No-BS Traps

Every once in a while a person comes into an industry and turns it on its head. Maybe they see things differently, they aren’t happy with the status quo, and they push the limits of product development and take things to the next level. Craig O’Gorman did it in the trapping industry nearly half a century ago when he became a trendsetter for the elite trapper. Clint Locklear came along a couple decades ago, dragging the industry kicking and screaming into modern marketing and technology, and new ways of thinking. And in a way, I believe Kendall Obermier is doing the same thing today with the development of No-BS traps.

The No-BS line of traps is a departure from the modern day status quo of low-cost, assembly line, made-for-everyone traps. Kendall took all the things he disliked about modern traps and fixed them his way. Stronger springs. Thicker, heat treated steel. Welds instead of rivets. Heavy duty chain. Bolted in trap jaws. Low profile pan and high lockup lever and jaw design. Durable trap coating from the factory. All of these things set the No-BS traps apart from the rest.

No-BS currently makes six models of traps:

KO 1.5 (raccoon/mink trap)

KO DP (dog proof raccoon trap)

KO K-9 X-treme (coyote trap)

KO K-9 X-treme Jr. (fox/coyote trap)

KO Beaver X-treme

KO X-treme Wolf Trap

The X-treme traps all offer a similar design and are super rugged and effective. They feature ¼” thick steel frames and jaws. The traps have a dogless design with the pan block welded onto the inside of the jaw and the pan setting below the jaws for easier trap bedding and better paw catches. The pans have a large coverage area and a night latch design. Jaws are bolted in to eliminate the chance of popping out. Levers and jaws are heat treated and jaws have cleanouts to eliminate dirt buildup. The X-treme traps are also hand-made in the U.S.A. With their rugged, innovative design, the No-BS KO traps have gained quite a following in the trapping community in a few short years, a following that’s likely to continue to grow.

The disadvantages of the No-BS traps? Lots of folks (myself included) have had trouble with pan tension, but that can be fixed easily once you figure it out. The high cost deterred me a bit at first, but the traps have become more cost effective relative to the rest of the market recently. For instance, you can pick up a dozen K9 X-treme Jr.’s for not too much more than MB-550’s. If you haven’t tried them already, No-BS traps are worth taking a look at.