ESCANABA — The 62nd annual Trapper’s Convention/Outdoor Expo is set for July 12 and 13 at the U.P. State Fairgrounds in Escanaba.
It will take place from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. (EST) both days. Admission is $10 for both days and kids under age 12 are free. Camping on the grounds is available. Organizers say this annual event will feature things of interest for everyone. Vendors will not only be offering trapping supplies but also things like knives, socks, Army surplus, food, outdoor equipment, items made of fur, tanned fur, and the list goes on. Games, prizes, and raffles are scheduled.
Many activities for the kids, including supervised free fishing, pellet guns and archery; the Kids Cave will be offering daily activities including: “Bandage a Bear,” “Pan for Gold,”, “Build a mink box,” “Kids Trapping Demos” and others. The popular Friday Night Fish Fry featuring locally caught fish is back. (Limited tickets available, contact event director Roy Dahlgren at 906-399-1960 or trapperroy@outlook.com for reservations and tickets).
Well known outdoor experts will be taking the stage to give presentations on trapping and predator calling. This year’s event will feature female presenters in the demo lineup.
“Having ladies doing demos at the convention is excellent,” said Ron Phillips, longtime member of UP Trappers. “This can be a real confidence booster to any ladies or other new trappers who are pondering trying trapping but may be intimidated. Hearing about it from ladies who overcame that to become accomplished trappers on their own can give the confidence boost to get them started.”
Phillips said of f the nine presenters, three are ladies. Mary Theoret, (“Being a beginning trapper”), Laura Gidney along with son Zac (fox and coyotes), and Sarah Gomez (coyotes with cable restraints). Joining the ladies in the demo schedule will be Jeff Hagerty (mink and muskrats), Jeff Dunlap (beaver and otter), Rick Friedrich (western bobcats,) Jim Engel/Roy Dahlgren (marten and fisher), Les Johnson of Predator Quest (calling coyotes), and from the TV Show “Mountain Men,” Paul Antczak (western wolf trapping).
One of the presenters is Sarah Gomez, an accomplished trapper from Michigan. She is grateful for the people who took the time to help her get started. At first, she wondered what to do, how to do it, where to place the trap, how to connect the trap, etc. The help she received early on is what now drives her to help others to get started. Gomez said she feels a strong bond with all trappers — but especially with young girls and women. She is actively involved with the Women’s Trap Camp in Wisconsin where 40 women each year learn the basics of trapping. She has trapped in Iowa, northern Michigan, Arkansas, Louisiana, North Dakota and Texas for all species of furbearer and she puts up amazing numbers on each.
Gomez started “SheTraps” and Sarah’s Trapline Lures and has the selfless goal of making a superior product that any trapper would feel confident in using. Gomez also enjoys skinning, scraping and stretching her catches as much as she loves catching. She is sure to be a hit when she takes the stage at the show, organizers said.
People can follow the website www.uptrappers.com for more information on the convention. This will be the best place to see everything that is being offered — many new details will be posted as demos, demonstrator biographies, vendors, kid’s activities and other information is finalized.
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