I am looking for some suggestions

[Trapper John]

I'm working on the Spring Issue of THE FUR SHED magazine.  Yes, the magazine.  I was told that we have past the term of newsletter quit awhile back.  I was told that Magazines are numbered to keep track of the published issues.  Well I started that from the first issue when I took it over four years ago.  The first issue started out with 16 pages and now we have grown to 24 pages.  I got quite a few advertisers and some good people to write for us.

Anyway I'm thinking most of you here are members of WSTA and if you’re not, you should be.  When I took over the newsletter at the Summer Rendezvous Board Meeting four years ago, I ask people what they would like to see in the newsletter.  Doug was a new member at that time said that he thought that an "Animal Profile" would be good one for new and young people that are coming into our industry / trade.

So for the last four years I have been writing an Animal Profile column with "Fur Bearing Animals and Other Animals" that we take from time to time in our trade.  There are only two more animals that I can come up with that pertains to our trade.  The last issue with the Animal Profile will be this year’s Summer Issue.  My question to all of you is, I am looking for some suggestions on what to replace the Animal Profile with.  What would you like to see?
JC   

THE FUR SHED ~ Editor / Publisher

[bear hunter]

Trap building?

[Humptulips]

I think fur put up would be good. maybe tough to do in an article but if it could be done I think it would be of interest to everyone. Lots of possibilities too. JODakota posted a very nice piece on washing coyotes. Something like that would be great. Also you could do more then one article per animal. Let's say beaver could have articles on clean skinning, rough skinning, several different methods of fleshing, boarding, hoops.
Lots of possibilities.

[Norman89]

I second Bruce's ideas^^^

[Machias]

Fur put up, fur tanning, garment making, trap and gear building, animal diseases/how to recognize, trapline Survival skills...

[JODakota]

I think fur put up would be good. maybe tough to do in an article but if it could be done I think it would be of interest to everyone. Lots of possibilities too. JODakota posted a very nice piece on washing coyotes. Something like that would be great. Also you could do more then one article per animal. Let's say beaver could have articles on clean skinning, rough skinning, several different methods of fleshing, boarding, hoops.
Lots of possibilities.

Thank you for the kind words. I agree with humptulips! I feel everybody always focuses on how to catch. What's not focused on is what to do with the catch and fur put up. As trappers and fur takers we owe it to ourselves and the animals to present them in the best way possible to maximize your earnings. I get it, the least amount of time spent to prep furs is what most guys focus on. But if if you get in the right habits, what may seem like time wasting such as stitching vs pinning holes, washing vs borax, handling green belly (canines) can make you that much more. In a depressed fur market, the better your fur handling, the more your going to get paid!

[Trapper John]

Some nice ideas      Keep um coming   


Someone ask me about doing a mink farming issue.
Maybe, (if I can find the person to do the writing because I don't know anything about it) someone in the "Farming Industry" to write a column on mink, fox, coyote or bobcat farming from start to finish including marketing.  Remember its just another part of the fur and the industry we're in.  I ask a mink farmer that gave it up this last year after 55 years if he would be interested but he turned me down.  So to find one might be pretty hard but that is just another idea of what we could look at too.

"But for now, Keep those ideas coming"
JC   

[JakeLand]

Pre-season gear prep
Making sure traps work flawless , painted, trap tags etc...
All gear and tools
Bait
Scent
Vehicle tuned up , tires ,brakes
Etc... etc...

[huntingfool7]

Reviews on gear like traps, fleshing knives, headlamps, lures.  Could take two products and do a pro/con head to head.

[ouchfoss]

Pre-season gear prep
Making sure traps work flawless , painted, trap tags etc...
All gear and tools
Bait
Scent
Vehicle tuned up , tires ,brakes
Etc... etc...

  Preseason prep should be a very important part of every trapper's year.

[Trapper John]

Reviews on gear like traps, fleshing knives, headlamps, lures.  Could take two products and do a pro/con head to head.

I like this idea on the pro/con on products.  Here the problem, first I have to contact a manufacturer and talk him into donating some of his products to our review article.  If I can get him to donate than I have to find two guys that would test the equipment (hard test it not just one time) and do it over a short period of time or in a full season.  Why in a short time frame, because the manufacturer is going to want to hear the results within a timely frame or he going to think that we just took his product.  Those two guys have also got to be open and not bios to the product also.  Plus they need to do the test and "write" the article.

