Beaver Animal 72 Sale Total: $551.50 Min $1.00 Max $15.00
Avg $7.66
Green
Prep Animal Total: 36 Prep Amount: $217.50
Avg $6.04
Min $1.00 Max $10.00
Stretched
Prep Animal Total: 36 Prep Amount: $334.00
Avg $9.28
Min $5.00 Max $15.00

Bobcat Animal 168 Sale Total: $15,585.0 Min $5.00 Max $240.00
Avg $92.77
Green
Prep Animal Total: 140 Prep Amount: $13,280.00
Avg $94.86
Min $5.00 Max $240.00
Stretched
Prep Animal Total: 28 Prep Amount: $2,305.00
Avg $82.32
Min $50.00 Max $145.00

CASTOR .25 Animal 1 Sale Total: $7.50 Min $7.50 Max $7.50
Avg $7.50
Green
Prep Animal Total: 1 Prep Amount: $7.50
Avg $7.50
Min $7.50 Max $7.50

CASTOR 3.25 Animal 1 Sale Total: $117.00 Min $117.00 Max $117.00
Avg $117.00
Green
Prep Animal Total: 1 Prep Amount: $117.00
Avg $117.00
Min $117.00 Max $117.00

Coyote Animal 73 Sale Total: $736.50 Min $0.50 Max $20.00
Avg $10.09
Green
Prep Animal Total: 54 Prep Amount: $586.50
Avg $10.86
Min $0.50 Max $20.00
Stretched
Prep Animal Total: 19 Prep Amount: $150.00
Avg $7.89
Min $1.00 Max $11.00

Gray Fox Animal 24 Sale Total: $480.50 Min $15.00 Max $24.00
Avg $20.02
Green
Prep Animal Total: 20 Prep Amount: $401.00
Avg $20.05
Min $15.00 Max $24.00
Stretched
Prep Animal Total: 4 Prep Amount: $79.50
Avg $19.88
Min $19.50 Max $20.00

Mink Animal 6 Sale Total: $80.50 Min $10.00 Max $18.00
Avg $13.42
Green
Prep Animal Total: 2 Prep Amount: $36.00
Avg $18.00
Min $18.00 Max $18.00
Stretched
Prep Animal Total: 4 Prep Amount: $44.50
Avg $11.13
Min $10.00 Max $11.50

Muskrat Animal 3 Sale Total: $23.00 Min $7.00 Max $9.00
Avg $7.67
Green
Prep Animal Total: 2 Prep Amount: $14.00
Avg $7.00
Min $7.00 Max $7.00
Stretched
Prep Animal Total: 1 Prep Amount: $9.00
Avg $9.00
Min $9.00 Max $9.00

Opossum Animal 356 Sale Total: $492.55 Min $0.17 Max $2.35
Avg $1.38
Green
Prep Animal Total: 177 Prep Amount: $75.75
Avg $0.43
Min $0.17 Max $0.50
Stretched
Prep Animal Total: 179 Prep Amount: $416.80
Avg $2.33
Min $0.25 Max $2.35

Otter Animal 5 Sale Total: $445.00 Min $50.00 Max $100.00
Avg $89.00
Green
Prep Animal Total: 5 Prep Amount: $445.00
Avg $89.00
Min $50.00 Max $100.00

Raccoon Animal 726 Sale Total: $6,656.25 Min $0.25 Max $16.00
Avg $9.17
Green
Prep Animal Total: 595 Prep Amount: $4,949.25
Avg $8.32
Min $0.25 Max $15.00
Stretched
Prep Animal Total: 131 Prep Amount: $1,707.00
Avg $13.03
Min $2.50 Max $16.00

Red Fox Animal 1 Sale Total: $20.00 Min $20.00 Max $20.00
Avg $20.00
Green
Prep Animal Total: 1 Prep Amount: $20.00
Avg $20.00
Min $20.00 Max $20.00

Skunk Animal 7 Sale Total: $9.00 Min $1.00 Max $2.00
Avg $1.29
Green
Prep Animal Total: 4 Prep Amount: $4.00
Avg $1.00
Min $1.00 Max $1.00
Stretched
Prep Animal Total: 3 Prep Amount: $5.00
Avg $1.67
Min $1.00 Max $2.00

Total Furs: 1443 Total Fur Sales: $25,204.30

Feb 4, 2012, in Chandler,OK

March 3, 2012 in Okmulgee,OK

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Well I started my report last month and probably the month before complaining about the heat and here it is, September 1st as I write this newsletter and the temp is 105 degrees again! I will call uncle, calf rope or that’s enough, as I am ready to quit this summer stuff. We have had almost 60 days over 100 degrees this summer in Oklahoma City and it looks like we have a couple more days in store. Hopefully by the time you read this, we have had some rain and cooler temps that indicate winter might someday come again. Who can remember last winter trying to keep sets operating in January and February in the snow and ice? The cold weather seems like a distant memory but sooner or later it will cool down again.

