Coon Duke, your reply is spot on. I remember as a kid, reading the Trapper Magazine, the ads were as good as the articles. I've always preferred reading books over social media. We are rapidly losing these folks who were larger than life to a kid who is justt starting out trapping, but knowing that is all they want to do. Names like Ardelle Grawe, Johhnny Thorpe, Russ Carman, and Gary Jepson. They all were able to convey a certain respect and awe for trapping, Hard to replicate this on social media, where everything is short sound bites.

The FTA is a well run organization. Most importantly, it is very transparent. Every issue has a full page, listing contact info for the officers, governing board, and directors. It even has a section for anyone who has a question about the FTA, listing items and contact info on who to ask depending on the topic of your question. Great magazine, edited by Eric Arnold. President Wisniewski has a column detailing what the FTA is doing to protect trapper's rights. Without exception any contacts I have had with any officers, directors or staff has been cordial and professional.

As Jackie Malone puts it, once trust is lost by an association, it is almost impossible to get back. Any type of organization can fall into the tar pit of having a small group of insiders control the flow of information to its members and making decisions without transparency and openness. Keeping problems hidden and removing members for asking uncomfortable questions rarely works out in the long run. Far better in my opinion, if mistakes were made, just tell your members what mistake was made, what you did or are doing to fix the mistake, and what you are going to do moving forward to make sure the mistake doesn't happen again. Folks respect leaders being upfront and honest.

I don't have any magic answers on how to increase membership, but I will say the FTA is working hard everyday to earn its members trust, and hard earned membership dues. Forty dollars buys you 12 issues of the Fur Taker magazine, along with all the benefits of having a national organization advocate for issues important to you.

What an amazing new addition!!!!!!!

That sounds like a really good idea to try to expand interest in the convention and through that interest in the organization.

Keeping problems hidden and removing members for asking uncomfortable questions rarely works out in the long run. Far better in my opinion, if mistakes were made, just tell your members what mistake was made, what you did or are doing to fix the mistake, and what you are going to do moving forward to make sure the mistake doesn't happen again. Folks respect leaders being upfront and honest.

I probably would still be involved today if that was how things are ran. FTA never addressed my problems, i sat by Chic and Hastings about every year in the BOD meeting, Chic usually request me coming back around to FTA and my answer was always the same, see some movement on my issue and id gladly run back, he would grimace and sit back down. Certain people in association's can't be touched, doesn't matter if they are crooks and liar's. They seem to only go up further and further in office as time goes by.

Joined FTA for life in 1985, 150 bucks for a lifetime membership, haha.

Those additonal programs and slots look interesting and informative. Takes a lot of work and time to contact all the additional presenters. Thank you to the FTA for taking on this venture. Many trappers are involved in many of those areas and there are probably more people in the general area of the FTA event that do some or most of these then ever have set a trap. Finding economical ways to reach these potential attendees takes some real thought and planning.

Bryce