Hello All,


I was a member of the NWCOA a couple of years ago.

The first/last time I joined I sent in my application with a check. Well, latter they called/e-mailed me on two separate occasions asking for payment. The office staff did not seem to have their act together and their actions did not impress me.

What are your thoughts?

They sent me an e-mail asking me to join again. Is it worth it?

Thanks

Chuck

what did i get for my 250.00?
just to be a member,
thanks alot.

Coondog, while this discussion usually gets a whole string going often not the best type, to me the answer would be two-fold.

Firstly the management company currently working for NWCOA since a few months back is awesome and on their game. Perhaps
when you were a member before the confusion was due to the old management company.

I've said before and I'll say it again here just to start this off on a positive note, I belong to a series of professional associations and
groups that suit me and my professional desire and pursuit.

For me these include folks from the wildlife society to NWCOA, the wildlife disease society, BCI, NASBR and others. Now if I sat back
and asked what they each do for me for my money, I'd tell you straight away it is more what they do as a whole. Some are memberships
that keep me informed through newsletters or media that tells me what is happening within certain industries, legal aspects or research.

Others I know are producing quality training programs (NWCOA) that more and more state/federal agencies are embracing and even searching
for to help assure that they have some credentials in their states and regions for the folks they refer calls to for wildlife damage management
issues.

Frankly, I'm not rich, I'm not poor, but $250.00 for a year is less than double my cell phone bill to AT&T each month for my business. Or in terms
of gas in my sprinter at diesel prices now, maybe 4 tanks of gas, so on a large scale, not a big amount.

However, I get that many folks want to say, "what are they doing for me."

Anyone can sign up and get involved in issues, volunteer to go to meetings and/or take on issues that are important to them or the industry.

On top of that the visibility is getting higher each year for our industry and currently NWCOA is the national face even though the membership isn't what
you'd see in the NRA or other large national association, this is due to many constraints, one of which has been the debate like this one about what do they do for my $250.00.

I send my money to several groups that overall represent my views and my interests and I know most folks belong to a variety of groups that they send money to even if they never avail themselves of anything offered by the group. Whether its conservation groups like DU or RMEF or NWTF for hunting or others.

So I'd say, if you don't join, nothing happens, and if you do join, you have an opportunity to help make things happen and this opportunity is available to all of us in the industry.

Hope this helps or inspires some lurkers who might not have joined yet or decided to pick up a hammer and start building something for the industry as a whole.

Best to you whatever you decide,

Justin

The new kinder, gentler Dave says " DON'T GET ME STARTED" but like the NRA they are all we have. Support them. OH the pain.

You can join starting at $50/yr. One tremendous adantage is a private website forum; there's insurance deals, members-only newsletter...not to mention that it's the only advocacy group for the WCO.

well said.

BUD25,

Has there been a change to the memberships? The $50 membership was not available to anyone that owns a wildlife control company. The only choices they had were the $125 Associate membership or the $250 Professional membership.

Jason talked with me in New Orleans about reviewing the memberships at the February board meeting, but I haven't heard anything one way or the other.

Yeah, I think the $50 membership is reserved for Phil and other ne'er do wells, pirates, and scoundrels.

Which one am I, Wink?

As most of you know I do not post on these sites. However the $50 membership was brought to my attention. This is an easy non-controversial topic. I think!

Below is the description of the Supporting Membership as written in the NWCOA Bylaws.

3. Supporting members shall be those that choose to join NWCOA as a supporter of NWCOA and do not provide wildlife control services for-hire, or on a commercial basis or operate a business that supplies wildlife control services on a commercial basis (Employees of Professional WCO or Associate WCO members working from the same location/office may join as Supporting Members). Supporting members shall receive the NWCOA newsletter and have access to the NWCOA message center. Supporting members shall NOT qualify for the NWCOA insurance program, listing on the National Membership Website Directory, nor have voting privileges.

Well Jason, as president of NWCOA I can't imagine anyplace else that you could go to get members as cheaply as Trapperman ADC. We are all trying our best to act like adults and stop the name-calling.

If someone believes that joining a national organization like NWCOA is not in their best interest, so be it. After having a couple of conversations with you, as well as meeting you, I believe that you can do NWCOA a world of good on here.

I've gotten verbally beaten up pretty badly myself and I bounced back enough that I'm actually considering writing another column on the same subject.

I think that I speak for a lot of people in our business when I say that I would really like to have your vision of the future in animal damage control. After all, I know that you are not in it for the money or the prestige.

P.S. For those of you that don't know, Jason has a TV commercial that most of us would kill for!

Thank you for the kind words Paul.

Did you have to mention I was the NWCOA president? I bet every man and women on this forum is looking for a target on me now. Its bad enough I get sprayed in the face by a skunk every time they play my commercial.

Take care!

This is twice in one day posting on Trapperman. On A Roll!

