In Memory of Randolph Kent Eanes - Virginia Trappersvirginiatrappers.com/Virginia Trapper News...
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An Official Publication of the Virginia Trappers Association May 2017 In Memory of Randolph Kent Eanes Don't ever sell your traps or guns Never owe another man Watch where you spit on a windy day Don't use words you don't understand Find the Lord before you need him And never lose your pride Don't ever sell your traps or guns Cause life's a long, long ride. Kent never sold a trap but he loaned a many of them, even when they weren't returned he still always tried to help anyone who needed to catch a garden eating groundhog or remove a smelly skunk. Now he did sell one of his guns and he regrets it to this very day. He sold it while in the Army in California and thought he needed the money for gas to come home. He didn't. He never sold another for each one has a story to tell. Kent moved into his present home when he was 5 years old and has had the same phone number for over 60 years. His first job was working in the woods cutting timber. He worked for B and W and Klopman for a brief time, but quit both to return to the woods. He trapped his first animal, an opossum when he was 8 and nailed its hide to the door of his clubhouse. The clubhouse has long since fallen in and the hide has returned to nature with the help of bugs and birds, but his love of trapping never wavered. Kent was drafted in 1965 and did his time in California during the Vietnam era. After returning home he ran a crane for the N and W Railroad for 5 years and then hired on with several trucking companies and started another interesting stage in his life. He drove in all 48 states, always taking time off to trap and hunt. After 20 years of driving Kent decided to try taxidermy. He had always been interested in taxidermy, even mounting a crow through a correspondent course as a teenager. This was to be what he did for the next 30 years. Of course, he still hunted and trapped, always a modern- day mountain man. Kent loved to read and his home is full of mountain men books and mounted animals and traps. From October to February Kent could be found in the fields and streams, trapping nuisance beavers or sheep killing coyotes. His favorite animal to trap was the skunk and he was often referred to as the skunk king. An avid hunter he traveled to Canada for many years hunting bears with a bow. He was a lifetime member of the National Rifle Association, National Trapping Association, Fur Takers of America, Virginia Trapping Association and The Sons of the Confederate Veterans. One of his most prized accomplishments was in 2016 when he was inducted into the Virginia Trappers Association Hall of Fame. To be recognized by his peers as a true trapper was a grand finale to his already exciting and meaningful life. Robert Louis Stevenson said it best: We are all travelers in the wilderness of this world, and the best that we find in our travels is an honest friend. See you on the other side, my best friend.
Transcript of In Memory of Randolph Kent Eanes - Virginia Trappersvirginiatrappers.com/Virginia Trapper News...
An Official Publication of the Virginia Trappers Association May 2017
In Memory of Randolph Kent Eanes
Don't ever sell your traps or guns Never owe another man
Watch where you spit on a windy day Don't use words you don't understand
Find the Lord before you need him And never lose your pride
Don't ever sell your traps or guns Cause life's a long, long ride.
Kent never sold a trap but he loaned a
many of them, even when they weren't returned he still always tried to help anyone who needed to catch a garden eating groundhog or remove a smelly skunk. Now he did sell one of his guns and he regrets it to this very day. He sold it while in the Army in California and thought he needed the money for gas to come home. He didn't. He never sold another for each one has a story to tell. Kent moved into his present home when he was 5 years old and has had the same phone number for over 60 years. His first job was working in the woods cutting timber. He worked for B and W and Klopman for a brief time, but quit both to return to the woods. He trapped his first animal, an opossum when he was 8 and nailed its hide to the door of his clubhouse. The clubhouse has long since fallen in and the hide has returned to nature with the help of bugs and birds, but his love of trapping never wavered. Kent was drafted in 1965 and did his time in California during the Vietnam era. After returning home he ran a crane for the N and W Railroad for 5 years and then hired on with several trucking companies and started another interesting stage in his life. He drove in all 48 states, always taking time off to trap and hunt. After 20 years of driving Kent decided to
try taxidermy. He had always been interested in taxidermy, even mounting a crow through a correspondent course as a teenager. This was to be what he did for the next 30 years. Of course, he still hunted and trapped, always a modern-day mountain man. Kent loved to read and his home is full of mountain men books and mounted animals and traps. From October to February Kent could be found in the fields and streams, trapping nuisance beavers or sheep killing coyotes. His favorite animal to trap was the skunk and he was often referred to as the skunk king. An avid hunter he traveled to Canada for many years hunting bears with a bow. He was a lifetime member of the National Rifle Association, National Trapping Association, Fur Takers of America, Virginia Trapping Association and The Sons of the Confederate Veterans. One of his most prized accomplishments was in 2016 when he was inducted into the Virginia Trappers Association Hall of Fame. To be recognized by his peers as a true trapper was a grand finale to his already exciting and meaningful life.
