March, 2026 President's Report

Greetings all. First, I will start by saying I have a new email address. I know some of you received emails indicating I had broken my leg, then 3 weeks later sick and could not speak. Scammers hacked my email, which was AOL, if there was a reply, asked if you shopped on Amazon. Upon receiving some information, I found that AOL has zero security and had none for 3-4 years. Knowing that people who knew me were vulnerable to these scam attempts and no security for an AOL account, I changed my email to a gmail account. After finding this information about AOL, I would highly recommend anyone with AOL to change. I know changing is a major pain, but it is worth it to everyone who knows me and their financial safety. My new email is hightoweria61@gmail.com 

My new address has been changed on our ITA website and I apologize to everyone who received those emails.

Next is our 16^th annual ITA fur auction which was held January 10^th at the Boone County Fairgrounds.  The number of sellers and fur was down from the past few years, but prices received by sellers were up. Averages and prices received for raccoon, mink, otter and skunk were up from our 2025 sale. Being down 15 sellers and 172 lots of fur, we were only down $797 in total sales. Thank you to all who sold fur this year.  A big thank you to the buyers who attended  which were – North IA Fur – Bill Drewelow, NE IA Fur Exchange – Rick Hemsath, Otter Creek Fur – David Raber, Stark Fur – Ernie Kovacik Stark, KS, Central States Fur – Dean Hoffman, Miller Fur – Don Miller Plymouth, IL, Hindman Fur – Al Hindman, Sleepy Creek Tannery – Ben Deters, Hutton Valley School of Taxidermy – Roger Hutton, Baestle Fur – Kerry Baestle, Dalton Tharp, Klyn Taxidermy - Silas Klyn and R&J Fur – Richard Olson Mound City, KS. Help with setting up, lotting in during the day were Chad Thede, Peter Fritzell, Dave Phipps, Calvin Barber, Curtis Barber, Beckett Barber, Allyson Oser, Matt Fox, Dwaine Knouse, RJ Barclay and Randy Porsch. Bret Smith was our auctioneer, Nat Hill, Cody Hutton & Tony Evans clerked. Dan Roberts, Kristie Lambert & Tim Roberts oversaw the food area. Vendor was Backwater Baits – Bruce Rhoads and Sleepy Creek Tannery accepted fur to be tanned. I also need to thank Justin Deaver for setting up video to live stream the auction on our ITA YouTube channel and doing a raccoon fleshing demo onsite. Lonnie Archer once again donated a very nice blanket made with pictures taken during the 2025 fur auction. The blanket was auctioned to Roger Hutton with proceeds being donated to the ITA, thank you Lonnie for your generous donation!!!

We had 13 buyers, 32 sellers with 279 lots of fur. Symbol’s are as follows – “F” finished fur, “G” green fur and “C” for carcass animals. We had carcass otter, bobcat, badger, skunk, odd colored raccoon, opossum and squirrel. Below are the results.

