# Michigan Trappers And Predator Hunters Association



## Mallard (Jan 9, 2002)

What do you guys think? We've divided the state into 4 trapping organizations, and have pretty much remained as 4 "smaller" organizations for several years now. Membership remains stable, although comparitively speaking somewhat light in the big picture. There is a huge interest and a growing number of predator hunters in the State and they (we) seem to fall in the same arena as far as being fur harvesters, or rather consumers of a renewable resource. It would seem to me that collectively we could increase our numbers significantly, and be a force to be reconed with. Several state orgs have done this, and it seems to play into a common goal, which is education and preservation. I just seem to think that if we continue isolating ourselves, and furthermore dividing ourselves, we are never really going to be able to fight anything.

Stop on over to the MTA forum and let your thoughts be know over there as well.

www.michigantrappers.com

I'd certainly like as much feedback on this as possible, and everyones thoughts are important, and appreciated!!!
_________________
MTA Distric 13 Director


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## 2-BIG (Oct 17, 2002)

I think its a great idea. It would make the communication between trappers and predator hunters a lot clearer and we wouldn't end up with the mess we had with the hound hunters and bobcat season!


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## Skinner 2 (Mar 19, 2004)

2-BIG said:


> we wouldn't end up with the mess we had with the hound hunters and bobcat season!


Yes you would! The first time someone suggest shortening one season or bag limit the other side would cry foul. Just like this year. 

The idea sounds good and would get the callers more voice but how much backing. I brought up being allowed to shoot ***** at night while calling awhile ago on a different site. I got beat up by the trappers and hound hunters. They were worried we would cut into their take...Like we would get that many or there are that many callers that would bother.

Skinner 2


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## Mike Rathnow (Jun 29, 2004)

I have to agree with you all the way. I can remember when I use to run hounds for **** and bear. I would always catch some kind of flack from the trappers and other houndsmen because I still called. To me it's going to be a never ending battle. I would love to be able to shoot ***** that I call in at night. Why we can't is totally beyond me. I would love to hear why we can't. And not from the trappers, or houndsmen. But by the people that make the laws. What really is the reason we can't call ****. And don't tell me that the population of ***** is going to be hurt. We have more ***** now, then we did in the middle 70's and early 80's when I ran hounds. Ever since the fur market dropped, and a lot of trappers and houndsmen quit hunting and trapping. The **** population has really boomed. 

Now someone please explain this to me.


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## Skinner 2 (Mar 19, 2004)

I was told long ago by a CO the reason being was when the law was made it was designed for hound hunters. They were the push for **** hunting. The callers had no input as they we about non-existant. The trappers had their say and got the trapping season. Still no callers. Now the trappers were mad because the houndsman got to start their season before they did..... Now Hmm why were the houndsmen and trappers fighting about bobcats again????? Oh yea the trappers were going to kill everything! :gaga: 

IF a group of callers were to get together , start a petition and contact their reps tWE would most likely be able to shoot ***** called in. I contacted my reps for this even wrote the NRC Have you?

WAIT a guy did do this he tried to help the Predator Callers and get some laws changed. Most Members who posted on the thread on this site beat him up good instead of standing behind him remember Varmint Hunter Lake Orien, night hunting, orange issues?

Now tell me how are we going to get along again :evil: Let's see Houndsmen and trappers don't get along right now,  Hmmm Hey callers and houndsmen don't get along well either. Lets get the trapper and callers together and gang up and the houndsmen. This works well gets bobcats removed houndsmen are really mad  Now the callers want to shoot **** at night. Trappers don't want them out killing their fur.Hmmmm how do you think the houndsmen will vote? :tdo12: 

Results were back to one full circle and nobody gets along :smile-mad .

Skinner 2


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## Huntsman27 (Sep 29, 2004)

and what do we predator hunters get for our money? If theres absolutely one thing that drives me nuts its this PC garbage of "Harvesting" Im not a farmer, and Im not "Harvesting" anything. Iam a hunter and I hunt animals.