Robert Louis Stevenson said it best: We are all travelers in the wilderness of
this world, and the best that we find in our travels is an honest friend.
See you on the other side, my best friend.
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VTA Officers & Executive Board President
Art Foltz 6706 River Road Fredericksburg, VA 22407 Phone: 540-412-9607 Mobile Phone: 540-630-1756 Email: [email protected]
Vice-President
Norman Mullins P.O. Box 1703 Ceder Bluff, VA 24609 Phone: 276-963-0642 Email: [email protected] Treasurer Annette F. Greenwood P.O. Box 516 Saluda, VA 23149 Phone: 804-824-4073 Email: [email protected] General Organizer Ed Crebbs 175 Waldrop Road Gordonsville, VA 22942 Phone: 540-832-2708 Email: [email protected]
NTA Representative Roy Wood 1884 Beahm Lane Rileysville, VA 22650 Phone: 540-743-5906 No Email Membership Secretary Kurt Butler 1193 Old Church Road Mechanicsville, VA 23111 Phone: 804-779-2382 Email: [email protected]
Recording Secretary
Vacant
Communications Director John Gullion 681 Porter Valley Road Marion, VA 24354 Phone: 276-378-6605 Email: [email protected]
Training Coordinator
Norman Pierce 315 Harpers Bridge Road Rawlings, VA 23876 Phone: 804-478-4523 Mobile Phone: 804-720-0809 Email: [email protected] FTA Representative Travis Bandy 231 Gillespie RD Pounding Mill, VA 24637 Phone: 276-210-7105 Email: [email protected]
State District Directors * Districts 7 & 8 are vacant District 1
Travis Bandy 231 Gillespie Road Pounding Mill, VA 24637 Phone: 276-210-7105 Email: [email protected] District 2 Bill Wright 215 Autumn Drive Collinsville, VA 24078 Phone: 276-692-6466 Email: [email protected] District 3 Gregg Mason 407 Twin Lakes Road Evington, VA 24550 Phone: 434-525-7266 Other: 434-480-1609 Email: [email protected]
District 4 Jeffry Hart 5591 New Line Road Gum Spring, VA 23065 Home Phone: 804-556-6025 Cell Phone: 804-512-7998 Email: [email protected] District 5 Bryan Nelson P. O. Box 257 Shenandoah VA 22849 Phone: 540-435-4849 Email: [email protected]
District 6 Wynston Holbrook, II 15000 Namozine Road Amelia, VA 23002 Phone: 804-698-9780 Email: [email protected]
District 9 Dennis Boswell 179 Boswell Lane West Point, VA 23181 Phone: 804-892-6139 Other: 804-370-4300 Email: [email protected] District 10 Bud Jenkins 33424 Seacock Chapel Road Ivor, VA 23866 Phone: 757-556-4548 Email: [email protected] District 11 Tom Tyree P. O. Box 546 Bloxom, VA 23308 Phone: 757-894-4330 No Email
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Legislative Committee Report By: Kurt Butler
The legislative committee
has been busy with the new proposals involving trapping. Attending the meetings with the VDGIF people has been rewarding to see how much they have listened and welcomed our input. This being said, we are now in the public comment period before the regulations pass and become law. If you have not commented yet, please take the time to do so. Bryan Nelson has been posting the information on Facebook and this
is the link to use: 2017 Hunting, Trapping, and Terrestrial Wildlife Regulation Review and Amendment Process/VDGIF.
