Just read Iowa has almost 1500 members of their trapping organization. Pennsylvania has big numbers as well. We’re at something over 200. What’s the main difference? Is is heritage, culture, trapping opportunity or something else? I’ve always thought Kentucky trappers notorious non joiners.
I think it’s a Culture thing mostly. Folks around here were raised to not trust anyone you were not related to, and most of them were probably suspect! That, and the old timers wouldn’t give a nickel to see an ant eat a bale of hay, and I’m sure they instilled that outlook in guys of our generation to a degree. The newer generation guys are more apt to spend the money, and join the UTK if you can make them see what’s in it for them I think.
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My reason use to be both. Then I found out you guys are ok dudes and the value of money went to pot and hear I am!
Colt
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I think in our part of the state the old independent Scotch/Irish kicks in. Interestingly, northern Kentucky has a lot of members and I think German ancestry. Western Kentucky has a lot of members too comparatively speaking. We also fight the free content internet all the time. One’s mind can be busied with all the “trapping content” they want but in the end what we really are you being a part of? When you need representation attention the online only trappers aren’t known about. It’s the ones attending meetings and dealing with other groups. I think about stuff like this and wonder and worry how to keep up membership. I’ll be gone before too much longer and it’ll be you younger guys ball to run with. I hope UTK will continue as mainly a fur trapping mentality. Many of the newer trappers aren’t interested in fur it seems.
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Your prolly right the old familys in jessamine co was about 80 percent Scott’s Irish and very clanish,dating was a nightmare when I was in high school I was either cousins with them or my family did’t like there’s or vise versa!
I’m French, Dutch German and Cherokee descent so I guess I have joining trapper in my blood. I must have some Scotch/ Irish influence because there’s a lot of people I don’t care for around here 
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One thing I have noticed over the years is that the older Folks of German descent up around N. KY. and Cincinnati are a lot more Community Minded, and tend to form partnerships to get things done; where as here in the Eastern/ South Central part of the State , the old timers were very independent minded, and tended to do things on their own, and as a general rule, were not ones to do things with anyone outside of their own Families, or People that were known to be trustworthy! And that trust generally took about 3 generations of a good name before it was earned! I can’t say about the folks over in the Western side of the State, but I suspect it’s kind of a mix of the two different Cultures.
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