I think it all started with the State and their "Deer management Co-operator" patches ah bull snot! Im a deer hunter, not some PC idiots catch phrase.


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## VARMINTHUNTERLAKEORION (Jan 12, 2005)

If We As Hunters Are Ever Going To Become Truely United, Then We As Sportsman Need To Stand Together Instead Of Bickering Over Every Issue That Is Brought Up. What Comes To Light Is That Most Hunters Are Only Interested In What They Believe In- And Only That- And Nothing Should Ever Be Changed, Even Though They Don't Participate In That Form Of Hunting. It's Like The Issue Of Removing The Requirement For Hunter Orange During Predator Season, One Guy Says That It's Wronge "because" He Says It's Wronge And Doesn't Look At It From The Predator Hunters View. This Guy Is Strictly A Deer Hunter And Once An Issue Comes Up About Deer Hunting And The Possibility Of A Rule Or Law Being Changed "he's" Totally Against It, I Guess I Just Don't Get It. Everyone Figures That As Long As The Rules Are Good For Them, Nothing Needs To Be Changed. We As Hunters Need To Step Back And Look At The Whole Picture And Not Just The Clipping. And If We As Hunters Don't Truely Come Together On The Issues And Stop The B.s - Argueing Over Simple Problems Or Regulation Changes, We Are Gonna Leave Ourselves Open To The Anti-hunting Movement. The Anti's Don't Bicker Or Argue Over Items For Consideration In Thier Agenda -
They Group Together And Work Out Thier Differances And This Makes Them Stronger As You All Know Over The Last 20 Years Or So 
How Strong And Prevelant These Groups Have Become And This All Boils Down To Organization. So Just Because You Don't Feel That It's Important To You, It Doesn't Mean It's Not Important To Everybody. Every Hunter Is A -hunter- And Each Is Of Differance
No One Issue Is Viewed In Everyones Eyes As The Same, But What Is The Same Is - We Are All Hunters And Most Of Us Need To Learn To Respect That And Untill We Stand Together We Are Helping The Anti's In Every Aspect That They Are Trying To Achieve -chaos-

Varminthunterlakeorion


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## Mallard (Jan 9, 2002)

Very well said Varminthunterlakeorion. 

Too many orgs, too few people individualy, yet collectively we are large. Its too bad there's no focus on geting the outdoors heads in line with THE BIG PICTURE, not who's going to be able to shoot, trap, or run ****, cats and coyotes. PERIOD.

BTW...I trap, and would love to shoot a called in ****.


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## Velgang (Jan 17, 2004)

Four different trapping associations, hound hunters( ****, fox, coyote, bobcat), preditor hunters. Thats six deiiferent groups right there. Why can't we ban together to be heard as one voice?

Sure we dont see eye to eye on everything but thats the way it is, and for the most part thats the way it will be. Unless we stand together. 

This is what I would like to see happen:

All six( or more) groups form one "Michigan Trappers and Preditor Hunters Association"

With three or four regions( U.P. as region one, northern lower as region two and so on)

Insted of just one President we would have four,five or six "Leaders" (region directors) and then a district director at the district level. There would still be board members in each one of the regions and from each of the five or six groups represented.This way each group has a voting voice and not a yelling voice.

This may sound far fetched to some but I see it as a way to pool our members to become one of the most powerfull forces in the outdoors.

Just my 2 cents.

Joe


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## David G Duncan (Mar 26, 2000)

I support your idea to incorporate together the trappers and predator callers under one association.

In regard to calling ****, I also support the idea that they should be able to shoot them during the existing **** hunting and trapping seasons.


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## Big Game (Feb 7, 2002)

Velgang said:


> Four different trapping associations, hound hunters( ****, fox, coyote, bobcat), preditor hunters. Thats six deiiferent groups right there. Why can't we ban together to be heard as one voice?
> 
> Sure we dont see eye to eye on everything but thats the way it is, and for the most part thats the way it will be. Unless we stand together.
> 
> ...


Now that is the voice of wisdom right there. I wish this could be how things are set up in Michigan. I think though that would be a major undertaking to get the groups to join forces.


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