What is the vision for the NWCOA? How many members are there? What have they done in the past year to benifit us WCO's? I was told once that they are protecting us. From what? From who? Give me something to chew on. Fur tapping groups are Putting on fur auctions, conventions, trapper training, you get a magazine, and fight for us all for $25 a year. So Where does NWCOA come up with $250? And how does that $250 get distributed and to where? Is it because we make a whole lot more than a fur trapper? These are just questions I have before I send in $250:)Have a great week end

Jason,
transparency which NWCOA needs to survive requires you identifying yourself. At the very least put your name in your signature and don't hide behind an alias.
THE PAIN the pain of the quieter Dave.

Paul, I will answer some of your questions from my perspective. There are 27,000 fur trapping licences sold in PA to ~ 1,000 nuisance permits, 27 to 1 ratio. If the membership cost ratio was the same, it would cost $675 to join. Where the money goes is found in the associations annual financial report. But forget about money for a bit. What is the difference between how the two associations operate? NWCOA is still a fledgeling association compared to fur trapping associations. The issues are cropping up at a much faster pace for NWCO's, as states scramble to regulate. States differ widely in regulations - some are proactive and some reactive. NWCO's in states with dumb regulations have to tap dance and put out fires more than NWCO's in states that have more sensible regulations. NWCO's who figure out how to satisfy customers while making money do make more than most fur trappers. And what most associations accomplish, is the result of a few dedicated people doing the heavy lifting. They need positive feedback from the grunts in the field. Positive feedback can criticize policy without being whiney, nasty or negative, and is WELCOME and healthy to any group with the same goals.

Phil, I liked your answer. Wisconsin is known for its strong fur trapper's association. I haven't fur trapped for 26 years but I still became a lifetime member of the WTA. There is strength in numbers and I would count on our trapper's association to be the first one to fight any legislation like that D.C. garbage.

Paul A.,

These are fair questions for someone considering joining a trade organization I think anyone would agree.

I've known about NWCOA long before I ever left my govt. position and decided to setup a wildlife management company.

I had several good friends encourage me to sign up even back then long before I was wanting to be part of the private industry.

Now that I am a part of private industry I want several things that I do see NWCOA doing as an organization.

1) Helping to establish trainings that govt. agencies (state, federal and other) will recognize as basic criteria to help them feel strongly
about referring business to those who have completed said training. This could be the basic operators course, the bat standards or others
currently in development, all of which I know states are beginning to adopt and are actually seeking in the face of growing pressure to
know that those who get referrals (the general public) are going to someone with at least a basic knowledge and skill set.

2) Getting involved against legislation that is brought about by those outside our industry in attempts to sidetrack or derail our ability to
work with the tools we use or methods without justifications that are proven or factual. This has been done in cases with state bills and legislation and is now being worked on in terms of the HSUS wildlife protection act in Eric's post that Jason and the board are involved in along with colleagues in NPMA.
Will they win and crush everything that comes along? Likely not, but the smaller the cadre of members is the smaller the effect politically in terms of folks seeing our industry (professional wildlife control industry) as anything but a small group of concerned businessmen, versus getting the membership to the size of groups like the NRA or that other trade associations have including NPMA (national pest management association).

The same goes for environmental groups. One guy with a couple of friends upset about some project effecting a wetland is far different from the audubon society coming down legally or the center for biological diversity. Power in numbers is proven.

3) The NWCOA newsletter is put out to keep membership apprised of events, trainings and issues and other goings on. Though folks can join for less funds as Jason indicated in the post above, the $250.00 has been a sticking point on this forum for quite some time and continues to be a point that folks want to dwell on.

Myself, I grew up fairly poor in a rural part of NYS and though I never went without food or shelter, I do care about my dollars and where they end up and why.

I would never think twice about what NWCOA is doing with my $250.00 because I see the passion and drive in the leadership and the members that I do come in contact with, on this forum, on .info and at various meetings/conferences.

Could NWCOA keep the membership level less than $100.00? Probably, but if they have more funds and more folks quicker the ability to grow our organization into something that can truly make us all proud and represent our industry will be far slower.

So I guess I'd just ask that folks decide what is most important to them?

Is it the free trade publication magazine that comes with a state trapper membership? Is it paying less and expecting still the same results or more?
Is it the trainings which are being developed and put forward and that innumerable state/federal wildlife managers are wanting to see in our industry?

To each his own ultimately, I just hope that folks can see what I can which is that NWCOA is doing everything I believe they can to move my pieces forward on the chess board, create what I need as a professional operator and ultimately help us get more visibility for our industry as a professional entity.

