Georgia Trappers Association Annual Convention

Coyotes are an invasive, non-native species that has spread to every corner of Georgia in the past decade.

With coyote populations in Georgia growing, while fawn-recruitment rates and other wildlife suffer serious impacts, more and more sportsmen are interested in learning how to trap.

Animal-rights groups like PETA and HSUS have for decades done a great job of spreading anti-trapping propaganda. Trappers have long been wearing an animal-rights bull’s-eye. The reality is that leg-hold traps allow the release of non-target animals, making them an effective tool for targeting predators like coyotes.

To learn how to trap effectively, the experience of folks who have been doing it is valuable. A great resource is the Georgia Trappers Association (GTA). The GTA will hold its 33rd annual convention Oct. 4-5 at the Barnesville Recreation Center, which is located in Lamar County. The event is open to the public and costs only $5 for two days. There will be trapping demos, a live drive-through trap line, trapping supplies on sale and live and silent auctions.

For more info, call (678) 395-1708.