The Fur Taker's of America have been hard at work every day this year to protect the trapping rights we have and expand opportunities for trappers. I would respectfully urge anyone who reads this to take a hard look at joining the FTA if you are not already a member. They are a very transparent organization and make every dollar count.
Hats off and a big thank you to all the officers and volunteers that step up and make the FTA what it is today.
Following is the year end report from FTA President Jason Wisniewski:
Year End Greetings from FTA President
Season’s Greetings,
As we close out 2024, I am very proud of the accomplishments that the FTA has made over the past year. We are blessed to have a dedicated group of volunteers serving in various capacities from governing board members to committees and beyond. Although our membership numbers are small, our member’s hearts are big and I am truly humbled by your commitment to the FTA and its mission to promote and protect trapping across all of North America.
During 2024, the FTA continued to fight for trapping and grow our impact as a leader in conservation. The greatest progress in protecting trapping came through collaborative efforts with the greater conservation community including the Oregon Sportsmen’s Conservation Partnership and Outdoor Heritage Coalition for which the FTA is a member. These groups continually fight for all sportsmen in several western states that are becoming increasingly hostile to all consumptive use. In addition, the FTA made substantial donations to efforts to defeat a Mountain Lion and Bobcat hunting ballot initiative in Colorado and a fur ban in the city of Denver. Thanks to the support of many conservation groups and the tireless efforts of the Coloradans for Responsible Wildlife Management, both of these initiatives failed, setting an unprecedented model of how our organizations must work together to continue our ways of life.
The FTA also provided written and/or oral testimony for a number of bills seeking to curtail trapping including a mink farming ban in Illinois and fur bans in Rhode Island, Washington, and the District of Columbia. We also submitted letters to the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife regarding their search for a new director which ended favorably when Debbie Colbert was selected over the other finalist that had a well-documented history of opposing hunting and trapping. In addition, we submitted comments to the US Fish and Wildlife Service regarding their proposed biological integrity, diversity, and environmental health policy which specifically would prohibit predator management activities on the National Wildlife Refuge Systems in the US. Lastly, the FTA submitted comments to support the inclusion of trapping exemptions as part of a 4(d) rule drafted for the Wolverine which was formally listed as a Threatened species under the US Endangered Species Act.
The FTA continued to show-up by attending the Wildlife Management Institute’s North American Wildlife and Natural Resources Conference where we participated in conversations regarding trapping and wildlife management rather than staying on the sidelines. These meetings provide a great opportunity to make face-to-face connections with leaders from agencies and other conservation organizations who largely support trapping. Through these meetings, the FTA was asked to participate in several initiatives to develop content to promote trapping in the southeastern states and lead a trapping photo shoot to generate trapping content for the Council to Advance Hunting and Shooting Sports National Recruitment, Retention, and Reactivation Clearinghouse.
As the FTA continues to expand and grow its impact thought new initiatives and strategies, we are reducing unnecessary expenses and must increase our revenue. FTA life-members have consistently gone above and beyond to donate their time and financial resources to help the FTA accomplish its mission. As we approach the holiday season, we would be grateful if you would consider donating to the FTA to help us continue fighting for your rights to trap.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year
Jason Wisniewski
FTA President
