I was curious with all the different types of DP traps out there, it seems like the patents were all a waste of money for the manufacturers. Anyone know the scoop?

I know Gary has a patent on the stake of the Lil Griz. That is the only one that seems to have held up.

At the NTA I saw another Gold DP trap that I had never seen before. It just seems like they keep coming out with new ones every year.

Patents are only worth it if you defend and have the money to defend.

The golden DP's your talking about are made by a guy named Mike, he's the same guy that was making all go Gary's traps (Lil Griz). He own's a machine shop in Union, Mo. by the name of Savco. He had a ton of inventory left over after Gary sold to Sterling. So he changed the staking system to the spade stake system and he is zinc coating all of the DP's. He also has renamed then to the coon shackle, his web site is TrapsUSA.com
Mike's a great guy and was selling at the NTA for $100 a dozen.

Are you sure about the part that Gary sold to Sterling? Gary also sold the V2 Grizz with the zinc coating. I have a few. I also have a dz of the TrapsUSA with the same staking system as the Sterling Grizz, they are also zinc coated.

Patents are like locks on doors. They only stop those that respect other people's property and ideas anyways. IMO

Well you can call or go visit Mike and he will tell you the whole story of what happened with him & Gary

No comment lol.....

I have visited with Gary several times at conventions and at his shop. We communicated a little around noon today. He's a good guy, and I really like his traps.

Edit: I don't have anything bad to say about this subject. And, I've heard the story from Gary and Gary never said anything bad about Mike, although he did mention him as being the one doing the zinc coating on his (Gary's) traps. At least that sounds like the same guy from my memory of what Gary said.

I've heard this from Gary, and I've heard him tell others. The DP concept isn't his. It's been around. He just took the idea and created a trap. Then he tweaked it, then tweaked it again, then came up with the V2. If the coon market hadn't fallen, the V2 would've taken off more than it did.

Nobody can deny that his Grizz traps changed coon trapping though. Since then, there's been a lot of history. Interesting, but not worth arguing about.

Actually Mike has Heartland Metal Finishing in Salem, MO. do the zinc coating on the traps.

I'm not good with names, so I apologize for confusing the names. I know that Gary had someone in MO do the zinc coating on his traps and parts for the Grizz's were manufactured in MO. There's been at least four people build a DP in MO and market it. The first was Gary, as far as I know.

Yeah Gary was the 1st. I was at Mike's shop yesterday and got the grand tour and the story while I was there. Mike's shop is very impressive

Here's the versions I have.
L-R Original Grizz trap, Sterling Grizz, TrapsUSA (originally zinc coated), V2 with original style Grizz stake, and V2 Grizz with shark-tooth stake.

I don't think Sterling Fur ever carried/sold the Sterling Grizz. Part of the reason I question their involvement, despite the name.

I kind-of like the newer model TrapsUSA staking system.

Was notified about this thread and there are a few things that need to be cleared up.

Mike makes the Coon Shackle DP Trap. The CS is not made from left over Grizz Trap inventory since there was no Grizz Trap inventory. That inventory includes the old style Grizz Trap, Grizz Grenade and the Sterling Grizz. The CS originally used the Grizz Trap "V" shaped anchor until Mike changed over to the Duke style anchor.

In 2011, I had made plans to come out with an updated Grizz Trap called the V2 Grizz. I had to sell my remaining inventory to make room for the new V2. I offered the Grizz Trap at the 2011 NTA Convention as a 10 year anniversary special. Sterling Fur Co expressed interest if I had any remaining inventory left after the convention. Sterling Fur Co bought the remaining inventory of the original Grizz Trap and Grizz Grenade. Keith asked me if I was ever going to build the round tube style DP trap again and I said I had no plans for it since I was going to a different tube style. I asked if he was interested in a signature series Grizz Trap called the "Sterling Grizz" with improvements over the original Grizz. Production was for 30,000. Problem was that Mike overrun production by 8,000. After negotiations with Sterling Fur, sold another 4,000 + or -. Sterling Fur did not want the remaining 4,000 overruns so I bought them from Mike. Currently I have been putting them together and getting rid of them when I can. So all the rumors about Sterling Fur Co buying me out are false. I simply sold them old Grizz inventory and made the Sterling Grizz for Keith.

As for Mike....He is a great guy and extremely gifted. I have nothing against Mike and consider him a friend. I need to stop by his shop and visit for awhile. The coon market and the passing of a very close friend and mentor have taken the wind out of my sails so to speak.

Thank you,
Gary

Thanks for the clarification Gary. I apologize, AGAIN, for getting some of the names/history wrong.

X's 2 Gary sorry & I apologize too.

Right on Gary, I stand with you man!

No apologies are necessary. When I first came up with the Grizz Trap concept, I never dreamed of what it would become. What started out as a solution to a coon problem on my line quickly turned into a new style of coon trapping. Hopefully the coon market gets better.

Gary