Fur Takers of America, Inc. a non-profit organization, was founded in 1968 providing a national brotherhood of strength to promote and protect our trapping heritage all across North America.
Fur Takers of America (FTA) was formed in 1968 with the publication of their first magazine being in the spring of that year. The first officers of the organization were Wally Schmieg, Paul LeGer, Claude Cochrane Jr., John Parker, & Eddie Stephenson. The first convention was held on Labor Day weekend of 1968 in Smithboro, IL at the Ed Bauer Fur Company.
The purpose of the Fur Takers of America is best stated in this excerpt from the first constitution, “We, the Fur Takers of America, do hereby pledge to further the heritage bestowed on us by the fur takers who have gone on before us. We pledge to conserve and maintain an adequate supply of furbearing animals, establish a better fur trade, support other organizations benefitting the fur taker, and helping our brother fur takers in their fight for fair laws throughout America. “
On October 28, 1969, Fur Takers of America was incorporated in the state of Missouri with Wally Schmieg, John Parker, and Keith Rider being named as the first Board of Directors. FTA continues to be incorporated in the state of Missouri as a not-for-profit organization, run almost exclusively by volunteers.
The original incorporation papers stated the following as one of our purposes: “To promote interest in and accumulate and disseminate knowledge concerning the trapping of fur bearing animals among persons interested therein on an amateur basis.” Education of both young and old has been and will always be one of the major goals of FTA.
What Does FTA Do?
• Publishes a monthly magazine entitled The Fur Taker
• Hosts the only known college of its kind, the FTA Trapper’s College
• Holds a yearly convention at various locations throughout the United States.
• Affiliates with other organizations with similar goals.
• Strives to communicate at the grassroots level
• And much more.
Fur Takers of America’s purpose could be summarized as “Preserving our heritage while protecting our future.”
