Karis Phillips
10 years old
Akron, Alabama

I chose to paint a otter for a few reasons. One, my Pawpaws name on Trapperman is Riverotter. Me and my dad live on the Black Warrior River and watch otters a lot swimming in our slough. Sometimes the otter go after my ducks which I don't like. My dad traps for a living all year, and otters are one of the animals he has to keep in control. Where we live, catfish farms are everywhere, and dad keeps the otters from feeding on the fish. He also takes care of bass fishing lakes and keeps the otters out of them as well. I like watching them swim, and everyone thinks they are cute, but I have seen what they can do. Dad owns Down South Trappers lure and bait company, and he has a lure called MudBug made out of crawfish and mink that he uses to catch otters a lot of the time. He catches a lot of the otters on fermented fruit too, which I didn't understand because I thought they were predators, but dad says everything likes fermented fruit. Most of the time we catch them coming in and out of the lakes in blind sets. I learned you always set 4 or 5 sets together when trapping otters, because they are often in groups. They are smart, if we don't get them all the first time, they get a lot harder to catch. Another thing I've saw about otter is that not even buzzards will eat them when they die, and then one time we saw some people eating them on tv, and I almost threw up thinking about it. My friends all think otters are cute, and cuddly but I tell them that Pawpaws friend bob had to stay in the hospital because a otter in a trap attacked him. Bob is ok now.........he had to learn the hard way.

Otters are one of my favorite animals though. I dont get to see them playing in the snow or sliding on ice, because we don't have any snow in Alabama. But I do get to enjoy them swimming in my river, just wish they would leave my ducks and fish alone. We have a pier that goes into the rivers and otters get on it a lot, and leave poop with crawfish in it that my dad makes me sweep off. They can stink too, not as bad as the skunks, but its pretty bad.

Merry Christmas and tight chains!

Nahtryah Pope
Age:14
Delta Junction, Alaska

The Red Menace


As I walked to my trapping cabin for the first time in a year, everything seemed to be in good shape so far. As I opened the door, I couldn’t believe what I saw! There were spruce cone petals all over the floor and dropping everywhere. I saw they also destroyed all bagged food and stored it in my cabin walls, it took me a year to get all the food out of the wall. After I some what cleaned up the mess and patched up the holes, I started to unload my canoe.

The next day I set out to find the menace that destroyed my cabin. It didn’t take me long before I found their midden, it was huge! It had to be two feet tall, there had to be 10 squirrels in that midden. After I scouted out the area I found 7 middens in the same area my cabin was in, I was only gone for a year and they already moved back in. After November 1st I set some #120s conibears and some homemade squirrel snares at the middens. I got 3 squirrels a day, but this one midden I couldn’t catch the residence, they seemed trap smart.

After a few months of trying to catch them at their home I tried a different strategy, a baited set. I made a blind a set with fish and “Gusto” on the ground with a #120 in front. That way it was universal incase a marten got into the set. Finally, after a week I cleaned them all out, I was so relieved. As the trapping season ended I started to pack up my cabin for the summer and I thought about the squirrels might get in again, but I didn’t do anything to stop them, that was a very big mistake.

Matthew Duliba
age: 9

This is the story of a young boy and fox that, over time, became best friends, enjoy the story.

One day I woke up with a start. I looked at my clock and my eyes grew as big as eggs. It was three AM on Christmas! I jammed my eyes shut hoping I wouldn't scare Santa and just before I fell back to sleep I heard it. I heard a faint noise, and I fell asleep, wondering what it could have been. And then it was morning! I bounded down the stairs and found my parents sitting in rocking chairs. “It's Christmas!” I screamed. My voice was full of joy, but deep down I felt almost unhappy. I didn’t know why sadness was there, so I opened my first present hoping it would help me feel better. It was a pair of underwear but all I could think of was the sound. It played itself over and over in my mind. Finally, I said, “Mom, Dad, I’m going out to check my traps.” But my mom just said “No.” “Mom, my traps have to get checked eventually today.” “But its two degrees outside!” she replied. “Please????” I begged. “Fine but hurry, I want you to open your gifts so we can clean for company.” “Thanks mom.” “HURRY!” “Ok, sheesh mom.”

