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WTA Mtg. & District Reports

 

Updated: 4/3/2008
4-02-08
Trapping season shortened at Tower Ridge
By Andrew Dowd
Leader-Telegram staff - Serving Eau Claire, WI and the Chippewa Valley Since 1881

New trapping restrictions for 750 acres of public land in the town of Seymour passed the Eau Claire County Board Wednesday night.

The board voted 27-1 for the partial ban for Tower Ridge Recreation Area and some surrounding county forest land that shortens the trapping season to just six weeks - Nov. 1 through Dec. 15.

"Due to the fact that Tower Ridge has a lot of people going through it ... it was kind of a compromise both parties could live with," said Pat LaVelle, chairman of the county's Parks and Forest Committee.

A complete trapping ban had initially been proposed for all public land in Seymour in late autumn by dog owners who had run-ins with traps.

Kathy Michels, a Seymour resident who initially proposed the ban, said she's pleased with the compromise and was assured by LaVelle that she could approach the county next winter if there are conflicts with dogs and traps.

Fellow Seymour resident and ban supporter Mary Joy St. Aubin said she hoped for a more sweeping ban that would prohibit the use of body-grip traps, like the one that killed her springer spaniel Bart on Nov. 12. Her dog died on private land near the recreation area and another dog had its jaw severely injured in a similar trap on private land.

John Dunn, area wildlife supervisor for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, defended the use of the "killer traps" because they are considered a more humane way to kill.

"But in this particular case it did not catch the animal the way it was intended," he said.

Some County Board members tried to ban the use of body-grip traps in Tower Ridge.

"In recognition of the growing public use across the county of this area I would like to see us prohibit the most dangerous traps," County Board member Will Fantle said.

However the amendment to ban body-grip traps failed in a 17-10 vote.

Instead, the county's adopted policy allows use of the body-grip traps - commonly known by the brand name Conibear - only when they are partially submerged in water or at least five feet above the ground.
 

 

 

The WTA is starting a new award. It is for the HALL OF FAME.

To nominate a candidate the form found here  needs to be filled out with as much detailed information included as possible.

Below is some information to start and we could change it as we learn and go:

1. No limit on the number of inductees for now. 

2. There will be a perpetual plaque put somewhere with the award winners name on. The WTA board has not decided where yet. 

3. Each person inducted will get a personal plaque or,  if deceased, their family will get it.

Please have nomination forms to Chris Bezio by June 15th so the nominations may be considered and the honorees can get inducted at the fall meeting.

 

Wisconsin Weasel Study

I have been asked by Dick Theil of Sandhill to collect weasel carcasses for UWSP students to collect data from. It should be pretty basic, just put the carcass in a Ziploc and write the location trapped, habitat type, and date. The carcasses could be collected at the Spring Banquet or District Spring meetings. So little is known on these three species, that any finding will be helpful.

Here is a list of things they will be studying:

Determine species composition of collections
Determine habitat type(s) each species collected in
Determine:
1. sex ratio, by species
2. age, by species
3. reproductive status
4. intestinal parasites & food habits
5. various body measurements
6. collect skeletons for museums (UWSP and/or UWZ)
So instead of tossing the carcasses, give a few to the WI weasel study.

If you trap weasels and are interested, give me a shout: 715-423-3229

Thanks,
Scott Mc Auley
 

 

Call for Nominations

The positions of WTA President and WTA Treasurer are up for election in 2008.

Nominations will be accepted starting January 1, 2008 Through April 1, 2008.

Nominations can be mailed to:

Jerry Drolshagen
126 W Washington Ave
Redgranite WI 54970

The members of the nomination committee are Jerry Drolshagen, Earl Klippel Jr., Ron Peters, and Bill Peters.

Nominations may be made by US mail, email, at the spring general membership meeting, or in person to a member of the nomination committee.

Nomination form to print:  nominationform.html

WTA NOMINATION POLICY
Call for nominations go into November Wisconsin trapper

Nominations Will be accepted starting January 1 Through April 1

Nominations shall be made by US mail, email, at the spring general membership meeting, or in person to a member of the nomination committee

Nominees must be members in good standing at the time of nomination

All candidates will be contacted no later than April 5th to confirm their desire to run for the position they have been nominated for.

Confirmation from each candidate on his or her desire to run for office they have been nominated for shall be done no later than April 15, utilizing the US mail, email, or by phone call. this will allow the candidates running the opportunity to put 2 articles in the Wisconsin Trapper.

Candidates will be advised of who their opponents are allowing them to make an informed decision as to whether or not they will be running for the office they have been nominated for.


