Tru Catch Traps

What Tru Catch Traps does

Tru Catch Traps, founded in 1987 by Cy Bidwell and headquartered in Belle Fourche, South Dakota, manufactures humane live animal traps, animal carriers, restraint carriers, bird traps, and accessory hardware. The company operates as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Manufacturing Systems Incorporated (MSI), with leadership held by Todd Bidwell (President) and Doug Bidwell (Vice-President) following a 2012 succession. All products are hand-made at the Belle Fourche facility and carry a 5-year guarantee against animal damage. The product line is differentiated by patented mechanical features including the EZ Release rear door (automatic release when the trap is inverted), a variable trigger setting mechanism, a positive-catch self-locking door, and a steel-panel skunk enclosure that protects handlers from spray, bites, and scratches. Traps range from the Tuffy 24 (kitten/small mammal) to the 72D Extra Large (6-foot unit for alligators and mountain lions), with companion carriers, restraint cages, recovery cages, and accessories forming an integrated trap-to-clinic workflow.

The company sells through direct-to-consumer e-commerce at trucatchtraps.com and an active hand-picked dealer network covering the entire United States, with FedEx shipping for standard orders and freight for oversized units. Pricing spans roughly $0.99 (carabiner door clip) to $743.99 (72D Extra Large), with bulk SKUs, free shipping thresholds, and custom-color minimum orders supporting institutional procurement. Customer segments include humane societies, animal control departments, wildlife professionals, TNR (Trap-Neuter-Return) programs, farmers/ranchers, and individual consumers worldwide. Marketing is conducted primarily through the e-commerce site, how-to videos on YouTube, an email newsletter, and a Facebook page, supplemented by TNR awareness merchandise.

No funding rounds, acquisitions, executive hires beyond the 2012 family succession, or public revenue disclosures are recorded in the source material. The business model is straightforward unit-priced hardware sales with no software, SaaS, subscription, or AI component, and growth signals are limited to incremental product and channel extensions within the niche.

Name

Tru Catch Traps

Legal name

Tru Catch Traps

Website

https://trucatchtraps.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1987

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Tru Catch Traps is a Belle Fourche, South Dakota-based manufacturer of hand-made humane live animal traps, carriers, and accessories, selling direct-to-consumer and through a US dealer network to humane societies, animal control departments, wildlife professionals, and TNR programs worldwide since 1987.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Humane Animal Traps & Carriers

NAICS

Hunting and Trapping (11421), Pet and Pet Supplies Retailers (45991)

SIC

Fishing, Hunting And Trapping (900)

akta.pro primary industry

Rodent Control Products (Baits, Traps, Stations) (CRAJAHAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Wildlife Deterrence & Relocation (Outdoor Nuisance Animals) (HSAIANAG), Humane Wildlife Deterrence & Exclusion (Eco-Safe Methods) (HSAMALAE), Animal Handling & Housing Equipment (Stalls, Headlocks, Chutes, Gates) (AFAAAIAK)

Keywords

• Humane animal traps
• Live animal traps
• Wildlife control equipment
• Animal carriers
• Trap accessories

Headquarters

HQ city

Belle Fourche

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Product Sales: Direct sales of humane live animal traps, carriers, bird traps, and accessories to customers including humane societies, animal control departments, wildlife professionals, and individuals. Products are sold at various price points ranging from under $10 for small accessories to over $700 for large traps.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Tru Catch Traps designs, manufactures, and sells humane live animal traps (small, large, and bird traps), animal carriers and restraint cages, and complementary accessories such as dividers, wheel kits, trap tools, and gate latches. All products are hand-made from steel wire mesh in Belle Fourche, South Dakota, and sold direct-to-consumer via the company's e-commerce site and through a US dealer network to humane societies, animal control departments, wildlife professionals, farmers/ranchers, and individuals.