Right then I heard the sound a second time. I finally realized what It sounded like. It was a fox... I wasn’t sure how tall or small, but I did know it was a blizzard outside and it wouldn't survive. So, I put on my snow pants and coat and went outside. I immediately was slapped to the ground by the wind when I heard my mom scream, “Danny get inside!” But I heard the fox again and ignored her. I got back on my feet, this time I bent down low so the wind would go over me. I walked and walked towards the sound and when I got there I froze. There, laying on the snowy ground, I found the smallest fox I had ever seen. “It must have been attracted to the bait of my nearby traps when the blizzard hit,” I said to myself. Then its breath started coming in quick gasps and it looked at me and then let out one of its yelps as if to say "are you going to help or not?” So, I opened my coat, my stomach went numb, but I didn’t care. All I knew was that I was lifting the baby fox into the warmth of my jacket and heading towards my house. Wait. Is my house this way or that way? That way or this way?? I screamed to my parents, but the wind cut it off. All I had was a foldable shovel, and my phone with no service. As I walked into the wind I found the edge of a tree line. I was happy for some break from the strength of the wind. We could take shelter here. “But the storm is supposed to last through the night!” I said to myself. “Wait I have the folding shovel! I'm saved!” “So here I am, digging under a tree with a folding shovel, not to mention that I am holding a digging machine, but this digging machine is out of order, and we need shelter! “Nothing can stop me now!” I said out loud. Then, suddenly a voice from behind me said “I am.” I whipped my head around to come face to face with a man three times my size. “I'll ask one time, and one time only, give me that fox.” At the sound of his clear enemy, the fox, who I just named Ranger, growled. “What will you do to him?” I asked. “Well, I’ll bring him home and help him heal then let him go back by its den.” “Fine.” I said, handing over the growling fox. “Be quiet!” the man said, whipping Ranger with a whip that I didn’t see before. I zipped up my coat and said “I'll need that whip.” “Fine.” “And the knife.” He shrugged and handed me his pocketknife. “And that gun,” I said indicating the thing in his belt. “No,” was his very short answer. I ripped Ranger away and said “Yes.” “Fine,” he said, handing over his pistol. Then, as I promised, I handed over Ranger. But as soon as he turned his back I sprang onto his back and slugged the man so hard that he got knocked out. As he fell, I dove to catch Ranger. I caught Ranger and hit the ground running. I didn't just run, but I ran south, until I saw light and, then I was in my house. My parents would have squeezed me as hard as they possibly could if I didn't show them the fox one second sooner. My mom recoiled and my dad drew his knife. “Mom, Dad, don't worry. I heard him last night and went to check my traps and he was lying in the-” and so I told them about how I found Ranger, then about how I found the woods, then the man with the whip, knife, and the gun. And finally, how I got back to the house. “Well.” my dad said putting his knife away, “Let me see that pistol.” “Here,” I said handing my dad the pistol. “Wow! That's a sweet nine-millimeter!” my dad exclaimed. And what about that knife?” “I'll show you after I take care of Ranger. “Ok fine you can keep him until he heals. But you have to keep him in our old dog kennel till tomorrow. I'm just worried he’s gunna wake up growling.” “Thanks dad.” I said, already walking toward our basement to get the kennel. I got the kennel out, vacuumed it out so it was clean and put Ranger in and closed the door. Then, went over to our fridge and grabbed a piece of meat and put it next to Ranger, then closed the door and waited. I waited for about half an hour then heard a sound from in the kennel, Ranger was awake. I watched as he looked at me, then at the meat I offered him. He woofed it down in one gulp. I went and grabbed another piece of meat, and when I came back Ranger was chewing on the mat where I put the meat, I tossed the meat through the mesh and said with a little laugh, “Buddy, we have better things to eat than the mat in your kennel.” I went back to our kitchen and made myself a sandwich... after all, I hadn’t had any food since this morning. I ate my sandwich and went to bed, I fell asleep in a matter of one minute, and I woke to my mom and my dad around me and Ranger licking me in the face. Lifting Ranger off of me with a little smile to my parents, I said “Hi Buddy.” And sat up “We’ve decided,” My parents started with a look at each other, “that you can keep him until he is ready for the wild.” I jumped up and hugged both my mom, and then my dad. I said thank you, then I showed Ranger the house. Afterwards, I took him for a walk with our old dog leash. It was nice to be walking a pet again, until he found a squirrel! He tore off after it faster than you could say “squirrel!” It ran up a tree and so Ranger came back. I walked home thinking of a little game that could stretch his muscles. I went home and set a cage trap in our back yard with some apples. The next day I went out and not to my surprise, there was a chipmunk, we have had to call nuisance control four times, every time they took out just about seventy chipmunks and squirrels. So, I’m not surprised that he was in there. I went inside and got Ranger. Then I showed him the chipmunk. I instantly knew that it didn't stand a chance; Rager had bared teeth, and a pouncing position. I brought it to our yard and let it go. Thats when I realized that Ranger didn’t stand a chance, it just ran up a tree and Ranger couldn't do anything. But he knew after doing this a time or two that he couldn’t get it. I kept catching them and releasing them, until I realized that I wasn’t just stretching Rangers legs but the chipmunks. I had been catching the same chipmunk over and over and over, and I didn’t realize, and the next time it was in Ranger's tummy. I realized then and there that his legs were a lot bigger than when I first rescued him though he was still skinny. I brought him in and took a nap, by then we were enough buddies that he curled up next to me and fell asleep. I woke up and woke him up realizing that I had slept through the night, and dinner. I went down stairs and warmed up some meatloaf for me, and then some ham for Ranger. I asked my mom what to feed Ranger that would make him less skinny or, as some would say, “fatter.” She said that ham was her best guess. So, I kept feeding ranger ham, but it wasn’t really doing anything, so I looked it up. Turns out I should have been feeding him dog food, so I bought some. By day three I already noticed a difference. I realized that I was going to have to let him go eventually, but I had too much to think about to be worried about that. So, I kept feeding him. Then the day came, my parents came to me and said “We promised that you could keep him until he was ready for the wild, and he is.” I started to cry, but I didn't want to talk back. “I’ll go tell him.” I said. I went upstairs where Ranger was sleeping and woke him up. I told him and he let out a little whine. I said that I would come and visit his den sometime and then we could play with his favorite bone. So, I let him go back by his den, and made sure to visit every once in a while. I will never ever forget the Christmas blizzard that brought Ranger and I together.

