Roll Call....The old SPAV and Otter Creek Days?

Every now and then I see a name/handle pop up and it brings me back to the beginning of trapping in the internet (as I knew it). I can't help but think about how thankful I am for the guidance and help I got from so many when I was a teenager getting started. I know some good ones have passed, and a good number are still kicking! Back when I should have been chasing girls or something, I was chatting it up with bvr1, bogmaster, trapr, RdFx, MOsam, Turtle, flathead40, minker, Hal, MsCat and Josh, AnthonyT, sten from S. Africa, and God rest their souls good ol' RayA and Wolfer. I could go on listing names but my fingers are cold as I stand here outside! I met so many at my very first convention in Columbia, MO on that blistering hot humid weekend!

How about a roll call of all who were around back in the mid 90s on SPAV and Otter Creek?

Happy trapping! ScottW

Don't remember SPAV but I was on the otter creek chat.

Think I still got some of otter creek boards, the ones I finally did get.

Yeah, unfortunately that was a problem at times! lol. But I still liked Galen, he was very nice to me and my mom slow service aside.

SPAV was Sporting Adventures Talk Groups of which trapping happened to be one of the categories they had a board for. It is no longer in existence. I don't KNOW, bit I believe it was possibly the very first "trapping message board" just like tman! Otter Creek I believe came after but coexisted with SPAV.

Sniperb, who are some of the old otter creek names you best remember?

Happy trapping! ScottW

Good to see you again Scott.
Tom

There was minker, itrap, NWMO, of course there was LadySky.

Thats when trapping was the main topics on a trapping site.

I signed on in ‘96 or ‘97, been here since.

Yep, pretty much all it was. Lotsa knowledge passed through the old dial up modems back then! :-)

Newhouse114, good to hear from you! I remember you way back then for sure!

And yes, surely remember LadySky. Ended up sending her and Wolfer a bunch of porcupine quills from which she made some beautiful earrings and gave my mom a couple pair.

Couple more I just thought of were Muskrat, iowaminker, and a nice gentleman named Kevin from Ontario who sent me (via regular mail) pictures of his under ice snare setups for beaver.

Happy trapping! ScottW

I was in chat way back too. Maybe 99 or 2000.

Been through several crashes here on Tman. Haven’t been on near as much last few years cause of FB groups lol.

Well, back in those days I was on SPAV a lot, but mostly on the Waterfowling Forum, but i did venture over onto the Trapping Forum as well. I went by "Ray from Wis." back then. I remember Benny (of Trapperman web development fame) getting into some serious spats with a guy named Hoosier Jim back then.

Moosetrot

I remember those days. I haven't been trapping and hunting in 15 years, but now that I'm retiring, looking to get back to long time past times. Just rejoined here.

I'm glad to see Galen is doing well in his current endeavors.

I was around Spav. and Otter creek. use to check in before I left for work every night.

I remember aYoung man from North Pole AK I believe his name was Scott also.

Cotton should be on the list, always wondered what happened to budthetrapman.

seems i am on a few lists nowadays
pretty sure i started in chat in early 2000 on my first puter.

Moosetrot, It's kind of amazing that SPAV doesn't exist now and had so many boards and users for the time. Moosetrot is a better hand than anything with Wis in it! And yes, Benny is a legend! :-D

Scott_ar, glad to see you're getting back into it! I'm the opposite right now with a 3 yr old and 6 week old infant.....trapping and pretty much any recreational activities are taking a backseat to life far to often right now.....but I know it's tempory and worth it in the long run! Just took the 3 yr old out on the snowmobile the last evening of grouse season and we got one the last couple minutes, his excitement for the one was better than mine when I shoot a limit in a day!

Horn, trapr, and Cotton......now there's some oldies and goodies! Thanks for checking!

Happy trapping! ScottW

I was not on SPAV, but I was on Otter Creek. I moved over here when everyone else did. Several people were on Otter Creek that I have not seen on here unless their names changed which they probably did. Kyle Katz is one that sticks out.

Yep, Kyle and Kellen I remember for sure. That's why I thought it'd be kinda cool to see how many of the original crew were still around and active.

Happy trapping! ScottW

I was on both of them some. Usually real late at night as I was working 2nd shift then. Some of the names I remember we're Neil, an older gentleman from NC, Yancy, who,I think was from CA, and Ranger, who I remember being from Canada.

I've been on a while myself . There sure was a lot of info passed around back then

I've been here since otter creek just lurk now

Been around since SPAV and Otter Creek Days! I sure did learn a lot back then and met some great folks on those platforms.

I was around back in I think 96-97??? I know I recall most the names that have been mentioned so far..

Mac

Thanks for checking in folks!

JT, I surely remember Ranger. If I remember right he was from New Brunswick.

trapperkevin, 2nd post since 2006, I'd say you are the definition of lurker! But nothing wrong with that!

MoSam, you were one I remembered from the beginning! Missouri had quite a strong representation in the early days.

I don't remember when it all actually began, but I know I started trapping and using the internet at close to the same time. I know it was within the year preceding a Columbia, MO NTA convention.

Happy trapping! ScottW

Bringing this up to the top for 2023! Anyone else from the good ol’ days?? Happy trapping! ScottW

SPAV and Otter Creek here. Been awhile.

