Bingo Kinley31....agreed. Lee's Death Ray was a game changer for some trappers working near people where firearms are NOT allowed and blood was frowned upon.
Gimmicks. Call them what you will...some are/were tools made by trappers that helped THEM on THEIR trapline.

Again apples to oranges. Lee developed a heck of a tool for a real need and buikt it to.last how is that the same as a plastic bone or turd?
Lee didnt build it to just make a quick buck either

As far as us not being near as bad as bowhunting
I disagree. It may be worse! we are a smaller group with alot more difftent supply company putting 4 dallor materials togeather to sale for 20 bucks a pop to new trappers.

How is that compareable to quality tools?

I remember thinking the first DP's were a gimmick.

HA! Me too!

Did someone actually sell plastic turds? Never saw that ad, lol.
I think that the real problem would be a new trapper thinking he needed all the extra gadgets before he could catch stuff. Like buying mail boxes for mink sets. Sure, it might work, but you sure don't need it. Or 25 different lures when you only need a few good ones.

Bingo thats exactky the point.
And yes several actually

Remember the soup can coon trap?

I get a kick out of the glow in the dark products (trapping trappers). Also lure sellers that post catch pictures in trail sets and the animals were harvested in conibears. I'll admit to falling for some of the smoke and mirrors over the past fifty years, but I'm pretty confident that I can spot a gimmick and a fast buck chaser a little better in my social security years (which in itself is a Ponzi scheme).

All outdoor industries have them, especially hunting fishing and trapping. It depends on the maturity of the individual who falls for them but millions have been made millions will be made.

Duck hunters are bad for that, willing to try anything that's claimed to suck in those ducks a little better.... I used to buy some of that stuff, cause heck, I've wasted money before on crap, lol

somehow it never made a difference....