MALINA DAWN BEVERIDGE. AGE 8 MUNSON PA

AND THE WINNERS OF THE ANNUAL TRAPPERMAN KIDS CHRISTMAS CONTEST ARE:

FIRST PLACE: Karis Phillips, Age 10 from Alabama!
Your painting of the otter with snow on its nose and head was just fun and fantastic! All the judges were unanimous on this pick! We also enjoyed your story where you point out that otters are not always as cute and cuddly as they seem, and the realities of the damage they can do if not controlled. Such a great entry, one of our favorites!!! Congratulations! You will receive $150 plus a JoeGoodmanPrints.com prize package!!

SECOND PLACE: Matthew Duliba, Age 9 from NY!
Your story of Ranger the red fox was quite impressive for a 9 year old! It was fun, exciting and had lots of great detail and imagination! The drawing was solid and depicted the windy snow scene quite well. Great Job!!! Congratulations! You will receive $100 plus a JoeGoodmanPrints.com prize package!!

THIRD PLACE: Makenzee Thompson, Age 13 from Minnesota!
Yours was the first entry submitted and set the tone for one of our best contests ever!! An outstanding story of your relationship with Ace, and an even more outstanding drawing of you pulling along the Christmas tree behind him. Kudos on an amazing effort!!! Congratulations! You will receive $75 plus a JoeGoodmanPrints.com prize package!!

HONORABLE MENTION: Lilly Britain, Age 17 of Washington!
Your poem of "My Puyallup" was sooo amazing and touching, we had to create an honorable mention award just for you! I looked up the meaning of "puyallup" and "satsop" and was even more drawn into the meaning and creativity of this effort. This was the first poem anyone has entered and it really is the most creative piece we've seen. Congratulations! You will receive $50 plus a JoeGoodmanPrints.com prize package!!

TO RECEIVE YOUR PRIZES, YOU MUST HAVE YOUR PARENT OR GUARDIAN PRIVATE MESSAGE ME YOUR ADDRESS, ALONG WITH PERMISSION TO SEND OUT YOUR PRIZES. IT MUST BE A U.S. POSTAL DELIVERY ADDRESS AS ALL PRIZES WILL SHIP THROUGH THE POST OFFICE.

THANKS TO ALL WHO ENTERED!! IT WAS THE BEST CONTEST IN YEARS!!! SPECIAL THANK YOU TO PAUL DOBBINS FOR ALLOWING US TO HOST THIS AGAIN THIS YEAR!

Merry Christmas to all of the Trapperman.com family!

The Goodman's
Joe, Julie & Carly

Congratulations!

Congratulations on your win!!

Congrats guys!

Good job everyone! I look forward to this every year, and this year was amazing.

I remember seeing Karis making drawings at a convention a few years back and was impressed with her talent.

LOL,
Paul, remember how we were trying to use her as a sale person for our lures. Fun times.
She has won State Art shows twice, she has a talent.
Thanks!

Congratulations, Karis, Matthew, Makenzee, and Lilly!! Awesome artwork and stories! Thank you, Mr. Goodman, for encouraging our kids' creativity. Merry Christmas everyone!

Once again what a great contest! Great job young ones!

Congratulations to all entrants.
I love looking at the artwork and reading the stories.
One of my favorite things to look at every year on Trapperman

Thank you Joe Goodman and family for having a contest for kids and generously giving and running this annual tradition.

Merry Christmas to All

Congratulations to the winners. Thank you Joe for sponsoring this event each yr. And to all the entries you all are winner's enjoyed each entry and stories hehind them.