Adopted 06/16/2007
 

 

 

CONSERVATION LOBBY DAY

Monday, November 05, 2007

Dear Friend,

Two Conservation Priorities moved forward last week!

1) Solving Global Warming

On Wednesday, by a vote of three to two, the Senate Natural Resources Committee adopted SB 81, the Wisconsin Safe Climate Act, which will develop a science-based plan to reduce Wisconsin’s global warming emissions to 1990 levels. This vote comes after a great hearing turnout in September where more than 30 citizens spoke in favor and over 2000 letters of support were delivered urging legislators to act on human-induced global warming.

Senators voting in favor of SB 81 were Senators Miller, Jauch, and Wirch. Senators voting against SB 81 were Senators Kedzie and Schultz.

This bill has made it over the first hurdle, thanks to your support. Now, the battle will be getting a full vote in the Senate. Please call your Senator and let him or her know that you want Wisconsin to have a plan to tackle global warming and ask them to support Senate Bill 81.

Call or email your senator today:

Legislative Hotline: 1-800-362-9472, or ‘Who Are My Legislators?’ at http://waml.legis.state.wi.us/.

Please let us know if you make a call or send an email. Let’s keep this momentum going!

2) Independent DNR Secretary bill Clears Senate!

After a Senate hearing in May where over 45 citizens registered their support for an Independent DNR Secretary, the Senate adopted SB 15 on Tuesday, which would re-establish the Independent DNR Secretary.

As one of the 3 components of the Hunter, Angler, Trapper Bill of Rights, returning the appointment of the DNR Secretary to the Natural Resources Board helps assure that natural resource decision-making is based on sound science and management practices, not political whim. This is good news for the 3.6 million outdoorsmen and women who hunt and fish in Wisconsin's wilderness and understand the importance of managing, enjoying, and preserving the outdoors for future generations.

The bill will now be assigned to the Assembly Natural Resources Committee, so stay tuned!

Thank you for your hard work and dedication, always! For more information about the 4 Conservation Priorities, visit www.conservationvotersinstitute.org

If you want to help ensure victories on the remaining Priorities, join us for Conservation Lobby Day—January 30th, 2008! Sign up on-line at www.conservationvotersinstitute.org

Sincerely,

Jessica L. Garrels
Organizing Director
Wisconsin League of Conservation Voters
 


 

 

April 15, 2007                         Roy Worthy Sebald


Roy Worthy Sebald, age 87, died on Wednesday evening, April 11, 2007 at his home, 2407 S. 14th St..  He was born October 4, 1919 in the town of Sheboygan Falls a son of the late Edward and Elva Schmidt Sebald.   He attended schools in Sheboygan Falls.

From 1942 until 1946 he served his country in the Army. Following his honorable discharge in 1946 he took a job in Washington D.C. with the Federal Government. He worked in security and received personal recognition from President Truman.

On November 25, 1960 he and Lillian Mattson Eisenbergh were married in Alexandria, Virginia.

After his retirement in 1962 they moved back to Sheboygan. Although he worked at a number of jobs after his retirement, his main interest and pleasure was Conservationist activities in the outdoors. He was a lifetime member of the Sheboygan Falls Conservation Club, which he joined in 1940, a lifetime member of Koenigs Conservation Club, a lifetime member of the Wisconsin Trappers Association of which he was President for several years. He was a thirty year member of the Sheboygan Chapter of the Izack Walton League, serving in many official positions including as a National Director for several terms. He was a member of the Wisconsin Conservation Congress for several terms including three years on the Executive Committee. He received many recognition awards in the Conservation Field including the Sheboygan County Hall of Fame and the Wisconsin Wildlife Federation Conservationist of the Year. He also was very proud of his activities with the Maywood Environmental Center of which he was part of the founding fathers group and President for a while. He enjoyed the outdoors all his life as a hunter, fisherman, camper, but especially as a trapper.

Roy was a member of St. Andrew Lutheran Church.  Roy is survived by his wife, Lillian, his stepdaughter and her husband, Lynn Borth-Heidemann and Joseph Heidemann of Sheboygan; two grandchildren, Jesse Adamavich of Sheboygan and Nichole Olson and her husband Paul Schrauth, three great grandchildren, Lukas, Izaak and Abigail; his sister, Adaline Schmidt of Sheboygan Falls and many nieces and nephews. In addition to his parents he was preceded in death by two sisters, Melitta Federwisch and Viola Fricke and two brothers, Harvey Sebald and Arthur Sebald.

A memorial service for Roy will be held 2 pm, Wednesday, April 18 at St. Andrew Lutheran Church with Rev. Howard Fintzen officiating. Burial with military rites will follow in the Sheboygan Falls Cemetery. Family and friends may call at the church, 1711 S. 11th St. on Wednesday from 12 Noon until time of service at 2 pm.

