But think of the publicity angle of that. Trappers donating fur to keep freezing children warm. A large scale effort like that would be great publicity for us. All we'd need to find is someone willing to sew it up... but the biggest stumbling block would be tanning fees.

This idea makes me think of some unscrupulous guy taking all the little kids furs and cashing them in for himself. Do these charitable deals ever work out in third World Countries?

I figured instead of giving my fur to some Chinese fur buyer, that I'd give some to my State Trapping Association. They can have them tanned and sell them for a fund raiser. I gave them 22 coyotes, 50 coons, 12 foxes, 10 beavers, and a half dozen bobcats. After the last NAFA check, I figured I made a good investment, and got a lot more satisfaction.

Urine tanning !! I've got lots of that ! Pretty good stream , I must say , for a guy approaching middle age .

Just had a thought (the cart before the horse.) Dependents of active military who live in northern climes would certainly be worthy. Limited it to low ranking (up to E4) non commissioned children and wives. The logistical support can be found in the PR departments of the state trappers associations who routinely give out fur garments to beauty contest winners. These folks have the experience to both get the goods where they need to go along with getting publicity for the good work.

Who is going to organize this whole affair? Nothing personal, but this is going to amount to about as much as a popcorn fart.

First off, Trappers aren't going to give much if any fur away. Not even the junk fur. On a Nation wide donation, you'll be lucky to get enough decent fur, and matching fur, to make a handful of any kind of garment. Unless you guys are just talking this up for amusement or entertainment till trapping season comes back in, then it is a waste of time.

If you really have a few hides to give away, and you actually want something good to come from them, then donate them to your State Trapping Association, and forget the fantasies.

Just my opinion.

Who is going to organize this whole affair? Nothing personal, but this is going to amount to about as much as a popcorn fart.

First off, Trappers aren't going to give much if any fur away. Not even the junk fur. On a Nation wide donation, you'll be lucky to get enough decent fur, and matching fur, to make a handful of any kind of garment. Unless you guys are just talking this up for amusement or entertainment till trapping season comes back in, then it is a waste of time.

If you really have a few hides to give away, and you actually want something good to come from them, then donate them to your State Trapping Association, and forget the fantasies.

Just my opinion.

Then show me. Talk is cheap. I'd like to see it done.
I suggested a REAL way to get some good from your free fur. Make it work, and I'll donate fur to the cause.

Then show me. Talk is cheap. I'd like to see it done.

I suggested a REAL way to get some good from your free fur. Make it work, and I'll donate fur to the cause.

Nobody has yet to come up with any ideas for how to raise money for the tanning and garment manufacture. Even if you could get a skin tanned and a hat manufactured for $50, we're still talking about $50,000 just to produce 1000 hats.

Well Toby, maybe it will. Maybe it won't. Who knows, since this post is in what most professionals would refer to as a "brainstorming" stage. Since you've little or no professional experience, I understand that it's likely not anything you've ever heard of before. But the basis is that people toss out ideas, and then people discuss those ideas. Some may turn out to be worthless, while others may turn out to be priceless. On rare occasions, people may even toss out one idea, that proves to be worthless to the topic at hand, but invaluable to either another project in the works, or one that may come at a later date.

Nothing bad ever came from brainstorming an idea. In fact, I believe NTA still contributes to a similar idea, no? I mean it's been a couple years, but last I knew NTA still spent a steady few K every year sponsoring fur coats for congressman's wives. It was, I believe, called Fur Wraps the Hill? Maybe you're too green to have heard of it? If so, contact Dave and Karen Linkhart, I'm sure they can fill you in. In fact, they may even be interested in expanding the general idea behind that program that NTA has wholeheartedly supported since the early-mid-2000s to include publicity from donating to the needy opposed to those who already bring in triple digit salaries?

Out of curiosity, since you oppose fur garments to veterans and cancer patients, do you equally oppose them to congress people? If so, have you voiced that concern in a board meeting?

So whether or not this comes to be an active program, I feel the thoughts offered within here are invaluable.... even if their ONLY purpose is to spark a thought in another arena.

Why any representative of the NTA would choose to shoot down proactive thinking, simply boggles my mind.

Old Rel & Yote30 your points are both valuable in this discussion- can we carry on?

So on the much smaller/ more realistically scaled model of this project- does anyone know the end users? Who would like their associations name on this?

Old Rel & Yote30 your points are both valuable in this discussion- can we carry on?

This thread is about promoting fur but your idea is a great way to promote trapping, my hats off to you for that idea.

I personally feel that giving away fur pieces is counter productive for fur producers. On this forum and others we read countless threads and posts about those getting a free deal or something for nothing and we are advocating that with our fur? If we are going to give fur away why not to 4 H groups, scout troops and or wildlife and biology class students as either tanned fur kits or raw and let them tan the furs as part of a project. It is the younger generation that may become fur buyers in the future those in the USA that are earning monies have already made their decisions on what is valuable to them and fur has not been part of the spending they have chosen.
Bryce

Native American reservations in cold climates might need some hats and mitts.

We need a PR specialist to volunteer to maximize the mileage from an effort like this.

[quote=chief2babies]Native American reservations in cold climates might need some hats and mitts.

We need a PR specialist to volunteer to maximize the mileage from an effort like this.

yotetrapper30Some state associations do a much better job than others on PR. If I was looking for one, I'd have PA at the top of my list.
winner winner chicken dinner.
You Know of course that Phil Nichols was origionaly from PA and is the past PR chairman for the PTA?

pick65

So what happened with this?

Exactly.

Go back and read my post about donating fur to your State Trappers Association to actually get some good from "Giving Away Fur".

Alot of valid info above- even the Debbie Downers have their value!

Someone want to refer me to whom I should speak with at the PTA? I'll get the rest started and get back when I have some experience...

Are you making them kids size too?

A skinny, malnourished kid wearing a fur coat.....?.......?........??????

lol

St. Jude, Shriners, Cardinal Glennon children's Hospital, any Children's hospital, VA hospitals, nursing homes, these would all be good places to start, and right here in North America. I can't think of a place in more need of a positive message about fur than North America.

Angela, I hope you get this off the ground, because this was exactly what I had suggested doing a long time ago, and of course it got shot down like so many things. The associations are not the way to move this forward, just to many branding iron in the fire, and we all know what happens then. Good luck.