I explained it in detail to the MTA president when I asked to cancel my lifetime membership. I figured that would give him an opportunity to apologize and he didn't take it so I just washed my hands of the whole thing. I am done and out. The details are between him and I. If wishes to post the email, he sure can but I certainly won't. The ranks just keep getting smaller.

I think that's what I paid for my life membership too. Who do you contact to opt out of the magazine?

Sustaining membership donations are a good thing for this reason Bernie

There are ways to raise funds that benefit trappers and the association. It is a win, win. Trapper association sales, that require membership to play, charge 10% or more commission, and achieve well above average market prices.

Some associations excel at this.

As over pay for something and have a percentage go to the association, thy not just give the association the money? Chances are you don't really want what they are selling anyway. I feel raffles are a much better bet.

Having someone knowledgeable fighting for your rights to trap is worth every penny to me. Still cheaper than an ex-wife or a drug habit....but then again trapping is my drug of choice...

The MTA does a very successful raffle.

How is a raffle win, win? Few winners and a bunch of losers. If a trapper association is not working to get members more money, they are not an association I want to belong to.

Seriously? The main purpose of the raffle isnt to raise money from members. The raffle is to raise money from non-members! Without the raffle, the association would have to raise dues to where most members would probably quit.

I understand raffles. Do you understand sales? Sales are a member service and can be an Association revenue maker.

Seriously, I have paid no membership dues. My increased trapping revenues from Association sales have more than covered the dues.

Raffle money goes to the general fund or?

You'll get smarter as you get older. Unless you're a Liberal Democrat, then all bets are off.

No.

Per MN law raffle money can only be used for youth education

Alaska is bit of an oddball in that aspect as it seems like from videos and accounts of the sales are a fairly novelty market. Lower 48 I'm not quite sure we can do that as really the only novelties we really can deal with is oddball colored critters or critters that aren't seen much of, like fox, weasels, skunks skinned with feet on to the craft buyers that show up.

Kinda thought so 49er hence the "or".

I believe western sales do well in States like Idaho, Utah, and maybe Colorado? Even in Alaska, one sale outperforms the other because of timing, buyers, and location of sales.

Every assoc. that uses the Trapper's Post or any other magazine as their official publication is getting it for a fraction of the normal cost. I don't know how it could possibly cost $30 to service each member. The convention should be a good money maker also. Raffles, etc. there are a lot of ways to generate income.

Trappers association dues and lifetime memberships are cheap compared to other groups. Many outdoor groups charge closer to $100 a year and members never bat an eye. A Gold Patron in Pheasants Forever is $25,000.

In the past at least organizations offering life time memberships with subscriptions generally invested in a l oosing proposition from a membership and dues perspective. The recently highly increased rates to me reflect that and why they are high as the cost of serving members goes up every year. The real value for most associations with life membership is the volunteering that comes with that for time and resources and the continued higher level of donations to the associations from their life members. Having more members on an associations list can also help in the political world as well. With organizations today taking different stands then it may not in an individuals best interest to be a life time members.
I became a life time member of the WTA when I turned 62 and the lifetime membership cost $100 then and came with a plaque and other paper. That sure was not a money maker for the WTA and that is with the subscription too. That was changed very soon after I became a life member.

Bryce

Bryce the same membership now is $700.