Any Report from the FTA National in Marshfield?

Just wondering how things went today - I suspect they sold some water and ice cream!

I was there today. Temp wasn't to bad. They had a good turn out for a thursday with a few venders yet to arrive. I sold some beaver tails and spent more money then I had planned but that seems to happen everytime I go there. Got to meet Lee Steinmeyer and b.s a short time with him. All in all a good way to spend a day.

A couple of folks posted pictures on their Facebook page. Pictures included Tom and Nancy Oar from Mountain .Men tv show.

Meeting them would be really cool. I wondering if they are sticking around for the entire event?

They’re on the schedule thru Saturday.

Well?

Yesterday I had a great day there. It was awesome.

I spent the whole day walking and talking and buying stuff from the vendors that I didn't even make it over to the demos.
It was well worth attending. Excellent event.

I'm leaving for the convention In about 10 min.

Cool little bird, babies after hatching are fun to watch

A little bird is telling me this post belongs on a different thread. LOL

Don't let the heat scare you away, the event is a 'can't miss' in my opinion, course it's just over a 1 hour drive for me.

People didn't seem to be buying as much, but I thought the selection is great and the prices were better than expected with some offering 'show specials.'
Also, with lure prices going up, this was a good chance to get some at the old prices.
Also, the tailgater's were better than I expected. Give them a serious look.

With Wi's annual state event the same weekend as so many other states, this provides a nice opportunity to meet some new vendors. The new vendor that I liked the most (I'd never heard of them) is Funke's (from Iowa).

I was there Thurs. Pretty good turn out for a Thurs. Bryce and the crew did a great job with the demo area!

I delivered some bait ingredients and left. Well I did say hi to some friends.
I've been going to these conventions for 50 years or more It gets a bit old after that amount of time.
It was super slow today and I can't take the heat so I'm home In the AC.

With the nasty weather and being so early in the year I'm not regretting passing on this one. I will miss talking with a lot of folks but I doubt sales would of been too much. I do hope the vendors did well, and I'm sure the demos were great though!

I spent some time there yesterday. Hot. I took in a demo, sold some traps and picked up a few odds and ends. I haven't gone to enough conventions to know if it was a good turnout or not. Tough to think about trapping with that sort of weather.

My daughter and her husband are up there, she came in second in the women's trap setting contest.
They are having a good time she said.

I loved it, but to me it didn't seem like as many attendees as the WTA September event. 'Course look at this weekends weather. Plus this is spread over 3 days. There were a lot of vendors, and good vendors at that. To me it didn't seem like folks were buying as much as the vendors would like. My wallet came home light, tho I did find some good deals. I heard some vendors saying they wished the demos were in their usual spot, because they say having the demos across the road led to less people hanging around their booths. I didn't make it over to the demos.

Lots of good stuff going on there for sure!

Thank you Dave for agreeing to do your coon demo. Very well received. Yes Tom and Nancy were available the whole three days and were at the demo site at noon Friday and Saturday and had good attendance as well. I spent almost all three days in the demo building and the two days prior. Nick Jensen does an outstanding job with the cameras, audio and screens. Lot of good demos and many thanks to presenters and vendors who came to the show knowing full well we are in a slow sales market. The heat really took a toll on bodies Friday afternoon and really hurt the Saturday attendance. As I was cleaning up at our site today we heard that the FTA auction went very well.
I was told that the #1 rifle out of the total of 50 brought over $5,000.

Bryce

A buddy and I tailgated the entire show. For the crowd we sold a pile of traps. Thursday was our best day. Got a bunch of traps to clean up and dye before the NTA Convention.
Good job to all involved! Thanks!

You may have said hi to some friends. But you weaseled out of buying ice cream, again. Even when your friends were standing in line with you. Cheapo!

$6,500.00 !!!!!!

That's awesome they were able to video the demo's. I wonder what will happen with the videos. I'm sure that's some hi quality stuff when one considers the incredible list of experts on the demo roster.

As to videos, we will wait to see how that goes. We need permission from each presenter to agree as this will become legal property. As of right now the WTA owns the video. We also need to find out what it would cost to edit, format, ship etc. Certainly if one had a known higher potential volume of those sold per unit costs drop. This process could take some time and may well not be completed with many of the unknowns at this time. Nick keeps the original for a specific amount of time.
It will be my task to investigate all options, costs and roadblocks and get permission from the WTA leaders to move forward or not.

Bryce

I couldn't make it.....video would be awesome

Weaseled out your the ones that weaseled out. I bought last time. It was Kelly's time this go round. And I didn't see him open his wallet LOL

I met Tom & Nancy Oar! I met Tom & Nancy Oar! I met Tom & Nancy Oar! I met Tom & Nancy Oar! I met Tom & Nancy Oar! I met Tom & Nancy Oar! I met Tom & Nancy Oar! I met Tom & Nancy Oar! I met Tom & Nancy Oar! I met Tom & Nancy Oar! I met Tom & Nancy Oar!

I met Tom & Nancy Oar! I met Tom & Nancy Oar! I met Tom & Nancy Oar! I met Tom & Nancy Oar! I met Tom & Nancy Oar! I met Tom & Nancy Oar! I met Tom & Nancy Oar! I met Tom & Nancy Oar! I met Tom & Nancy Oar! I met Tom & Nancy Oar! I met Tom & Nancy Oar!

We're buds now!!!!!!!

(Zim had actually met them years ago and has been to the cabin they lived in long before the one they live in now. They talked about all the people they knew in common when Zim lived in that area and they shared some memories and laughs about those days.)

I knew you'd have a blast along with your hard work ! Great shot of everyone, Chickie !

I think a DVD of the demo presenters would be a good fund raiser for the FTA. I would be happy to sign a release or whatever it would take to allow my demo footage to be used by the FTA and I think most of the demo presenters would also. If anyone decided not to, they could just edit that portion out of the DVD.

Also a big thank you to Bryce, he certainly put together a nice line up of demos. And thank you to all the hard working volunteers who put the show together. This does not happen without a lot of time and effort, both before and during the convention. Everyone at the show was in a pretty good mood considering how hot it was, and with much of the fur market being depressed. Certainly we are all in the same boat, as supply dealers, trappers, and fur buyers we are all waiting and hoping for the market to turn around.

What did the fur bedspread bring?

Thanks for doing your mink demo Gerald. I will work on the videos. It is unfortunate that the information that was supposed to been shared with me before the convention was not and I have to do this all after the fact.

Bryce

For those of you who were at the off-site banquets, I heard there were some emotional moments and tributes to Chick Andres' 20+ years of service as President of the Fur Takers. If anyone was at those events, please, by all means, give us all some details here!

I was at both and yes there was a lot of emotion at those events, not just for Chick but also for Charlie Parker and his family members and the induction of several FTA Trappers College instructors into the FTA fur takers Trapper College. Lot of good things going on with the FTA at this time.

If you are an FTA member the August issue will have the photos and the details for both the sessions. I know at the Thursday night event the WTA Chick was given a hand made bear trap mad by Ray Teske (spelling) which is the same as the one sold at the auction.
Bryce

Thanks, Bryce!