There are 2 new regulations we need to respond to. The first is the drowning of animals caught in cage traps. I hope we trappers come out against this bill which would remove a method of dispatch for us. ONE person complained and the bill did not come out of the senate. Bob Duncan, executive
director of the Virginia Department of Game & Inland Fisheries, is disappointed that his legislative committee addressed this issue. I urge you to respond.
The second regulation involves the sale and use of animal parts. Please weigh in on the positive side on this one. It will help us to more fully utilize the animals we catch.
Feral Swine Management in Virginia
The USDA APHIS Wildlife Services sent the following report regarding management of feral swine in Virginia. Please note the request to report swine sightings to them.
“The USDA APHIS Wildlife Services/Virginia State Director reported that some VTA members expressed concern over recent articles regarding a new bait and toxicant approved for use in other states for feral swine control, and that the USDA might be conducting those activities here or in North Carolina. He reported I just wanted to take a second to let you know that there’s no truth behind these rumors. There are no toxicants (poisons) registered for use on feral swine in Virginia and we have no plans to do so. By the same measure, we are not using any type of sterility drugs on feral swine in Virginia and have no plans to do so.
The only cases where we would tag or release a feral pig in Virginia would be part of a program to learn more about their movements and locations. These pigs are not injected with anything. In North Carolina, tagged pigs may be given general anesthetic to help restrain them
during the tagging process, but are not given toxicants or sterility drugs.
We are working closely with the Virginia
Department of Game and Inland Fisheries, land management agencies, and landowners to remove this destructive animal from the landscape in Virginia. Any reports of feral swine taken or observed by Virginia Trappers would be greatly appreciated and would help us to map populations of this pest. Trappers can call toll-free at 855-571-9003 to report feral swine or damage from these animals.”
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A Trapping Tradition: End of the Season By: Tim Tate
Trapper numbers are declining and some traditions associated with trapping are beginning to fade. One of traditions has been to celebrate the “end of the season” by tacking the fur on a barn wall before shipping it off and take a picture. Trapping is our first and foremost traditional outdoor sport, having been one of the most important enterprises during the founding of or nation.
There is a lot of misinformation put forth by many groups who wish to see trapping banned. To counter this misinformation all trappers should educate any and all they can about these truths about
trapping: traps are a vital and humane tool for wildlife management; State wildlife agency biologists – the same people who have led the resurgence of a variety of wildlife we now enjoy – support trapping and see it as a necessary tool for managing furbearers; Trapping has proven to be a critical element in the protection of waterfowl and other game bird and wildlife populations; Wildlife managers also see it as extremely important in protecting the public from outbreaks of diseases such as rabies.
So, enjoy this bit of Trapping Tradition as we celebrate the “end of the season”!
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In Memory of Kent Eanes By: Bryan Nelson
The first time I met Kent Eanes was at a trapper training event in Bedford. He and his wife Linda (they weren't married yet then) sat through the class, quietly taking it all in. During a break, I had a chance to talk with them, and it quickly became obvious that Kent could have been teaching the class instead of sitting through it. That's how Kent was - quiet and unassuming, he knew what he knew, and did not feel any need to brag.
Over the years, we would see each other at trapping conventions all across the country, and at the VTA fur sale every March. I always sought them out, they were fun to be around. They seemed to be known by everyone.
Kent made impressive catches of foxes, coyotes, beavers, and just about anything else he went after, but he never bragged. He was also an excellent taxidermist.
Kent would call me from time to time,
asking advice on a nuisance trapping issue. I always thought that was funny, as I knew he knew more than I did! Seems that I always learned something from those conversations - I hope he did too.
Kent battled cancer for the last several years, and I was always amazed at how upbeat and positive that he always was.
