Author Topic: Our Time Together, May be Growing Short. (Read 1858 times)

Bogmaster · « **on:** December 05, 2007, 02:28:34 PM »

I think I have sponsored this forum for 3 years.
Renewal for the next year is due in a few days. Unless something out of the ordinary happens,it looks like we may be coming to the end of the line.
Tom

jim-NE · « **Reply #1 on:** December 06, 2007, 06:13:32 AM »

OMG, Tom.
How will I spend my days while watching my 1-year old and staring out the window, wishing I was running a line with him and wishing he was a bit older....I stare out the window and then go back to this screen and try to live my trapping life vicariously through this group. You guys keep me going through a season that is passing along in the background without me this year.
If it does all come to an end, I wish to express my truly heartfelt thanks to each and every one of you conversing on here under Tom's watchful eye.
newt, asa, redfox, mac, paul, and all the others on here....thank you.
if someone else picks this up as sponsor, cool. I don't have the time or resources here to do so. I'll be watching vigilantly for any new sites you guys shuffle over to. Hopefully I will be welcome again at such a site, too.
Great 3 year run, Tom! My hat's off to you.
Jim-NE

Graybeard · « **Reply #2 on:** December 06, 2007, 07:30:00 AM »

With or without sponsorship the forum will go on just as do all others on the site without a sponsor. I'll miss the income from it but the site or individual forums on it don't fold up for lack of a few dollars of income.

jim-NE · « **Reply #3 on:** December 07, 2007, 02:43:24 AM »

thanks for clarifying, Tom. I'm showing my lack of knowledge on how these things work, obviously.
I'll retreat back to my PC by the window now.
We have a little pond behind our house I can see from here...saw a mink going in/out of cattails this morning. Now that really gets your mind going...

Bogmaster · « **Reply #4 on:** December 07, 2007, 02:50:30 AM »

Any rats in those cattails? The sight of a rat house, or beaver lodge,still gets my blood pumping.
Tom

Hairtrigger · « **Reply #5 on:** December 07, 2007, 02:55:36 AM »

Quote from: Graybeard on December 06, 2007, 07:30:00 AM

With or without sponsorship the forum will go on just as do all others on the site without a sponsor. I'll miss the income from it but the site or individual forums on it don't fold up for lack of a few dollars of income.

I envy anyone that gets by without working for a living!

Graybeard · « **Reply #6 on:** December 07, 2007, 06:57:53 AM »

I once worked for a living but now I'm an old fart and retired. My retirement check isn't huge but it's adequate to pay most of the bills. Mrs. GB counts our share of the GBO income as hers along with the little her blueberry farm brings in annually. She'll be eligible for social security soon and that too will help. We get by. $300 a year plus or minus really doesn't make a lot of difference in whether the bills get paid or not.

jim-NE · « **Reply #7 on:** December 07, 2007, 08:48:08 AM »

one loan single I see swimming around occasionally in AMs. No huts, must be a bank den. I am a rat nut also, between the ducks, the rat, and the occasional mink, this is a nice view over breakfast in mornings.

Asa Lenon · « **Reply #8 on:** December 07, 2007, 10:06:02 AM »

Sorry to hear that your sponsorship isn't paying off for you Tom. It would certainly be difficult to find anyone more competent and knowledgeable than you Tom. Thanks for the time you have put into this forum. Hope trapping supply sales and trapping are being good to you. Ace

Bogmaster · « **Reply #9 on:** December 07, 2007, 10:49:18 AM »

Asa,all I was looking for,was that I would gain enough new customer orders to cover the sponsor fee.This never transpired.
If Graybeard wishes,I will continue to moderate the forum.
Tom

Graybeard · « **Reply #10 on:** December 07, 2007, 11:06:50 AM »

Sure if you're willing continue to moderate the forum. As I recall you are only the third we've had at that job. Rick Hatton got it all started long long ago but seems to have departed this site and perhaps the internet altogether. I've not heard from Rick in years.

Then Joe (Rascal) Duncan took over after Rick departed us and stayed until his health issues forced him to go away and he recommended you to replace him. I've not heard from him in a long long time either.

I hope both are still around and doing well these days. I came to think of both as friends even tho I never met either of them.

