The Kids Cave — the success story of the year at the NTA Convention in Iowa (2021) — expanded and improved in Ohio (2022) — is coming to Escanaba, Michigan in 2023!

 

2023 National Trappers Association Convention

and Outdoor Show

U.P. State Fairgrounds, Escanaba, Michigan

*July 27 – 29, 2023*

Exploring under the microscope

Kids Teaching Kids Trapping Demo

Straw Scramble

Winner of Raccoon Pelt Taking a Break

Over the years the NTA has utilized many great ideas for keeping youngsters entertained at the annual three-day, Convention and Outdoor show. But this year, in Escanaba’s beautiful Upper Peninsula will be the third year for the Kids Cave – the “idea” that has put all the other great ideas to shame. We dare you to bring a kid to the convention that will not want to spend a day or two in the Cave! For a taste of the available fun browse through the pictures above to see just a few of the things that happened in the cave.  If you enter the convention too early you may have to find a way to keep your children calm till the Cave opens – especially if they already spent time in the Cave in Spencer Iowa or Lima Ohio!

Below you will see some of the highlights from last year’s CAVE in Lima Ohio.

We are working hard to make this year’s CAVE even better!

  • Five Workshops, three “by Kids for Kids demos”, two “how to” seminars, and various prize drawings.
  • The seminars taught Kids to use DPs for coons and #110 & 1 ½’s for muskrats.
  • The prize drawing included two fur teddy bears, two pack baskets filled with traps and trapping related gear, and tanned coyote and badger furs with the claws on.
  • Many stations with fun, “hands on” experiences like archery; BB Guns; fishing; building bird houses; building catchpoles; making a simple survival kit; building cable extensions; catching and viewing bugs through a stereoscope; trap setting practice; laser shooting range, and mountain man dress-up.
  • At another station kids made buttons, necklaces, and created “masterpieces” using animal track stamps and stencils.
  • Several matching games using furs, skulls, pictures, and tracks rounded out some of the educational aspects of the Cave.
  • At least 642 kids attended. Some came for all three days, and about 60% said they attended two or more days.
  • Best guess puts about 350-400 adults also attending or checking out this wildly successful event!
  • And the most exciting and best attended event in the Cave was the coin scramble. Lots of cash and prizes were buried in the straw (even some folding money!) and tokens that could be used to shop for and purchase more great items.