I'm not a writer, and am struggling to put into words how deeply saddened I am at the passing of Kent Eanes. He was a great man, a kind, honest man, he always had a smile on his face and would make a place for you at his campfire. The trapping world has lost another great. Rest in Peace Kent, we will miss you.
Tips for Trappers by Kent Eanes
When following a blood trail on a deer, hang
toilet paper in bushes as you go. It will tell you
where to start over if
you lose the trail. It
will go away after a
few rains. At night,
you should get
compass reading
when you leave your
stand in case you get
lost.
If you are
determined to get married find a woman that can
skin critters.
If you wash any skins get a washing machine that
will spin. It will get most of the water out.
To fasten a needle on the end of your skunk
killing pole, use the end of a plastic drink bottle. Cut a hole in the cap for the syringe and fasten the bottle on the pole. You can fasten the plunger on a solid pole, the syringe on a hollow pole with a plunger. I use a 12mm syringe, the largest needle they make. Buy the syringe and needles at a farm service store. Use 90% rubbing alcohol to kill the skunk. It will also kill foxes and you don’t have to deal with the blood.
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In Memory of Kent Eanes In Memory – by Don Shumaker
Randolph Kent Eanes passed away at his
home in Hurt, VA on April 2, 2017 after a 9 year battle with cancer. He was 70 years old, being born on June 15, 1946. Kent is survived by his wife Linda, a son, Randolph Kent Eanes, Jr., 2 sisters, 1 brother, numerous nieces and nephews and 2 granddaughters.
I knew Kent as a personal friend for 40+ years and believe me, a better friend could not be found. He was also the friend of many other trappers throughout Virginia and all over the United States. Kent was as dedicated to trapping as any man I ‘ve ever known and he was an expert at trapping many species of animals. He was also an accomplished hunter, fisherman, taxidermist and predator caller. The man was a true student of nature and loved all things wild. He was an avid reader, devouring hundreds of books on his favorite subjects such as history, the fur trade, trapping, wildlife and hunting.
As a young man, Kent worked on the railroad and loved his job, but the urge to become a long-haul truck driver drove him to becoming one for quite a few years. He became fascinated with taxidermy and it wasn’t long before he became a master of the profession. And of course, trapping was always a burning passion that consumed him. Kent was a free spirit who was always determined to live life the way he wanted to and he did just that. I know he died a happy man.
Kent served his country by pulling a stint in the Army. While he was always somewhat of a rebel (like most trappers are), he dearly loved his country and would fight at the drop of a hat to defend his beloved American way of life. A true patriot, indeed. Kent served as a district director for the VTA at one time and was the recipient of the “Hall of Fame” award. He was a staunch supporter of the VTA and other trapping organizations for many years. I am suggesting that a memorial service be held in Kent’s honor at our upcoming convention and also that a memorial fund in his name be started. He would have wanted that.
It is with a heavy heart that I say goodbye for now to a very dear friend and fellow trapper.
In Memory – by Art Foltz
It was my honor to be in the position to present Kent his VTA Hall of Fame plaque. Kent’s quiet leadership was an inspiration to me. He was respected by everyone. I considered Kent the essence of what trappers should aspire to be; passionate about trapping, a friend to all trappers, and supportive to trapping and other hunting organizations. Like you, I will miss him at our VTA events.