Now a couple of years ago I had a manufacturer that wanted us to field test some mink cage traps for him, but than the market fell apart as we all know and I haven't heard anything from him on that trap.  I should see if he is still in Business and see if he still wants us to field test those for him.  If he is still interested, I'll let you guys know, but we're getting late in the season for mink tapping.

Keep those ideas coming
JC   

[JakeLand]

I'm always open minded to test new, improved gear or lure, bait etc... this is also where some WCO's are of good value when having trapping jobs year round

[big wood]

How about tag along story and pics of wa state trappers lines. There are still alot of old timers still doing it. Pics of sets, catch etc

[JakeLand]

Kinda funny been thinking the same thing ! I have a pic of when I was 15 with Wags with a nice  cat in a cubby set and I got a pic of a cat that I caught on Thursday was in the exact spot but with a cage

[Machias]

Very cool Jakeland!!

[JakeLand]

I'll have to put a then and now pics together and put on here ! Maybe some other guys will too

[eburgtrapper]

Nwco tips and tricks
Recipes for the animals we trap.
Legal tips/what do you if you are having people messing with your stuff. It might be a one time article but I've had to deal with it and I know I'm not the only one this year. Might be beneficial to new trappers.

[Skyvalhunter]

I have always wondered when furs are sold where they go & how they are used to make different things

[Trapper John]

Nwco tips and tricks
Recipes for the animals we trap.
Legal tips/what do you if you are having people messing with your stuff. It might be a one time article but I've had to deal with it and I know I'm not the only one this year. Might be beneficial to new trappers.

Keep um coming, great ideas

Legal Tips ................ that one is in the works.  It might be out in then ext issue.  Look for it.
JC     Editor / Publisher "THE FUR SHED"

[jasnt]

I think fur put up would be good. maybe tough to do in an article but if it could be done I think it would be of interest to everyone. Lots of possibilities too. JODakota posted a very nice piece on washing coyotes. Something like that would be great. Also you could do more then one article per animal. Let's say beaver could have articles on clean skinning, rough skinning, several different methods of fleshing, boarding, hoops.
Lots of possibilities.

im with Bruce on this one doesn't matter how good you are at catching.... If you can't put up good fur you won't be making any $$ in this market

[Trapper John]

You guys have got some great ideas here. 
And I have a few other ideas that people have sent me. 

So with that said, I am looking for some writers.
I would like to run with some of your ideas mentioned here.
It takes a lot of time to Publish a small magazine like ours.   I can't do it all including the writing, so to incorporate some of these ideas I need you. 

If you would like to just write one article that's fine too.  If you would like to be on the team and write a column for each issue that would be great too.
I'll make room or we're expand the magazine another page or two.
So who would like to become a writer with us?

Also I was thinking of maybe having a cartoonist too.  DO any of you know of someone that would like to do this?  Maybe a young person just starting out 
JC   
Publisher / Editor
THE FUR SHED

[Humptulips]

I'll just add for many of us it is pretty scary to think of sitting down and writing a magazine article. That was pretty much my feeling when I was forced to write something the first time. Surprise!, it isn't that hard. If you can write a letter you can write for the magazine. I see a lot of long posts in here that are the makings for a magazine article.
Give it a try. You might just surprise yourself and find out you are more talented then you thought.

[Magnum_Willys]

I'll just add for many of us it is pretty scary to think of sitting down and writing a magazine article. That was pretty much my feeling when I was forced to write something the first time. Surprise!, it isn't that hard. If you can write a letter you can write for the magazine. I see a lot of long posts in here that are the makings for a magazine article.
Give it a try. You might just surprise yourself and find out you are more talented then you thought.

Cryder I think he means you....... 

[Trapper John]

Hey "Wags" you would make a good writer for us
Lets talk ..................... call me ....................... lets do it
JC   

Like Bruce said, its not hard at a matter of fact its easier than you think
Years ago I started writing for Bob Noonan.  He called me one day and asked if I would write for him for the new magazine called WCT.  ("ME" ....Oh I can't write)  He told me this and I'll past it on to all of you.  That is what the "Editor" is there for and that is to make your article look good.  He is the one that fixes the bad spelling, grammar,  etc., etc., etc....  So give it a try, you just might find your nitch in life.  I did.
JC