Product overview

Tru Catch Traps is a manufacturer of humane live animal traps, animal carriers, and accessories founded in 1987. The product portfolio consists of four main categories: Small Animal Traps (Tuffy 24, 30LTD, 30D, 30FCD Fat Cat, 36D), Large Animal Traps (42D Homesteader Deluxe, 48S Coyote Deluxe, 48D Elite Deluxe, 48F Folding Trap, 60D Maxie Deluxe, 72D Extra Large), Bird Traps (B26D, 36RD, 42RD), and Animal Carriers (T18E, T18TE, T24TE, T24E, T42E, RC18, RC24, Feral Cat Recovery Cage). The ecosystem includes compatible accessories such as trap dividers (TD-1, TD-2), Wheel Kit, Ketch-All Pole, Trap Tool, Trap Handle, Handguards, Carabiner Door Clip, Name Plates, and trap trays. The company also offers promotional TNR items including T-Shirts, magnets, and pet food covers. All products are hand-made in South Dakota with a 5-year guarantee against animal damage.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• 30LTD - Light Duty Animal Trap Humane live animal trap designed for catching stray and feral cats, rabbits, and other small animals. 30-inch length with slide-up rear door release.
• 30FCD - Fat Cat Animal Trap Humane trap designed for larger cats that are too big for the 30LTD, providing more room for animals to move while captive.
• Tuffy 24 - Kitten Trap Trap designed for kittens, small cats, squirrels, weasels, minks, and similar small animals. The only production trap without a rear release door.
• 30D - Wildcat Deluxe Trap All-around small animal trap for raccoons, cats, skunks, rabbits, and other small animals.
• 36D - Classic Deluxe Animal Trap All-purpose trap for raccoons, fox, possum, cats, small dogs, and other wildlife.
• R24 - Skunk Trap Enclosed trap designed for skunks or armadillos. Full steel panel enclosure protects handler from being sprayed, bitten, or scratched.
• 42D - Homesteader Deluxe Trap commonly used for medium dogs, raccoons, bobcats, and similar sized domestic and wild animals.
• 48S - Coyote Deluxe Trap designed for coyotes but effective for large dogs and similar sized wild animals. Features rear door for easy baiting and release.
• 48D - Elite Deluxe Trap for large dogs, coyotes, and similar sized wild animals. Designed for capturing and transporting large dogs.
• 48F - Folding Trap Large animal trap that folds into a convenient size for storage and transport. Recommended for large dogs or other large wildlife, with rear door for easy baiting and release.
• 60D - Maxie Deluxe Second-largest trap in the lineup, used for large dogs and similar sized domestic and wild animals.
• 72D - Extra Large Animal Trap Largest production trap at 6 feet long, proven effective for relocating alligators, mountain lions, and other large animals.
• B26D - Bird Trap Pigeon trap made from welded steel frame with 14 gauge 1 inch by 1 inch wire mesh. Multiple-catch humane live trap with heavy duty handle.
• 36RD - Bird Trap Bird trap for small roosters. Built with steel wire, wire mesh, and heavy duty handle.
• 42RD - Bird Trap Bird trap for larger roosters. Multiple-catch humane live trap with design for easy bird release and removal.
• T18TE - Carrier Animal carrier for transporting medium-sized animals including feral cats and small dogs. Features top and end doors for convenient handling and release.
• T24TE - Carrier Animal carrier for transporting medium-sized animals including cats and small dogs. Compatible with 30FCD, 36D traps, and RC24 restraint carrier.
• T18E - Carrier Durable humane carrier primarily designed for transporting animals. Features slide-up rear door.
• T24E - Carrier Lightweight carrier for transporting medium-sized animals including cats and small dogs.
• T42E - Carrier Largest carrier for transportation of large animals. Compatible with 42D and 48S traps.
• RC18 - Restraint Carrier Restraint carrier that allows handler to restrict animal to one side of the cage for vaccinations and treatments. Compatible with 30LTD and 30D traps.
• RC24 - Restraint Carrier Medium-sized restraint carrier for confining animals during vaccination and treatment. Allows captor to move animal to one side of the cage while at the clinic.
• Feral Cat Recovery Cage (FCRC) Cage providing animals with a safe recovery room for difficult-to-handle cats following surgery. Features multiple doors for easy transfer from trap or carrier.
• Feral Cat Recovery Cage Set (FCRC Set) Bundle including Recovery Cage and Steel Tray. Provides safe recovery room for difficult-to-handle cats following surgery.
• TD-2 Small Trap Divider Divider for small animal traps that allows animals to be moved in carrier or trap for feeding or clinical treatments.
• TD-1 Large Trap Divider

Quantifiable outcome

• 98% catch rate claimed for Tuffy 24 trap

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Manufacturing Systems Incorporated (MSI)coreOthersTru Catch Traps is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Manufacturing Systems Incorporated (MSI), an integrated systems manufacturer. MSI encompasses several divisions including Agricultural Products, Automotive and Industrial Equipment, and Animal Care and Control Supplies. Located near the center of the nation in Belle Fourche, South Dakota, MSI's distribution covers the entire United States.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Emerging players

• Aspectek: Online-first seller of live animal cage traps and pest control products with overlapping SKUs at lower-to-mid price points, competing in the same e-commerce channel.
• Kness Pest Defense: Manufacturer of snap and live traps for rodents and small animals sold through retail and farm supply channels, competing in overlapping end-user segments at lower price points.

Broad incumbents

• Terminix (Terminix Global Holdings): National pest control services company that purchases traps and wildlife control equipment at scale for its service operations, an indirect channel partner and adjacent incumbent.
• AP&G (Catchmaster): Major manufacturer of professional and consumer rodent control products including glue boards and mechanical traps, with broader pest control product portfolio and institutional distribution.
• Bell Laboratories: Leading manufacturer of professional rodent control products (snap traps, bait stations, attractants), serving pest management professionals and competing for the same institutional and government buyers.
• Woodstream Corporation: Parent of Havahart, Victor, and Safer Brand, a multi-brand incumbent in humane traps, traditional traps, and organic pest control with significantly larger scale and broader product portfolio.
• Orkin (Rollins): Major pest control services provider that is both a potential B2B customer for humane traps and a broader competitor in the wildlife management service category.

Direct peers

• Victor (Woodstream Corporation): Woodstream's traditional snap trap and rodent control brand, competing in the same pest and wildlife control category with broader retail distribution.
• Havahart (Woodstream Corporation): Woodstream's flagship humane live cage trap brand, the closest direct competitor offering similar live animal traps, cage traps, and related accessories to consumers and animal control professionals.
• Tomahawk Live Trap: Long-standing manufacturer of live animal traps and snake tongs, selling direct and through dealers to wildlife professionals, animal control, and hunters, with overlapping product sizes and use cases.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/TruCatchTraps1
• Facebookfacebook.com/trucatchtraps
• Xx.com/trucatchtraps
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/tru-catch-traps

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Tru Catch Traps