Been around since SPAV and Otter Creek Days. I still have access to many of the posts that I have made back until 26/12/2006- https://trapperman.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/5470/sqeekers

Wasn't on those. My first one was a Greybeard trapping forum.

I wasn't on SPAV or Otter Creek but I remember 95% of the names you all have mentioned. I think my husband, Drifter, was on Otter Creek. I didn't show up until 2004 and at that point Tman chat room was where it was at. It was an IRC chat, (Internet Relay Chat) and most people entered the chatroom using Pirch, and had add-ons such as Cat Ninja.

Paul, still using the bvr1 handle, Wolfer, rayA, Drifter, Cotton, Bogmaster and I think Iowaminker were all mods. I'm sure there were others. Other than the many names already mentioned, I remember Nutoy (Andy) and Bayou (Daryl). Weakspring. Young kid that went by Ryan. JerryD. Gwen (but I don't remember what her handle was). Jtrapper. Dannyc. Not sure if Fishguts was in the chat but I know he was active on the forum back then.

Oh I'm sure there's lot of others I'm forgetting.

I believe it was Ranger from Canada that made my trapping business cards for me many, many years ago. I think M Scat was involved in it also.
That's way back.

I know MsCat made mine! Still come across one now and then hiding in a box somewhere! Happy trapping! ScottW

I came on just a bit after the Tman Chat developed, remember all these names and more, Bob (This word is unacceptable on Trapperman) was always cranky with everyone, met a lot of you people at the NTA conventions when I was bringing out my squeaker units. Most were really fascinated about my bobcats and coyotes I brought along the second and third year.

Lots of those people went to different forums cause they either got banned or decided the rules to harsh for them here, then
most of their forums quite.

Was quite a few long term subjects discussed for weeks quite a reading if you keeping up on them. some not even related to trapping, which I believe is why the trapping only forum here was opened to keep it all under one area.

Met many good people some who are still friends with me and I them thru the many years here, Slim, MsCat, JTrapper Pete, Mark S, Ken, some I have not seen for a long time, others drop me a note once in a while saying they met me at convention time, those were wonderful and very fun times !

Been around since Otter Creek.

Some names from then RayA, kellenkaatz, JTrapper, Bernie B's son Ben was on there, there was a guy from South Africa that I can't remember the name of (he might have been part of early Tman, it all blurs together).

I found Tman about 98-99 I think.Never had a computer before that.

The fella from South Africa was named Sten. Chatted a lot with him. Happy trapping! ScottW

joined Tman in mid 96 or early 97.im unable to remember now ..Heard of the website from the old OSTA website . we had 2 OSTA meets in a row them yrs in Wapakoneta, Oh..

Met Paul for the first time when he gave a beaverin demo.there

Lot of names mention i remember and like was said.. lot of great info and very civil discussions that lasted for pages.back then..

Was #3110 on T-man after I left Otter creek. Just was learning how to type then, but not on the chat site ever......jk

There was internet then?

Found this place fall 2001 I think Learned to post pics from family trapper. Met some of you guys at NTA in Clumbia, MO. When was that? 2003. I miss Bob (last name not allowed). His Kansas cat trip write ups were great. Must be a number of us that have passed.

Since Muskrat asked…..back up too! Any more SPAV originals still kicking?! Happy trapping! ScottW

Im still here since Otter Creek, Grey Beard. Dont remember SPAV. Alot of late night communications on Otter Creek . Ol Boggy was always on there.

You may not remember it, but I remember you on SPAV! You are definitely one of the “OG’s”……as the kids would say Lee! Happy trapping! ScottW

Bringing this back up in honor of Rangers passing. Any of you originals from SPAV, Otter Creek, and early T-man left that haven’t chimed in yet? Happy trapping! ScottW

Yes, I'm back after being MIA due to career. Galan from Otter Creek was one of my mentors. My handle back then was Megapredator back then on both Otter Creek and Tman.

ScottW -

Convention in Columbia MO I think was around 2003. I just started grad school and Gary Bonnot had let me try the grizz getrz for my grad research project. A yellow penske truck had rolled into the convention and Duke Traps were flying out the back end at record pace and I think the dealer was either from MN or Michigan. He was under cutting most dealers and quite a ruckus but traps were moving hot and heavy by the tens of dozens.
I remember many of the old coyote talks with AndyS and CharlesKS and Nick from Iowa. Around 21 years ago I think.

Chat would be jumping some nights

Can't remember when I got on here, Chat was where I met a lot of T-man members.
TreedaBlackdog---The dealer under cutting all of us on Duke traps was from Michigan.
Tom

I believe Columbia was '04. I was heartsick to not be able to attend my first convention that year, and made it my goal to attend the next year, wherever it was. I did attend, and it ended up being in Goshen IN in 05.

I remember the Charles/Nick/Andy days but to me those days were the beginning of a new era that was much different than the old. I prefered the old days, which never really came back after that.

Was on the Otter creek board under the name Coontrapper. Changed name to Big Possum after I wrote the Possums by the Millions book. Used to be a lot more active on the boards and at conventions. Started growing pumpkins and really slowed my trapping and convention attendance down.