Some of you might get your Trapper newspaper early enough that this reminder might help get you to come to the Wildlife Department’s Outdoor Expo. As usual, it will be held on the last weekend of September at the Lazy E Arena. Each year that the expo has been held, our association has had tables out there to educate people about trapping and furs. It is always a good time and I am sure that we do some good educating the public about furbearers and traps. It is still hard to believe that there are people who think that beavers are rare or endangered. Also you would be surprised that people expect to see teeth on our traps. For these two reasons alone, our OFBA table at the expo is a great thing. We also generate some new members and interest in our trapping heritage. Please try to come on any or all days, September 23, 24 or 25th. Please call for more info or for directions or times. Also please encourage friends and local schools to come to the program.

Our fall meeting of the Trappers association will be held at Crowder on October 8th. Crowder is just off US-69 about 15 miles north of McAlester. The location is at the Choctaw Tribal Center, just south of “downtown” Crowder at the corner of Avenue B and Bond Street. This is not hard to find in Crowder, just go south of the only gas station on the west side of town and you are there. We are going to have some demos, a fund raising auction, and the usual pot luck dinner. The association will have the main course of either brisket or ham but please bring some side dishes, salads and desserts if possible. I always look forward to the family like event and food! Our demos that we have so far are as follows, how to make waxed dirt, lure making and skinning and fur handling for maximum profit for your furs. I know that it is hard to imagine that we will probably need some kind of dry or freeze proof dirt for set construction, but sooner or later it will rain again and then with cold weather comes frozen ground. If you have trapped any amount of time, you will have the frustration of seeing a bobcat track right on top of the pan of your trap and everything was frozen and the cat just went on down the trail no worse for the encounter. Come learn how to catch that $50 to $250 cat the first time with these demos! Finally, please see if you have a couple extra traps or other items that you might be willing to part with to help clean out the garage and generate some funds for our association. Anything will be appreciated. There will also be trap and lure supply dealers on site to replenish your missing traps or supplies that you need for this upcoming trapping season.

One last thing to note will be the election of officers. By the time you get this newspaper the ballots will already be mailed out to all members. Please mail them back in to John Weygandt or better yet, bring the completed ballot to the fall meeting.

I have enjoyed the opportunity to be the president of the Association again for the last year. I will be stepping down to let someone else represent you as president but will still be around for what ever I can do to help. Please let me know if I can do anything for you or our association to make it better.
Thanks
Shannon

Senate Bill 106 by Sen. Ellis. Allowing gray fox to be trapped anywhere in the state and setting the season limit at 10. Bill would be effective Nov. 1, 2011. Bill went dormant in the Senate Tourism and Wildlife Committee.

I am starting to sound like a broken record, its HOT! I believe as I write this newsletter on the 1st day of August, we are up to 35 official days over 100 degrees this summer! And no end in sight. Hopefully by the time we get our September issue of the Trapper Newspaper, these hot summer days over 100 degrees will be a bad memory and we are off to some needed rain and cooler temperatures. And one of these days, summer, then fall will transition to winter and trapping season. I guess that trapping season has been ‘on’ for us nuisance trappers(at least that is what Cathy calls me) all summer long. I have had my busiest month of June and July that I have ever had, but it is all about skunks and armadillos. The critters have moved to the lawns where people are watering and the skunks and armadillos are just trying to make a living. The problem is that the armadillos must all be mangy as not a single one of them has had a decent coat of fur.

Just want to let you know about a few things before the fall meeting. The fall meeting is going to be at Crowder on October 8th. We still have time for nominations for officers. All officer positions are open as are all 8 district directors. Please send or call or email nominations, and you can send in your own name, to John Weygandt (918) 645-5667. We need nominations by September 12th and we will have ballots in the mail by September 20th. Please mail back your ballot or bring it to the fall meeting.

