I'm new to the forum and to trapping. I caught two coyotes a few weeks back and just now have some time to put out my trapline again. I have a really good location where coyote trails intersect, at least three of them. I caught a big male there in early April. I reset that set where I caught him using a dirt hole set. This one isn't an issue, ground is fairly soft. Then I added a flat set and urine post set in the vicinity. The flat set and urine set are in the edge of a woods road. In both of these sets I could not get an anchor the full depth. My first one was with a Berkshire disposable and about half way down my driver pushed through the hole in the stake. The driver kept going, but not the stake, so I don't think I'm hitting rock. I managed to pull it up by hand (didn't have my stake puller with me...lesson learned). Then I used a super stake. Moved it slightly, but even it I could only get down about 10". I could not get it pulled back out. So I went ahead and set it as I normally would. Same thing with the urine post set. The ground so hard I could only get it half way down. I set it too with half the chain coiled up under the trap. So my question is two fold? Do you think the anchors are strong enough to hold a coyote as is? Or should I pull them when I check them tomorrow and try a different approach in getting them buried. I don't think relocating them is wise since I have urine, bait, etc. at those sets already. Any insight and info would be appreciated.

With a sodbuster hammer I'm surprised they couldn't be driven all the way in.
You could try the 12" earth anchors.
Maybe try some drags or rebar.
.

7/8" carbide tipped mason bit with a 20 volt cordless hammer drill. Predrill hole super stakes easy. Go deeper than you think in super hard ground as the anchor may not "bite" for a couple of inches when you pull to set it.

Thanks for the responses. Yep, used the sodbuster hammer and double handed it. Still wouldn't drive. Very hard Georgia clay. I like the idea of predrilling the hole. I had not thought of that.

Welcome to tman. Pull up a chair have fun.

If you can't pull the anchor out it shouldn't be a problem. Did you buy the berks made? I usually try to go at least 14" down, but if the anchor is solid at 10" it should be fine. When my ground is too hard I'll use tie offs/ extension cables tied to something like a tree shrub etc...
others will use drags.


I hate pulling sets until I pull the line. 9/10 times I get activity within a day or 2.

It is fun and addictive. The berkshires were bought ones with 15" cable, coudn't get it past 8-9". The superstake I got about 10" or maybe a little more but I couldn't budge it when I pulled on it. They have 18" of No 2 chain on them so just coiled up the chain up underneath the trap. My first trapline took 7 days for any activity and it was a Possum. Then I caught a yote on the 8th and 9th day, pulled them on the 10th day. I've been waiting for a chance to put them out so I leave them out about 2 weeks or so and this is the first chance I've gotten.

.....10” on a superstake is plenty in hard ground....you’ll have fun getting it out

Predrill hole . It will probably hold the way you have it but if ground gets soft it may not hold.

Glad you're having fun. Yes it's very addictive. Yup I've had the same experience with berks.

Good luck. Have fun and be safe

I mainly use pipe anchors

How does the pipe anchor method work?

It is a half inch pipe, cut at 45°angle on both ends, nut welded on top of pipe at shortest point, 1/8" cable in through the nut, driver has a 45° piece welded on to match pipe, after driving it in you hit the handle of driver to disengage the driver from pipe anchor, only time it might fail is if the nut is sheared off by a rock, real rare

Sounds like perfect location for drags, just pre-hook them so you don't have to look any further than chains length.

HVY duty Berkshires, modified, with the 1/8" hole drilled, as discussed here awhile back is a much better unit.

BUT, when I ran them, I ALWAYS pre-drove a hole with the driver, acting like a pilot hole, before driving the anchor.
Unfortunately, that means driving a hole 2 times per anchor.

More reason to run drags if a local sapling/log is handy to pre-hook.

Re Bar

Why cut them at a 45?

I have trouble with hard ground so as said go with 18 or 24 inch rebar

I made some of those but why cut both ends on a 45. It's a lot easier to have a square edge on one end for the driver. Then I crushed and welded the 45 end shut so It wouldn't fill with dirt when driving It.
The 45 allows for easier penetration.

And why weld a nut on the anchor? Just drill a hole In the anchor shove your cable through the hole so It comes out the end of the anchor. Smash on a nut and pull It back In.
Just make sure you drill your hole far enough down the anchor so the driver won't make contact with the nut.

Not disputing you, just have a question about it.

If you can drive in 2 foot of rebar, why can't you drive your driver in for a pilot hole and the use a disposible?

For me time management drive the bar in and done the anchor hold very but I can't find a driver that holds up if also it can be a little hard to get out I still use anchors but only in soft ground.