Species….Number…..High/Low…..Average….Total…..Top Seller

Raccoon…F…251….$26/$2….$10.58….$2657.50….Joel Golish

Raccoon…G…428…$12.50/$2….$6.19….$2652.35….Dan Roberts

Raccoon….C…1….$10/$10…..$10….$10….Brian Burrows

Coyote….F….115….$37/50c….$16.73….$1924….Donated ITA Mike Mazur

Coyote….G….9….$8/$2….$4.55….$41….Sam Hutton

Muskrat….F….387….$5.25/50c….$3.53….$1369.75….Steve Grulkey

Muskrat…G…50….$4.75/50c….$3.32….$166.25….Brian Burrows

Mink Male….F….37….$36/$13….$26.70….$988….Steve Grulkey

Mink Male….G….2….$14/$14….$14….$28….Steve Grulkey

Mink Female…F….23….$16/$12….$15.39….$354….Steve Grulkey

Mink Glands……$10/$10…..$10….$10….Steve Grulkey

Bobcat…F…3….$37.50/$25….$31.66….$95….Donated ITA Mike Mazur

Bobcat….C….15….$190/$25….$95.66….$1435….Keaton Jones

Skunk….F….35….$56/$7….$27.77….$972….John Davidson

Skunk….G….14….$50/$10….$25.92….$363….Lonnie Archer

Skunk….C….9….$27.50/2….$13.77….$124….Nathaniel Utterback

Skunk Tails….4…$17.50/$6….$8.87….$35.50….Joel Golish

Red Fox….F….10….$25/$17….$18.10….$181….Donated ITA Mike Mazur

Red Fox....G….2….$18/$11….$14.50….$29….Nathaniel Utterback

Badger…F….15….$47.50/$17.50….$31.83….$477.50….Larry Wilkinson

Badger….C….3….$37.50/$30….$22.50….$67.50….Brian Burrows

Beaver….F…4….$20/$8.50….$16.62….$66.50….Joel Golish

Beaver….G….53….$27/$2….$11.80….$625.50….Dan Roberts

Otter….F….5….$42.50/$17.50….$23….$115….Donated ITA Mike Mazur

Otter….G….6….$57.50/$20….$41.25….$247.50….Dan Roberts

Otter….C….11….$60/$25….$42.72….$470….Skyler Schindler

Opossum….F….10….$5/50c….$3.05….$30.50….Craig Sweet

Opossum….G….1….10c/10c….10c….10c….Brian Burrows

Opossum….C….1….10c/10c….10c….10c….Kerry Baestle

Weasel….F….1….$3/$3….$3….$3….Donated ITA Mike Mazur

Weasel….C….2….$4/$2….$3….$6….Brian Burrows

Squirrel Tails….306….85c/70c….79c….$242.45….Mike Arkena

Squirrel….F….7….$5/$5….$5….$35….Mike Arkena

Squirrel….C….1….$5/$5….$5….$5….Mike Arkena

Gray Fox…3…$36/$20….$25.33….$76….Donated ITA Mike Mazur

Fisher….F….1….$57.50/$57.50….$57.50….$57.50….Donated ITA Mike Mazur

Marten…F….1….$33/$33….$33….$33….Donated ITA Mike Mazur

Total….$15,993.50

February should have been our 18^th annual ITA Legislative Breakfast being held at the Statehouse, but 2020 and 2021 were cancelled due to covid.  Accordingly, our 16th Annual Legislative Breakfast will take place on February 19th from 7:00 A.M. to 9:00 A.M.  This event has been very important over the years as we have got to know some legislators personally.

We meet in a more relaxed atmosphere and get to speak with them in person. We display items made of/or trimmed with fur which include pelts, coats, vests, fur trimmed items, scarves and of course fur teddy bears. There have been times when attendees from the association have been escorted into chambers for a tour and allowed to sit in the Speaker’s chair. The two hours spent educating and talking with our lawmakers over the past 16 years have been helpful for the time and money spent. If anyone from another state association is reading this, you don’t know the value of hiring a good lobbyist or hosting an event like this has for an association. If you currently do not utilize avenues as these, it DOES make a difference, and I would highly recommend something you investigate.

March 6-8th the ITA will have a booth at the Iowa Deer Classic in Des Moines. You’ll find our booth at C10 on the Upper Level Grand Concourse. If you’re attending, we invite you to visit us, have a conversation, and check out our Iowa stingray exhibit.  We will have ITA memberships applications, information and all harvestable Iowa furbearer pelts on display. Stop by and say hello if you are attending.

Our 24th Annual NTF/ITA banquet will be held March 14, 2026. Our April date is cancelled because it falls on Easter weekend.  As in past couple years, it will again be held at Sheraton West Des Moines Hotel 1800 50th St. in West Des Moines which is located just east of I-80/I-35 off the University Ave. exit.  There will be games, raffles, silent and live auctions during the evening. Last year tickets were $50 each, which included dinner. Doors open at 4 P.M. with dinner being served at 6:30. It is a fun evening for a good cause for all who attend. If you'd like to attend, reach me at 515-306-9385 or hightoweria61@gmail.com. I'll share details once available. Hope to see everyone there.

I now have our 2026 ITA sustaining donor patches available. Thank you again to Leon Windschitl for the design and Kendall Obermier for making these possible. This year, the patch is graced with a bobcat design. I still have a few 2025 ITA sustaining donor patches with a mink design available as well. If you have not purchased one, they are $25 per patch for either year and are a way for anyone to assist the ITA whether you are a member or not. If you would like one, send a check made out to ITA or Iowa Trappers Association. Mail it to me, Craig Sweet 1825 Kirkwood St. Saint Charles, IA 50240 and I will get them mailed to you. People who purchased sustaining donor patches this year are – Leon Windschitl, Tony Oden, Troy Hackett, Brian Wilderman, Danny Mouchka, Curt Kajer, Bruce Hamblen, Mike Kies, Tony Evans, Randy Porsch, Allyson Oser, Peter Fritzell, Mike Sells, Chris Kilmer, Scott Nibe, Chris Pohl, Phil Huffman and Dan Roberts. Thank you all for the additional support for your ITA .

As I wrote in my January report, we applied for special DOT approved ITA license plate stickers. As I write this, we still have not heard back from the DOT as being approved. I don’t know when we will hear back but I will keep everyone informed when I do.

As I stated in my last report, make plans for September 11-12, 2026, at the Floyd County Fairgrounds in Charles City. This is going to be another great location for us with easy access off Hwy 218 at Hwy 14. Motels are located about 5 miles south of the fairgrounds off Hwy 218. All buildings are recently new with our two dealer buildings, demo area all about 50 yards apart. There will be plenty of electric hookups available for everyone and plenty of primitive camping space as well.

I close this report with dates of our ITA Board meetings. I have scheduled February 8th, April 12th and June 28th for those meetings. Meetings will be held at the Boone Senior Center 1112 Story St in Boone starting at 10 A.M. As always, all members are welcome to attend any of these meetings.  

Til next time - Craig