a convention for X number of years, and wondering why they put it off. I'll say it again, there is no finer group of individuals then trappers.


Joe


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## HunterHawk (Dec 8, 2005)

man o man i wish i would have gone... i could have skipped one weekend of baiting bears  but my g/f understood letting me barrow money for gas to go bait bears... not sure she would have understood giving me money to buy some new traps :lol:


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## Beaverhunter2 (Jan 22, 2005)

LarryA "The youngest keeps telling me what direction he is facing." LOLOLOL

MisterED "I'm sure John and Emily would have a heck of a smile on thier faces if they had 600 kids through the kid's 'booth'." As long as Emily and Forrest work as hard as they did this year, and all the trappers keep the prizes coming for the kids! We've never ran out of instant prizes and I'd hate to see it happen!

This was the best Convention I've ever been to. I was lucky- Em and I arrived Wednesday to get the Kid's stuff set up and had 4 full days to enjoy it!

Vacation's already blocked in my calendar.

John


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## rickr (Jan 7, 2007)

we got there early fri. morning and set up camp and stayed the whole weekend. all of the demos were very good(the ones i got to see). my partner (84yrs) kept going back to watch Greg Schroeder's demo all day , said he learned something new every time he watched him.

joe your cookout was great thank you, we had a real good time. 

dave i'm glad i got to meet you again i had a good time talking trapping with you.
i'm putting in for vac. for next year. if you missed this one do plan on being there next year. the MTA Convention is one you can't miss.

rick


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## Dillrod (Mar 9, 2008)

Showed up Saturday morning ,first thing I ask for at gate was, where is the tipi ? I delivered a dish and went scouting supplies. My only regret was not having enough room in the truck. I have been making a big splash around town with live traps , and brought more home. Was watching Mark's demo , and noticed a man with a walker. I was almost in tears, it was the man who got me started many long years ago. Even better yet he was with a close friend I hadn't seen in about 15 - 18 years. The man had moved to Iron's area years ago and we lost contact. I'm sure Mark had an outstanding demo , but I couldn't stop talking long enough to hear it. I would have driven across Wisconsin to meet him. So I will never regret that drive as long as I live. You guy were 1st class, and couldn't stop delivering honest hospitality. The kind of stuff you never see nowdays. You remember the days when a mans hand shake was a unbreakable deal, I felt it everywhere. Thank you, and I won't miss another as long as I can walk. Am wondering how many 1st time members signed up ? Would be interesting post, I'm one and would be a life time member if I could.
Mich. Dillrod


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## Gary A. Schinske (Jul 10, 2006)

This was the best year ever for new members. We had in excess of 40 new members sign up during the two days of convention. We have never come close to that before. If everyone renews their membership, we will have over 1,000 members. That is just great - but we can not stop there. There is over 6,000 trappers in the state and 4,000 of them do not belong to any trapping association in Michigan. So, there are still alot of trappers that should be joinging Michigan Trappers Association. We have also increased membership in NTA where we are solidly locked in second place for the number of state trappers belonging to NTA. NTA has been very good to us for many years and for the last few we have not been able to support them financially as much as we used to. We made a commitment to help them so we made an offer to the first 50 new members of MTA we would pay their 1 year membership to NTA. We went through the first 50 and authorized another 50. After convention that is now gone and probably exceeded. I hope the Board will authorize one more group of 50 and then I think we have to re-look at the finances. Thanks to all the new trappers joining MTA. Now I challenge you to find at least one trapper and have them join MTA as well.


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