GTA Youth Field Trial Results

The weekend of Dec. 28-30 was the 10th Annual GTA Youth Field Trials, held near Swainsboro. GTA Youth Director Jason Chapman truly outdid himself and put on what was possibly the best GTA youth event ever! If you are unfamiliar with the event, I cannot recommend it highly enough. My kids and I have gone since 2021, and it is always a highlight of the year.

The field trials began at the crack of dawn on the first day of the competition. There were dozens of volunteers, from full-time nuisance wildlife professionals to trapping hobbyist who wanted to share their passion. These men and women joined the 6- to 15-year-olds who were eligible to compete. This year the number of kids was capped at 40, with a significant waiting list.

The kids were divided up into groups, which were then matched up with trappers to be sent out into the woods. Once on their traplines, the kids do everything themselves under the supervision of their trapping guides. The kids decide what traps to put where, what animals to target and even determine the baits, lures and other attractants to use.

There was a break around lunchtime, where a delicious meal was served at the hosting venue. BBQ and baked beans were supplemented by ax throwing, slingshot target shooting and some pick-up football. Then everyone hit the trail again to put out the remainder of their trapline. Each young trapper received six traps to put out, and all groups were done by dark.

After a night of anticipation, spent camping onsite or staying in a nearby hotel, the groups reconvened the next morning to check traps, harvest catches and reset/move traps to prepare for the next night.

This year the spirits of all remained high despite a torrential downpour. Spirits were lifted even higher by a tremendous devotional led by Mr. Hal Bridges and Mr. Brad Gill. This year’s devotional, one might even call it a sermon, focused on the truth that even more important than the fun we were having, the excitement of the trapline and whatever other wonderful things we experienced that weekend, the only thing that truly matters in this life is our relationship with Jesus Christ and whether or not we spend forever with Him in Paradise. Afterward, everyone finished up whatever work remained to be done and headed out to dinner and bed to rest up for the final day.

The third morning was a repeat of the second, and by midday, all animals and traps are taken back to camp to determine a winner.

The overall haul for both days consisted of five coyotes, four bobcats, 10 opossums, 10 raccoons and nine beavers (including one of the biggest I have ever seen!). All caught in 240 sets over two nights.

This year’s winners were:

1st Place: Vinny Bridges

2nd Place: Malichi Zdunowski

3rd Place: London Lewis

Biggest Animal: London Lewis

Smallest Animal: Jaxon McGee

Top Guide: Randy Zerwig

The prizes were amazing and even those not fortunate enough to place in the event took home plenty of goodies to fuel their future trapping endeavors.

If you still need some convincing to get involved and throw your kid’s hat in the ring next year, then keep in mind that despite three days of guided trapping, food, games, prizes and friendly competition, the GTA Youth Field Trials remained 100% free for attendees. It is all put on and manned entirely by volunteers. From the trapping guides, to the food service, to the land where the event is hosted, everyone involved with making the GTA Field Trials a success is giving of their time and talents for the sake of the next generation of trappers.

I don’t have enough space to go into detail about all the fun that was had and people to thank. I would like to send a special thank you to Mr. Mike Wilson, president of the GTA, and Mr. Jason Chapman, the aforementioned youth director. The GTA also owes a debt of gratitude to all the sponsors, volunteers and landowners, without whom this event would never have been possible.