As you read above there is an issue with some of its members and the NTA. Whether its trapping organization or others such as national, regional or local of any pursuit do you feel its better to belong rather than stand on the side?

Your regs are legislated State by state. IMO that’s a starting point.

Yes it's much better to belong. Large numbers have political power whereas individuals basically have none.

I believe it's a must belong to your state organization, that is where the battles are won and lost.

I agree that most regs affecting our trapping activity take place at state level. But it would be foolish to overlook all the help, funds and guidance that NTA has unselfishly given to our state organization when we had important legal and political battles to fight. And our state org has supported other state orgs THROUGH NTA.

Organizations will always have political infighting. NTA has had theirs in the past and they will have more in the future. "Trapping" is more important.

Pete

What if your state association is content to lose and won't fight to expand your ability to trap?

To the point of throwing trappers under the bus if they try to get new tools legal?

When I got back into trapping a dozen or so years ago after losing interest in the '80's because of fur prices bottoming out and getting into other things, the internet had come about and until then I had no idea that trapping orgs existed.

I thought, good idea, I'll put some money towards protecting our industry and maybe joining one would be a good way to do so, so I asked about several orgs.

Even back then, the NTA wasn't recommended. My solution was to join state orgs at a yearly basis or just send a donation when a state is in litigation with anti's. This way you know your money is going to fighting for our industry.

That all said, I've been wrong before!

Then get involved.

It’s one thing to join and form a concentrated effort to improve a movement, its a whole other thing when
the movement heads will not listen to those who have put them in speaking and representative
Positions from other experienced members in the movement
NTA seems to want to continue this type of handling in the movement and have a continued decrease
In its membership, seen this with two separate leading officers now.

Its not the members that seem to be the problem is the leadership with deaf ear and an ego attitude !

At the very least you should join your State trapping association.

I also think it's important to do more than just be a member. If everyone donated a hundred bucks it would make a yuge difference

Pete, I don't have a problem with political infighting as you put it, kicking out opposition is another matter entirely. It appears it's a good thing they don't have the power to lock people up.

I fear this time they may have gone too far

I think its important to try and find out in advance if you want to be part of the organization. Sometimes you join and think everything is on the up and up and to your liking then find out latter that it may not be so.

For example: not a trapping related organization but one that I used to belong to, it was a large national organization with thousands of members. After a couple of years going to class and going to events I find out that part of my dues were going to support a retired founder of the organization. I also figured out that the organization was formed and used to help promote peoples own businesses with the majority not having a business.

Needless to say I no longer belong to that organization.

I use to join everything if it was for a worthy cause, my eye's are open now. I don't join anything until i do some homework on them first. Most of the big national group's are no different than the anti organization's, just a money making machine, not talking our piddly trapping organization's but Red Cross and such. For that reason all I donate to now is Disabled Veterans, vast percentage of their donation's actually go to help those it was set up to help. Wounded Warrior and such only give back about 20 percent if that.

My state assocation became a one man show so after not missing a meeting or convention for 33 consecutive years ive not been a member of it for 10 years much less done anything else for it. And I DID get involved! I was president of it for 4 years, served on the NTA board for another 8. Like the country now, there's a different mind set seeping into everything, church groups, trapper groups, name a group. Seems those that would make the best leader's stand back watch for a few years, get turned off by what they see and just quietly fade back into the shadows. All your left with is ego maniac's trying to be something.

I belong to one state association now and im going to have to ask a few question's of them before renewing, if they are supporting NTA with my funds then I will no longer be a member and im pretty sure they do.

Steve, what have you been able to accomplish in Minnesota? Not trying to be a richard, but things seem to always go the same way no matter who is involved.

Whelp, last I checked we are still able to use the tools we have since I was a kid.

I didn't think that was going to happen last November and I'm sure the only way it's going to happen is if we work our tails off this winter.

You coming to the event at the capitol?

Have we been able to lately advance some of the things that have been dear to me? Nope.

I have high hopes for one or two things in the coming year or two.

It's going to be very interesting.