Best whatever you decide,

Justin

Thanks for your in put and clearing things up. Is the NWCOA non profit? See I was a member for 6 months and never recieved a thing in the mail. I had to buy there sticker to put in my window for $25 I think. So I felt like what the heck did I join for. I got no news letter nothing. I felt like Who has my money lol. Or who just took my money and treated there wife out for dinner lol. Now on the 22nd I will be a instructor at our trapper training camp. This is 3 days of intense training. I will be teaching coyotes. This is all free. We will have about 75 students. The food is free the camping and the training. So I understand the numbers between fur and WCO. But still how can a small trapping association put on a event like this free and not even require a $25 membership to partake in it. But with the NWCOA you have to be a member at $250 to get training and pay $325 for the training. These are my concerns. Now if 100 people go to lexington and pay before september 14th the NWCOA has broght in $57,500.00 before expences. WOW I would do 2 seminars a year at that rate. This is what I see but I'm not looking at the $$$$$ reports. Please tell me Im wrong. I'm not being a jerk please dont read me wrong. Just like my customers I want something for my Money:}

Paul W,

In the recent past we have seen that fur trapping groups may not be on the same page as NWCO's. Most noticeability Nevada. Nothing wrong with that as the regulations proposed would not have affected traditional fur trapping and their core membership. However to those providing nuisance control on a commercial basis the regulations would have been damaging to say the least.

On the flip side NWCOA would oppose any regulations that took accepted tools from operators hands, body grip traps as an example, and fighting such a ban would benefit operators (our core membership) as well as traditional fur trappers. In no way am I suggesting we should not support state trapping association (heck I provide support for elk and trout and we don't have either in my area unless in grocery store ) But if someone provides nuisance control on a commercial basis belonging to groups that support wildlife control on a commercial basis just makes sense.

What I would like to see for our industry is unity. Achieving that is possible. I don't believe nation wide regulations for our industry are possible/needed/wanted. But some basic standards that could be agreed upon by commercial operators is a reachable goal. And please note I said standards not regulations. Standards and a basic level of competency defining our industry I just can't see as a bad thing. As a business owner I don't want anything restrictive and I was surprised by some of the negativity directed towards things we all take for granted and do everyday on the job as if some how defining and promoting somehow makes them a bad thing. I also see how some who perform nuisance control on a limited basis could see standards as a hindrance but I feel that they should also see for those of us who rely on this industry for our entire livelihood, or a part there of, that being pro-active in protecting our livelihood is paramount. For many here on Trapperman, NWCOA members and others throughout the country this is what we do, some don't have another source of income so keeping this a growing and accepted industry is a major issue.

The goal would be a confederation of independent state associations working within their respective state promoting and protecting the industry. Those state associations would affiliate with NWCOA and use it as a base to unite operators coast to coast, to communicate and share regulation and issues pertaining to our industry and to answer groups such as HSUS with both a local and national voice. Those independent state associations should have a voice and a vote to direct NWCOA on issues such as competition from Wildlife Services, DC wildlife protection act and other issues....And guess what, that is just how the by-laws are set up! These independent associations should pick their own representative and direct that rep to vote on issues. Each state rep carries one vote as each board member has one vote. Your rep should vote in accordance with the majority of members in your association and the majority of all votes direct the actions of NWCOA on such issues.

Dave,

If you look at Jason's sign up date I believe it was before the great "use your real name" debate here on Trapperman and Jason is not active on forums outside of NWCOA even Facebook.

All,

I have always felt direct contact is the best source. Emotion can be "read" into postings. If you have questions or concerns give a board member a call. Just remember they also are running a business and positions are not paid positions so it may take a day or two to get back to you especially in spring rush or bat season.

Paul A,

NWCOA was not in Lexington that was the WCT seminar. But the difference with both may be content of training and while both may have hands on demonstrations on coyote, such as you put on, their are also topics at both events that are more geared to increasing profit or business related that the actual act of catching wildlife. As a business owner training being certified/accredited offers me promotional value not saying it makes it better just easier for me to promote. ALL training has value and I encourage all to receive as much as possible from all sources. Attending these seminars offers much more than just the training, the networking in invaluable. I have yet to attend any seminar where the cost has not been recouped in spades due to money making/saving ideas shared by other operators. Working your NWCOA membership is key. Just joining and expecting something to happen is like buying a yellow page ad and not answering your phone.

Space for event, refreshment costs (outrageous) and the extra costs for every little thing all add up to increased costs. Having a meeting at a state park is doable but when looking at a location for operators all around the country can attend, easy flights and drives becomes an issue as well as space 10/20 speakers over two days, awards banquet, meet and greet and more but that is what it takes for a trade show not an informal training event. I believe Eric would agree that putting on these events is an endurance challenge and at times a logistical nightmare. Putting on trade shows is one thing a trade association should do. Now as a non-profit breaking even would be OK but generating revenue to be applied to supporting membership initiatives would be optimal.

Let me assure you becoming a volunteer board member of any non-profit is not a wise financial decision and there is no financial benefit to being a board member. I am truly humbled by the amount of time NWCOA members both on and off the board, past and present, donate for our industry.