by Darrell Warren

 Our Council decided to put on our second workshop in 3 years on February 16, 2019 at the DERD garage in Miramichi. Roads were terrible after snow, rain or freezing rain the night before, depending on where you were coming from. Trappers, being a brave bunch, came from all over the province.  Frank Hathaway and Gerard Levesque came from Riley Brook, through the Plaster Rock Highway,which is bad enough anytime, let alone after a storm. The first two guys to show up were from Belledune, and another drove from Quebec to Bathurst on Friday, stayed overnight with Gary Whelton, and came down Saturday morning. At least 2 came from Tracadie and Carl Cyr and two friends came from Cambellton to see Frank's demo on trapping coyotes in the snow so Carl could pass the knowledge on to the rest of his Council. Special thanks to Frank for the demo, as coyotes are popular targets now, and everyone was paying attention and asking good questions.

Other demos were put on by John Richard, James Ritchie, Carl Hunter, Larry Estabrooks and Yvon Morais. Thanks guys. The turnout was only about 40 people, not a great crowd, but for fur prices being what they are, not too bad. Smaller crowds do have the advantage of everyone being able to see what is going on, rather than trying to stand on tiptoe at the back of a mob.

 We want to thank John Richard, not just for his skinning expertise, but for donations from Fur Harvesters Auction and  Pronature,Gary Whelton for a submarine trap and Yvon Morais for a bunch of stretchers.

Finally, thanks to Peter Pinder, of DERD, who let us use the garage.

 

NBTFHF President, Frank Hathaway, shows how to set coyote leghold traps in the snow

  

 

 

 

 

  

 

Carl Hunter shows how to flesh and board a beaver

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

Yvon Morais shows his method of skinning a beaver and fleshing it over his knee.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

John Richard shows how to skin and flesh a coyote

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

Frank Hathaway gives a presentation on how to treat leghold traps.

 

 

 

 

Larry Estabrooks demos skinning and fleshing a raccoon.

 

 

 

    

 

 

 

James Ritchie demos skinning, fleshing and boarding a muskrat.

 

 

 

 

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