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The Stump and its Success By: Robbie Haynes
I have always looked for the perfect “location” when going after coyotes. Sometimes it’s an intersection on two logging roads, a cut line around the edge of a clear cut, points and corners in fields, or crop change edges. This year, I was hunting a friend’s farm in Sussex County during Muzzleloader Season, and happened upon what I thought was the location of all locations. A simple stump that sat out in a field. Nothing fancy or flashy, just an old weathered stump that stuck out like a sore thumb across the open field. The stump was located on a point in the field. It sat about 10-12 yards off the field edge, all by itself. The area behind the stump was a 2-3-year-old clear cut that was overgrown with weeds and native grasses. As I investigated the area, I found multiple coyote tracks around the stump, some were clearly defined, and some were older and washed out from the rain. I could tell it was an area they were using frequently. I also noticed a distinct trail that was worn out running along the side of the stump, about 15” from the base. It was at this time I realized this was a natural scent post the local coyotes were using when they came into the field. At this point I decided this was going to be a set location come January when it was safe to trap here. On January 13th, I set the stump up. First rookie mistake, I only made 1 dirt hole set. Two nights later I had my first coyote of the year in that set. The next night was the second coyote, a big male. It was at this point I realized I needed more sets there, and they needed to be in 3 nights ago! So, I went to work and made 3 more sets in a circle around the stump, all within 10-20 yards of the stump. I had a friend of mine, Charlie Hardie, running my
line with me that day. He helped me figure out the best locations and sets to put in. I wanted to cover all possible wind directions and have the chance at multiple catches at one time. I made two dirt hole sets, a pipe set, and a flat set. On the fifth night, I picked up a nice tom bobcat. The landowner had previously requested that any cats be released if caught. It’s important to me, as well as any trapper, to be respectful, trustworthy, and honest with any landowner. The cat was released unharmed and scurried back into the overgrown clear cut. I went several weeks further without any catches, but it wasn’t over, not even close. I continued to rebait and re-lure my sets after hard rains and the catching picked right back up. Even with multiple sets out I only managed to catch one at a time for a good while. Finally, on February 26th I connected on a double, both were females. I ended up pulling my sets off of the stump on March 20th. In total, I
caught 8 coyotes, 1 bobcat, and 1 grey fox a t this location. I kept my sets out longer than I anticipated but I wanted to catch every coyote I could on this farm. I had several sets out around the field in other areas that never connected on
anything. Maybe this is the first location they go to when they enter the field? I’ll never know the answer to that but it’s my best guess for now. I’m still a rookie making more mistakes than I care to count but I learn from every one of them. In closing, I will say for all the other rookies out there, look for that perfect stump, clump of grass, rock, etc. that sticks out like a sore thumb. If you notice it, it’s a good chance they notice it. Trap hard, stay safe and have fun. We’ll see you at the stump next year.
President’s Report I’m winding down my Kenyan trip as I write this report
with only eight days left on my deployment. I’ve enjoyed helping the Kenyan Army in their battle against terrorists penetrating their borders; trying to change their way of life and faith. However, I’m ready to get home to the land of air conditioning especially since it’s been 100-110 degrees most days.
We’ve been having issues with delivery of the newsletter and Trappers Post subscription to members. I’ve asked our Membership Secretary and Newsletter Editor to look into the problem and determine what needs to be done to correct it. Additionally, I requested the District Directors verify that their district member addresses are correct on the VTA Roster. The roster is the source document we use for mailing correspondence to the membership so we need everyone’s help in maintaining current mailing addresses. If you’re not sure if your address is correct, please contact your District Director or
the Membership Secretary or me to confirm we have the right address. This is our election year and we will be mailing ballots later in the year and want everyone to be able to select the new Executive Board via their vote.
The slate of candidates for the upcoming election is starting to fill in, however; we currently only have one candidate for most positions. Ideally, it would be best to have at least two candidates per position. If you’re willing to be a part of the solution to better our Association or have a candidate recommendation please let me know. I’ll contact each nominee to discuss the duties and responsibilities of the position they’re nominated for and confirm they’re willing to accept the nomination.
As always, if you have any questions, concerns, or ideas for the Association please contact me.
- Art Foltz
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Membership Secretary Report By: Kurt Butler
We are finally back over 400 members!!
Good seeing so many people at the fur sale. I'm
already looking forward to the convention in
Farmville. See ya there.
Dane Bligh is looking to purchase 1000 -
2000 beaver tails in 2017 to make wallets and
other products. See his site at
www.TheSouthernTrapper.com. His price
points are; $3 - $5 per tail (full tail on bone), if
they are at least 10 inches long and 4.5 inches
wide, with few scars/blemishes. He will offer
more than $5 for fleshed and salted tails.
