This thread has really turned into something I didn't really expect. First of all let me say, I do not know the folks at Tomahawk personally nor have I ever purchased a single product from them. Yes I have owned a few of their traps but they were aquired via raffles or trades. However any event (fur or WCO) I have attended over the years has had a Tomahawk rep at it. That tells me our buisness is important to them, I'm also sure that the "animal wefare" groups buisness is also important to them. So I would guess they are in attendence at their respective events as well, once again good buisness. If the one dollar thing is true I like Brookers idea to donate to a state WCO group as well, I'm sure it would happen. I think the bottom line here is this is an American company with American employees that from all information I have uses American made components to build their products. To me that's important. I think there can be some common ground found here on the whole dollar thing because that seems very important to some, at least the whole idea of it seems important. I could honestly care less however I see where folks are coming from, its not the money its the principal...I get it. So let's have the powers that be work their magic and get this aspect cleared up. Then we can get back to the important thing here...being proud to have an American company to work with. We are all buisnessmen here and that being said we all know good buisness from bad or we would be former buisnessmen. So keep that in mind in this instance.

You guys are upset with who Tomahawk sells their traps to and who they advertise to/with . The fact is they are a good company.
After all who will they sell their traps to when USDA puts us all out of business if only you would focus your attention on a real issue.
Your worried about where $1 goes. What about all the millions of YOUR tax dollars that are going to support your competitor.

Yup.

Travis, your post was excellent! You have no reason to say anything and yet you did a heck of a lot better job than us so-called "writers."

Well looks like Michigan has the HSUS on the run bill just passed the senate just think of all that waisted money HSUS has spent here

Breaking: HSUS Loses Charity Rating



http://www.awesomeocean.com/2014/07/31/breaking-hsus-loses-charity-rating/

What Travis said.
The "article" on the above website was extremely biased, and not journalism at all..but that's the interweb!
Having said that, it's quite informative as to HSUS tactic (presuming it's accurate).

At one time Critter Control advertised that they were approved and recomended by the HSUS. It didn't hurt their bottom line one cent.
I dare any of you to advertise that you are against the HSUS and all they stand for and then report on your business for the next year or two.
If the HSUS advertised they used Tomohawk traps then I would advertised I used the trap they use themselves and piggy back along to the bank.

V3H, If I had anything to say about our on-line advertising, I would be more than willing to take on your dare. Our local Humane

Societies and rehabbers hate HSUS with a passion and I'm guessing that we would actually have an uptick in business if we did what

you dared. HSUS might be a big deal in Indiana but in Wisconsin they truly suck!

I'd take you up on it well but seeing as how half of mine is word of mouth.....

Well it's official wildlife act passed today in Michigan HSUS is gone for good there last and final attack back fired gives me goose bumps . No more politics in wildlife management glory days in the great lakes state

See Pesky: Never give up hope! I'm not talking about HSUS; I'm talking about you and me seeing eye to eye on the same subject. It can happen and did! Of all the despicable groups, HSUS is numero uno in my book! Hooray for Michigan!