A memorial fund has been established in Roy's name.
The Novak-Ramm-Ziegler Funeral Home is serving the family.
The Sheboygan Press


 

New Trap Display for McKenzie Wildlife Center

Education Building,   October 2006

This permanent display was constructed by Gary Mather and presented to the Educational Center on behalf of  District 10.  All the traps were generously donated by Duke Trap Company.  It replaces a small collection of traps, some of which were out of date.  This updated display shows most all traps commonly used today in WI.   The traps are all labeled with the type of trap and the animals it is generally used for. 

The last we heard, McKenzie is still waiting for a collection of antique traps owned by Villa Louis to become available.  There is an area in another building that they will be displayed in. 

If you are ever near Poynette, WI stop in and see them if you get a chance!

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Improved Incidental Furbearer Harvest Procedures

By John Irwin  (2004)

Well folks, it’s finally happened! Through persistence and the input of many trappers the process to handle incidentally harvested furbearers has been improved.

Beginning immediately, trappers can follow the old procedures, namely leave an incidental catch and contact a DNR warden for instructions, or can use a telephone call-in system. The 1-800-TIP-WDNR (1-800-847-9367) lline can be utilized to report incidental catches.

The DNR wardens have agreed that the old method of having to leave an animal in the trap was costly to both trappers and wardens in both time and gas expenses. In today’s world, with the popularity of cellular telephones, it makes great sense to allow trappers to use tools such as this to report incidental catches.

If you choose to use the 1-800-WDNR-TIP line, you should follow the procedures listed below before moving an incidentally caught animal:

·        Contact the DNR HOTLINE at 1-800-WDNR-TIP and report the incident.

·        The trapper must provide the HOTLINE dispatcher with your name, address, date of birth, home telephone number, license number and the animal that was caught. (Occasionally, the HOTLINE dispatcher may be busy and unable to take your call. In this instance, the trapper should either call back a short time later or leave all the information listed above on the voice-mail system.)

·        Once you have contacted the HOTLINE, you may remove the untagged animal from the trap and transport it to your residence or a DNR Service Center. If you are stopped by a Warden, you should give the warden the date and time of your HOTLINE call.

·        The HOTLINE dispatcher will relay your call to the nearest available warden ASAP for follow up. You should keep the incidentally caught animal at your residence until contacted by the warden with further instructions.

By following these procedures, the reporting and collection of incidental furbearers is much easier and cost effective for everyone.

The reporting of incidentally caught furbearers is important to all trappers. The DNR currently estimates the number of incidental catches and feeds these numbers into the computer population models for furbearers. The current numbers used by the DNR are estimated on the “high side” to ensure that our harvest goals are conservative. This ensures that annual harvest will not harm furbearer populations. If more accurate numbers are used by the computer models, it is very possible that trappers may see an increase in safe harvest goals.

You may ask the question: “What should I do if I do not have a cellular telephone?” The answer to this is simple, you have two choices: you can follow the old procedures and contact your local warden directly, or you can call the DNR HOTLINE from the nearest telephone. In either case, you must leave the animal in the trap until you make contact with the DNR!

If you have questions relating to this new procedure, please contact me directly. If I can not answer your question, I will get the answer from the WTA DNR Warden Liaison, John Welke.

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Sponsorship Levels

Bronze Level Sponsor -  $250.00 to $499.99  

At the Bronze Level you will receive a business card size ad in the Rendezvous Edition of the Wisconsin Trapper, 6,000 are published and distributed. A one year complimentary membership to the WTA and 2 admission buttons for the Fall Rendezvous. A sign with your sponsorship level and name placed on the grounds of the rendezvous along with verbal recognition at the membership meeting held on Sunday of the event.

Silver Level Sponsor, $500.00 to $999.99   

At the Silver Level you will receive a ¼ page ad in the Rendezvous Edition of the Wisconsin Trapper plus 1 other issue of your choice. The Wisconsin Trapper is a quarterly publication. A one year complimentary membership to the WTA and 2 admission buttons for the Fall Rendezvous. A sign with your name and sponsorship level placed on the grounds along with verbal recognition at the membership meeting held on the Sunday of the event.

Gold Level Sponsor -  $1,000 or more   

At the Gold Level you receive a ½ page ad in the Rendezvous Edition of the Wisconsin Trapper plus one ¼ page ad in the three following issues. The Wisconsin Trapper is a quarterly publication. A one year complimentary membership to the WTA and 2 admission buttons for the Fall Rendezvous. A sign with your name and sponsorship level placed on the grounds along with verbal recognition at the membership meeting held on the Sunday of the event.

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