This forum has never been one of the more busy ones on the site but back in the early days Rick indicated it was perhaps the second or third most busy such on the internet. Where he came by that information I dunno nor do I know how accurate it was. Today I'm sure there are more such forums than there were in those bygone days and I have no clue how this one ranks in participation as compared to others. I suspect activity peaked in the days when Joe was here. He ran contests and gave away prizes and did all sorts of things and we picked up a lot of new trappers as members back then. Doesn't really matter as long as some of you still wish to come here and post I'll keep it open for you.

Asa Lenon · « **Reply #11 on:** December 07, 2007, 01:36:59 PM »

Any time Boggy wants to think up a contest I'll donate some lures for one of the prizes again. Asa

MacinMaine · « **Reply #12 on:** December 08, 2007, 09:03:27 AM »

It is too bad that it has not worked out for you. I have enjoyed talking to the many on here especially Jim, and some others that don't seem to get on other forums.

I personally do not have time to check all the forums and to write on them each day. Much unlike the professional trappers whom seem to have time to hit every forum going I work a full time job and during this time of year trap when I can. I am just finishing a cup of tea and have to go skin another otter. I don't see or can't figure how some find so much time to trap big time and still keep one hand on the key board. Better time management I guess.

Not trying to be an expert but while my business is education I do have considerable experience in business and have studied the business game at college way too much, in addition to being a consumer, but would like to make a couple suggestions.

First I suspect it would be quite difficult to compete with out a web site in today's market. I can give you the name of a computer guru / trapper from Maine that has expertise in the web site game and I believe him to be very honest, reasonable and I know he has done several.
Sure someone can call a dealer but it is more likely they would be apt to check out a website.

Second, if a guy takes credit cards I think they get a lot more business. I understand one takes a hit when doing so but I think the volume would probably win one over. I like to be able to call a guy in any part of the country and use my card for business.

This has been a heck of a year. My wife is recovering from a very tough battle with cancer so I have not had much time on the line. But I have had a great season with the time I have been out. I thank the Lord each day I get to spend a few minutes checking traps.

Wishing you the very best
God Bless

Mac

jim-NE · « **Reply #13 on:** December 08, 2007, 10:27:05 AM »

Mac, your wife is in our family's prayers. Keep up the good fight.
Jim

Macthediver · « **Reply #14 on:** December 09, 2007, 05:18:06 AM »

Tom & Greybeard
Guys I have to say that I like coming here because, I don't have to sort through all the ( Crap ). I like some of the other forums just fine and do visit some. Thing is I can come here see whats going on trapping wise and only occasionally see posts like?? "What color Christmas lights do you like on you tree". Some of the other forums are full of that kind of stuff. That is all fine and I guess to some extent it works for them. But when I want to just see the topic's of choice I come here.
So guys Thanks You For having us.

Mark

Bogmaster · « **Reply #15 on:** December 09, 2007, 05:30:30 AM »

Mark,that is the main reason as moderator, I have kept (and will continue to keep) this a TRAPPING forum. The lack of posting is and has always been a major concern of mine.Many times,I back off on posting in hopes others will take up the slack.
Tom

Macthediver · « **Reply #16 on:** December 09, 2007, 06:15:58 AM »

Tom
I appreciate the input I get on this forum. I try to post here when I have a real question or figure I can actually help some one with theirs. I like the clowning around post sometimes myself and have posted to some.
But I'm also guilty of lurking and not post on some real questions. I always feel their are others more qualified to answers than myself. Which is often only relevant or qualified by personal experience.
I can't stand the debates that get going on some of the other forums. I think you know which ones I speak of. There are he tunnel visioned know it all's that want to make every post a fight. I just click past that stuff and refuse to get involved.

So Again
Thank You and Mr. Greybeard for having me.

Mac
"Never Forget Which Way Is Up!"

Chilachuck · « **Reply #17 on:** December 09, 2007, 07:39:03 AM »

Tom, I don't see a link to a web page saying what you have in stock. I don't think you'd really need one of those band width wasting fancy pages, just a typed list would do, and keep expenses down.

Keep the teenagers away from designing the site. They get too proud of how fancy they can get LOL.

Bogmaster · « **Reply #18 on:** December 09, 2007, 09:14:24 AM »

Chuck,while the name of my company has changed(From St.Croix Valley Hunting and Trapping Supplies) to Tom Olson's Trapping Supplies,there are a number of items listed on the banner,that I carry.
Tom

andytrapper · « **Reply #19 on:** December 09, 2007, 09:19:17 AM »

Quote from: Bogmaster on December 05, 2007, 02:28:34 PM

I think I have sponsored this forum for 3 years.
Renewal for the next year is due in a few days. Unless something out of the ordinary happens,it looks like we may be coming to the end of the line.
Tom

Well Tom, i thank you for sponsoring it as long as you did, you and so many others on here made this a great a form.
I have only been on here for awhile and i like it very much and everyone is very helpful and nice.