The new hunting regulations have been printed and there is only one main change in this years laws regarding furbearers. Erik Bartholomew wanted you to note that the gray fox season dates are still the same, December through February, but the season is statewide instead of just east of I-35. Good change for you western trappers. Also for you fur buyers, I know it is still a while off, but your applications have been mailed out and if you have not received one, please contact Erik, the states Fur Bearer Biologist at (405)385-1791.

One last suggestion came from Bob Walshaw. The hot temperatures and low water creates both problems and opportunities. The problem is that the creeks are drying out and many fish are being trapped in every shrinking water holes. The opportunity is that this is where a trapper can gather up a bunch of carp or gar real quick for trapping bait. Just go in with a dip net, seine or go bow fishing and in a short while, you will have more carp than you can use in a couple seasons. If you don’t have a chance to get out yourself, check with some local bow fishermen and they will probably bring you a pickup load of rough fish as they are always looking for somewhere to dispose of the catch. Then start with your favorite recipe and by season beginning you should have many pints or quarts of fish ready for pocket sets.

Hopefully by the time you read this we will be enjoying some fall rains and cooler temps. Then again the other evening, Cathy commented that the evening felt nice. There was a breeze blowing, the sun had gone down about an hour before and the weather felt nice. What’s funny about that is when we got into the truck to go home, the temperature sensor said the outside temp was a cool 99 degrees. Its all relative, last winter we were trying to keep sets operating in – 10 degrees and that is a distant memory.

Good luck in your early fall season fishing, dove hunting, bear season, or for some of you lucky ones, a trip to Colorado to hunt elk or other big game.

Thanks
Shannon

Welcome to the community of Hotsville! We have had about 15 days recently with 100+ degree temperatures and there is no end in sight as I write this newsletter. There are some spotty afternoon thunderstorms around the state but these are short lived and only provide a minimal relief. These hot temperatures sure make it hard to remember the days of deep snow and way below zero temperatures that we experienced last winter. I keep asking Cathy , “Heat, humidity, snakes, mosquitos, ticks, chiggers and poison ivy, tell me again why we like summer?”. She assures me that fall and then winter will return one of these days. It won’t be soon enough for me. Things are interesting on the trapline for an old fur trapper like me. The coons, armadillos and skunks are keeping me busy, but it is not near as much fun as trying to outwit an old coyote or cat in the winter. The heat is making me drip sweat while making sets but that doesn’t seem to bother skunks coming out from under sidewalks, driveways or houses like it would a coyote or fox working a dirt hole set. Anyway, I am ready for the fall to begin and temps to cool off.

We had the summer campout at Ft. Gibson Lake on the first weekend of June. We had a very poor turnout with only the Shefferts and the Murrays camping. The weather was hot, but the evening cooled off and we had a good visit with a few other folks that showed up. On Saturday we had several more folks who were there to discuss what happened through the past year and what could we do to improve for this year. We looked into the future and set some dates for upcoming events and set up some locations to make these happen.
First thing to note, even though it is not an Oklahoma event, is the NTA convention in Columbia MO the first week of August, 4th, 5th and 6th. There are several of us going up to enjoy the national event. Next thing to mark on your calendar is the Outdoor Expo at the Lazy E arena in Guthrie. This Expo is a great public education event to help many outdoors people learn about trapping. The expo is September 23, 24 and 25th. Our fall convention will be at Crowder, OK at the Choctaw Center on October 8th. Our fur sales will be on February 4th 2012 in Chandler and March 3rd, 2012 in Okmulgee. We even looked way forward and set the date of April 23rd, 2012 for our spring meeting.

I have been talking with the wildlife department and the Furbearer Biologist, Eric Bartholomew and he has some proposed changes to limits and harvest boundaries on our furbearers that we are hoping will go before the wildlife commission for approval for future seasons. Hopefully we will have more information on the future limits and seasons on otters, foxes, raccoons and others at the fall meeting.

One last thing to note is the upcoming election of officers. I have mentioned this in past emails and newsletters. Please contact and nominate folks for all offices from president to directors. We need nominations for president, vice president, secretary , treasurer and all directors. Please send nominations to John Weygandt at (918)645-5667. He will work with a nomination committee to set up and confirm the nominations. We will then send out ballots to be mailed back in or you can bring them to our fall meeting. The association will only be as strong as you make it and your nomination and vote is a very important part.

I hope to talk with you soon and see you at some or all of these upcoming events.

Thanks and call me anytime:
Shannon
(405)742-7884 mobile
shannon.sheffert@gmail.com