Ordered a dozen for my son when he started setting traps, gary sent 2 extra with ring triggers to give a try and let him know how they were. We are still using them today, cam has some set around his chickens now. Very well built, and a great guy to add on top of it. We have other dp traps just dont like them as much, so they get handed out for borrowing, and 2nd in line to use when we run a coon line.

I was there and got some while there. Still have most of them to this day.

I had plenty of requests for bobcat and lynx encapsulated traps based on the Grizz Trap design. The Grizz Trap production did not leave me have time to pursue other designs. Not saying I will not do it, it can be done. Just have to get paw measurements for tube diameter and length. Spring design, restraint bar design all have to be considered as well.

Thank you for asking.

Gary

Probably around 3500 or so. Started with small run of the original Grizz's and then a dedicated run of the Grizz Grenade DP Trap. The pull ring trigger carried over to the V2 Grizz as an option. I invented the pull ring trigger for the DP traps. Spent the money for a patent, decided not to pursue it and now it is known as prior art. Everyone can use it. I did this on purpose so it couldn't be used against me.

Gary

I was one of the ones that inquired about a bobcat sized one years ago. I believe they would work

never happen . . .

'bout made me spit my coffee out this morning. That's funny.

the Beav is still trying to figure out how to stabilize them new fangled Connie bears . . .

I would like to know how many Bill Duke has sold. My bet, he getting traps to the states for less than a $.25 each.

I got my first griz traps at the 2003 NTA convention in Bloomington.
I clearly remember folks mean mouthing them because of the price and comparing it to how many more regular foothold traps you could buy with the same amount of money.
Most of them were not seeing the advantage it held because it could get you into areas that had raccoons that needed trapping but you had issues with domestic animals.
Live traps are way too bulky and we all know about the expense of a good quality live trap.

It made catching raccoons easier for beginners as well..which is a two fold benefit..
You really don’t make a mistake with. The griz like you do with the wrong foothold, raccoons are not kind to themselves when the wrong foothold is used,,
Not good for the raccoon and in today’s world of bad information traveling fast,, all it takes is one picture of a poorly caught raccoon and it goes viral.

The other benefit is we need all the help we can get to get the raccoon situation under control.. and the griz helps even the amateur dude to be able to catch them…
Compare a dozen griz to a quality cage trap and you clearly can see the advantage.

Good on you Gary,,,,

Once again I appreciate all of the comments, good or bad, in regards to myself and the Grizz Trap. When I invented the Grizz Trap in 1998, I did not have the options like we all have now.

On to the story....

The following check day was like every other check day. Knew when I caught a coon by the small tuff of fur floating in the water. As I mentioned earlier, all of my coon sets were setup on either wire or cables. I had a good reason...dog hunters. The ratio of dog hunters (coon) vs trappers, was almost 20 to 1. I wanted the coon dead and under the water. The local coon hunters were very concerned about their dogs getting caught. Later on, I needed their help in testing the Grizz Trap concept.

Made my way to the last set....no catch. Noticed most of the bait gone out of the end of the pipe...coon couldn't reach all of it. Decided to pull the pipe out further... roughly 20 inches hanging out over the water. Rebaited pipe again. Left the trap in the same spot as before. Went home. The second check day, same as before, bait gone. Now the game was on.....had a coon teaching me a lesson. Turned this set into a non productive set. Pulled the tube out till the end was 30 inches out of the bank and 2 ft above the water. Water depth was almost 3 ft at the end of the pipe. Moved the trap along the waters edge. Baited to tube again. The 3rd check day couldn't come fast enough. As I got closer to the set....nothing. Noticed the tube was pulled down toward the water....bait was gone! I said a few choice words and cursed that coon to no end....and then something caught my eye....at the base of the pipe on each side was the back foot impression with the toes pointed up. I got closer...the muddy front paws of the coon were on top of the pipe. The coon had hung under the pipe, got to the end and used one paw to clean the bait of the pipe to eat it. Once done, dropped in the water and swam back to the bank. That coon taught me a very valuable lesson that day....use a coons natural instinct against it. Make the hole the trap! I pulled my line that day. I had an idea....

More to come....

Gary

In the trapping world, ideas don't come easy. Today most people would simply ask their phone a question and AI would find it...sort of. I didn't have that luxury back then. Everything was done "the old fashioned way." I was lucky to work for a furbuyer less the 5 miles away as the crow flies, so to speak. Chuck would buy carcuss coon from the local coon hunters when they drove out of state to the northern states to hunt. The guys brought back monster size coon....I simply got my tape measure and started measuring and taking notes. Notes that would lead to the design of a unnamed coon trap. I measured the coon's front paw width, length, paw when opened, closed position, forearm length, forearm diameter, forearm taper and paw taper both ways. Coon weights 10 to 30 pounds plus. My theory was to design the trap around the coon's front foot structure. I wanted the front foot held in the correct position, once the trap fired, across the pad of the foot. Measurements aside, came the fun part....the design stage.

The design stage was tough.... nothing out there to go by. Designs that seemed impossible and impractical. I just wanted a working prototype. Was time to get busy.... trapping season was only months away....

More to come...

Gary