Please contact Dane at 630-479-4505 or
REMEMBER – We are currently
prohibited from selling furbearer products to
individuals. The regulations to allow sales like
this are due to be changed this fall and be in
effect on July 1, 2017.
VTA Awards Program
Many of our members expend a lot of time, energy, and resources to keep our Association running, improve our Association, and keep our trapping heritage strong. These members deserve our recognition. The VTA Awards Program was created to provide this recognition. Nominations for consideration of award can be submitted for any person that you feel is deserving of one of the following awards. Any VTA member in good standing can submit nominations for consideration. Nominations can be submitted through your District Director or directly to the VTA President. Nominations can be emailed, mailed, or delivered in-person to the President. Depending on the type of award, the President will present the nomination to the
Executive Board/Board of Directors or forward them to the Awards Committee for consideration. All nominations must be submitted on the Award Nomination Form for Board or Committee review. Awards are presented at our annual convention. In order to obtain Board or Committee approval and acquire the award for presentation, the deadline for receipt of nominations is May 15. For a nomination form and a complete list and description of the types of awards given go to http://virginiatrappers.com/vta awards program.html or contact your district director for more information.
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End of the Season - continued
Through a grant given to the Virginia
Trappers Association, we will host a Basic
Trapper Training class July 16th at the
convention from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. There will
be 10 spaces available for young people ages 16
and under to join the class. They will receive
trapping equipment. Contact your district
directors by July 1st with names, ages and phone
numbers. You can also e-mail Norman Pierce
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Virginia Trappers Association Membership Application
Name: Address:
Email: City: ________________________ State: Phone: Zip Code: County: Mobile Phone: Age: (for Junior Memberships) ___________ Check your membership choice: * Must be under the age of 16 Mail/ In-Person Online
Regular 1-Year with Trapper's Post Subscription $25.00 $27.00
Regular 1-Year without Trapper's Post Subscription $15.00 $17.00
Regular 2-Year with Trapper's Post Subscription $48.00 $50.00
*Junior 1-Year with Trapper's Post Subscription $18.00 $20.00
*Junior 1-Year without Trapper's Post Subscription $9.00 $11.00
Lifetime with Trapper's Post Subscription $300.00 $315.00
Lifetime without Trapper's Post Subscription $150.00 $158.00
Organization 1-Year Membership $40.00 $42.00
Organization 2-Year Membership $75.00 $78.00
Organization Life Membership $350.00 $368.00 Join or renew at virginiatrappers.com or send a check or money order with this form to:
Virginia Trappers Association
Attn: Kurt Butler 1193 Old Church Road
Mechanicsville, VA 23111
Next Year is Executive Board
Election Year and we need your input and
help. First, we need you to submit
nominations for officers for our 2018 -
2020 Board.
The deadline for nominations is
August 1, 2017. We also need help with
the Nominations Committee. As soon as we
have contact information for the
nominating committee, we will pass along
that information.
Are you on Facebook? Are you a
member of the Virginia Trappers
Association – State page? It’s a quick way
to be aware of events, news and
information about the VTA. You can ask
questions and learn about trapping. It’s
also a good place to see what people are
catching or even share pictures of what
you have caught. Join us today!!
Jessica Perkinson
The Virginia Trapper
2291 Doctors Rd
Louisa, VA 23093
DATES TO REMEMBER
District 1 Meeting
2nd Sunday of Every Month
VTA State Convention
July 14th – 16th
Farmville, VA
D-1 Basic Trapper Education Class 3
June 3rd 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Hayters Gap Community Center 7720 Hayters Gap Road - Rt. 80 Saltville, VA 24370
D-1 Family Picnic
August 19th 9:00 a.m.
TELL EVERYONE YOUR STORIES
Share your trap line experiences with your
fellow trappers. Send me your trapping stories
and a clear photo to be published in the next
issue. Send mail to Jessi Perkinson; 2291
Doctors Rd; Louisa, VA 23093, or email me at
Bland County Fair Grounds