 
In a move that sends a powerful message to anti-hunting groups across the country, the Michigan House yesterday approved a citizen-initiated law that gives sole authority on decisions related to Michigan fishing and gaming to the state’s Natural Resource Commission (NRC).
The Scientific Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act (SFWCA) overrides two ballot issues set to appear on Michigan’s November ballot that were introduced by the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS). The ballot issues were an attempt by HSUS to ban the hunting of wolves in the state’s Upper Peninsula.
In the face of yet another challenge from the D.C.-based animal rights group, Michigan’s sportsmen community did not back down. Groups including Citizens for Professional Wildlife Management, Michigan United Conservation Clubs, Michigan Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus, and many others contributed to the creation of this new legislation meant to combat the nonsensical initiatives pushed by HSUS.
The move by the Michigan state legislature to subvert HSUS’s latest attempt to restrict hunting rights garnered strong support from Michigan citizens. The petition to send the bill to the Legislature received over 297,000 signatures, far and away more than HSUS and its front group, Keep Michigan Wolves Protected, received for either of their initiatives.
While the hunting ban proponents relied on their typical animal rights messaging, the support for SFWCA was based on scientific research from state animal biologists, a need to be protected from a potentially dangerous species whose population has increased over the past few decades, and common sense reasoning that a ban on wolf hunting is harmful to citizens as well as the state’s economy.
The intent of the organizations and individuals who support Michigan wolf hunting is not a malicious one. They simply understand that properly regulated wolf hunting protects property, people, and Michigan’s ecological balance. That is why the limits have been maintained at a modest total, 43 in 2013 for example.
Hunting has been one of our nation’s most longstanding traditions. It provides a vast number of jobs and produces millions of dollars that stimulate the economy and fund conservation initiatives across the country. It’s important to remember that wildlife management programs based on science don’t just help protect jobs and property, but they ensure that animals are protected and the proper ecological balance is maintained in wildlife habitats across the country.
That has been the case in Michigan until recently. The wolf population has seen tremendous growth, which spurred the initial decision to remove them from the endangered species list, there. Wolves have been known to be especially aggressive towards cattle, hounds, and various other animals. Attacks on humans have been rare, but such occurrences cannot be ruled out when dealing with an aggressive species like the wolf that must compete with other predators to feed themselves and their offspring.
HSUS’s primary objective in attempting these ballot initiatives all over the United States is to inch closer to their goal of an all-out ban on hunting. With every defeat of these proposals, they lose public support, funding and the ear of public officials. More people begin to see them for their hypocrisy and extremism every single day.  Their reputation, which is based on a false image of caring individuals that only seek to help animals, slowly erodes as the reality of their money-hungry ways becomes more apparent.
Never forget this important fact about radical special interest groups: They care more about their radical agenda than who or what may be negatively impacted by it if they succeed. Whether they win or lose, the consequences of their actions don’t affect them; they only affect the citizens of the state they force their agendas on. States, cities, counties and their residents — all just pieces in their giant chess game.
But that is not what’s important here. The important takeaway from the passage of the Scientific Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act is that sportsmen are an important voice in our society. Like their counterparts across the country, Michigan sportsmen contribute greatly to their state’s quality of life, economy, and conservation efforts. Their victory in Michigan deals yet another blow to HSUS’s legislative agenda and sets an important precedent to secure Michigan conservation efforts that are based on facts and science, while preserving the rights and heritage of sportsmen throughout the state.

Maybe no one else caught this or maybe I missed it in another resply, so here's my take on it.

According to Tomahawk's response, Neighborhood Cats designed and built their own trap specifically for trap, neuter, release programs. Apparently this trap has some design advantages that these types of groups like. It looks to me like Neighborhood Cats licensed Tomahawk to make and market the traps and pay a royalty of $1 per trap sold. Pretty smart business if you ask me.

I don't see this as any different than the agreement they have with Comstock Traps. Jim designed and built an innovative trap and has licensed Tomahawk to make and market his trap too. I am sure he gets a royalty check for every one of his traps that they sell.

Just because you conduct business with someone does not mean you are wholly in agreement with their beliefs and morals. IF that were so, I would have a very limited clientele. Most of the people who are in almost total agreement with my beliefs are probably not going to need my services. For the most part, they take care of their own problems .

Well said Dirk!

Wonderful posts, Dirk and Pesky! I know that often we seem at different odds, but my old buddy, Red Green, said the truth, "We're all

in this together!"

What Dirk and Wink said.

As most of you know, I have had my disagreements with NWCOA. Still do and I am working through that. However, some important information on this particular thread has come to my attention and I think it needs to be here for all to see.

Tomahawk has agreed to put together a line of WCO traps with a donation going to NWCOA for every trap sold.

Have you ever wished for a trap that had certain features? As a professional in the wildlife control industry what do you want or need in a trap? Have an idea that would make a trap more roof/turf friendly or make our job easier?

Now is your chance to help create a cage trap developed for our industry. Tomahawk Live Trap plans to work in conjunction with NWCOA members and other operators to create traps that have the features professional WCO's want and need. Tomahawk will make a donation to NWCOA based on sales of this model of trap.

Even if you are not a member of NWCOA, they want to know what features would serve you best.

Thanks Tomahawk Live Trap for your dedication to our industry!

Design and feature suggestions should be forwarded to generalorganizer@nwcoa.com.

Thanks for info, Dirk. This should be a real challenge. Every time I think I have an idea to improve on a cage, I find out that my idea has shortcomings too. It's not going to be that easy to improve the normal raccoon and squirrel cages if you use the motto that "simpler is better!"

This is how the Ga. DNR litterally stopped the trapping of turtles and has severely limited markets. Michigan trappers lost that one. Right under their noses.