Thanks
Andy

Bogmaster · « **Reply #20 on:** December 09, 2007, 09:34:54 AM »

Andy,we wouldn't have it any other way.
Those that are not"nice", are sent on their way(my guess is,they end up on one of the other trapping forums--lol.)
Tom

Graybeard · « **Reply #21 on:** December 09, 2007, 01:12:52 PM »

I'm one who likes to allow a bit of humor from time to time and even an occasional off topic post so long as it doesn't get to be too large a part of the over all posting. I feel it bonds the posters more closely and makes them feel more a part of a "forum family" when that goes on. I think it in turn results in far more new posts and more activity on existing posts when folks build a mutual trust and friendship on a forum.

But I never tell a moderator how to run his forum and allow each to set the tone as they think best so long as the over all GBO rules are adhered to. We have forums here that run the gamut from strictly no humor and no off topic discussions at all to forums where most of the posting is in that vein rather than strictly on topic. I guess there is no right or wrong way to do it and the mood and method of the moderator have to fit the style of the forum for it to all work out well.

I think over time that the mood the moderator sets for a forum determines the type of folks who become attracted to it as those who are not comfortable with the style and how a forum is run will go elsewhere and those who do like it will stick around.

As I've said we've now had a total of only three Moderators on this forum. I think each has had a greatly different style or way in which they prefer to operate. Some folks have been here since day one and are still here and have watched it as the forum has changed with time. Others come and go as the forum shifts and either attracts or turns them off.

I do think Tom having an e-commerce site would do more for your business than anything else you could do. You set it up to take credit cards and you don't even have to be there to answer the phone to make money as folks just order online. You're only personal involvement then becomes shipping the merchandise when it's paid for. No one can predict how such would impact your business but having a site with your merchandise listed and an option to buy it online while looking at the site would in my opinion pay for itself in no time at all.

If you ever decide you wish to do that Matt does make such sites and we can host it for you as well or you can have it done some where else and hosted elsewhere as you wish. But I do think you're missing a real big part of the business you could have for not having an e-commerce website. These days it's really tough to do business other than a walk in business without such a site.

Asa Lenon · « **Reply #22 on:** December 09, 2007, 05:01:58 PM »

Mac:
I'm very sorry to hear about your wife's fight with cancer. My thoughts and prayers are with you. I can only imagine how hard this has been on your wife and you as well.

The advice about a website and the acceptance of credit cards is good solid advice. When I first started accepting creidt cards very few trappers used them but now 90%of my retail sales and some of my wholesale sales are placed on credit cards.
Ace

Asa Lenon · « **Reply #23 on:** December 13, 2007, 05:05:42 AM »

Tom: (Bogmaster)
Wish you would get a website! It would be a lot easier for me to refer trappers in your direction. I would always be pleased to refer trappers to you as I know you are honest, reputable, straight forward, well stocked with supplies and knowledgeable about trappers needs. Think about it Tom!!! I'm sure there are a lot of knowledgeable trapper who would be willing to build you a site for little or no cost as many have generously offered me their services to build me a site for no charge whatsoever.
Ace

RdFx · « **Reply #24 on:** December 13, 2007, 06:04:57 PM »

Boggy take the hint, Make a web site and ACCEPT credit cards. Trappers in areas dont have trapping supply places to go... TODAY they have credit cards. Todays crowd shops ONLINE and will pay the shipping. I gaurantee you will see IMMEDIATELY a rise in sales. Sure you pay a % to card sales but its ALOT better than your present state of sales.... lGo for it, im sure you will be very happy with results..... MAKE sure who makes your web site makes it USER FRIENDLY.

Bogmaster · « **Reply #25 on:** December 14, 2007, 12:48:49 PM »

Guys, I have taken credit cards for several years.
Tom

Graybeard · « **Reply #26 on:** December 14, 2007, 05:50:37 PM »

But ya NEED an e-commerce website to take those cards and process the orders for ya so all you have to do is ship them. Ya really do Tom.

RdFx · « **Reply #27 on:** December 15, 2007, 02:49:08 PM »

YES you DO Tom aka Boggy aka stubborn! LOL....