Here are some drivers from last season.

Imho, when the ground is that hard, go with rebar and long enough chain where stake pumping won't be an issue.

Like concrete man,if it requires,pounding in a pilot hole,I use a stake.Now,drilling a pilot hole is a different story.

By December,here,it gets close to impossible to drive anchors.I switch to all stakes then and in the last couple seasons,I started using a hammer drill and also a rotary hammer,which I can both drill pilot hole and chisel out trap beds.I can drill 2 pilot holes for cross staking,with little effort and can push the stakes in with my boot heel if I wanted to but no coyote can budge them.It saves a lot of wear and tear on the wrist and shoulder.That's especially helpful in rocky areas where you may drive a stake almost all the way in,several times till you finally miss all the rocks and get it down all the way.The drill can take the fight out of that and save your energy for other stuff.

I also use the drills for dirt auger work and have a 20V leaf blower that uses the same batteries,for blowing snow off sets,blending in or blowing out my traps.

Thanks for your answer.

I made my own driver, and it shows no wear but i don't have the soil being discussed. I do have rocks i drive past, but must not be the same.

I like cable stakes, but not in really Rocky ground. Drags hooked into brush or re rod. Seen places where even re rod was impossible.

..is why I love drags.
I can make 3 sets in the same time or less than making 2 sets requiring hammering in ANY stake, cable or rebar...especially cross-staking.

Last season some of the ground I trap was unbelievably hard, almost like frozen ground. Had to pass up places because it was too hard to chip out a trap bed. If I remember correctly you use dewalt tools? I'm thinking about a rotary hammer myself for this season. I take it you are happy with your setup? How do you use an auger bit with that bit system?

The 45° angle is what lifts and separates the driver from the pipe, when you hit the side of driver handle like I explained above, no I won't drill hole for cable, the driver has to go through and stick out in front of pipe at least an inch or two

Last season some of the ground I trap was unbelievably hard, almost like frozen ground. Had to pass up places because it was too hard to chip out a trap bed. [/quote]

Papio Crk Trapping Sply sells 1 of these, but I've never tried it:
https://m.ebay.com/itm/6-X-3-Double-Flig...uAAAOSw0e9Uv-di

There are places where drags won't work.
The ground I trap here In WI Is stake friendly. Even In the dead of winter I have no issues driving stakes (smooth rod)
I quit using rebar and went to smooth rod this last season and will never go back to Re Bar.

I use super stakes on all my land traps now a days. But the stakes have a fairly large diameter profile and in hard ground it seemed like it took a bit to drive them in. I have used a Milwaukee M 18 drill hammer and a long wood bit to drill a pilot hole which certainly makes it much easier to get the super stake in hard or frozen dirt. The last couple years I have been making my own super stakes out of 1/4th inch black standard pipe. I make them a little longer than regular super stakes. They sure do drive in way easier than their big fat brother. And they pull just as hard in dry packed dirt. Maybe in soft wet dirt they might not have the same holding power..... but I just drive them in deeper. I pull all my stakes with a handy man jack and just this year I made a super puller , much lighter.

Last season some of the ground I trap was unbelievably hard, almost like frozen ground. Had to pass up places because it was too hard to chip out a trap bed. [/quote]

Papio Crk Trapping Sply sells 1 of these, but I've never tried it:
https://m.ebay.com/itm/6-X-3-Double-Flig...uAAAOSw0e9Uv-di [/quote]

I really like the 2" to 3" auger. Thanks
My main question is how to use these augers with a sds system on the rotary hammer. Is there some kind of an adapter to make a non sds tool work??

[Papio Crk Trapping Sply sells 1 of these, but I've never tried it:
https://m.ebay.com/itm/6-X-3-Double-Flig...uAAAOSw0e9Uv-di [/quote]

I really like the 2" to 3" auger. Thanks
My main question is how to use these augers with a sds system on the rotary hammer. Is there some kind of an adapter to make a non sds tool work?? [/quote]

I bought two,SDS Plus,keyless chucks and have one on each of my two augers.

Ok, i see what you mean, thanks for that. After a little research I see where it says you can't use the hammer mode with the keyless chuck. How do you dig your holes?, with as big of masonry bit as you can get?

Earth anchors are for soft soil.

Sugar sand is the only place I'd bother with them again, personally.

Rebar is cheap (faster than any anchor other than sand)...and lasts a lifetime.

Don't get stuck thinking you need an earth anchor. I scrapped all of mine. Good riddance.

I have a 2" bit In my Cordless drill. To make the trap bed I just drill a few holes close together to break up the soil. Then after I have the trap bedded I use It to bore my dirt hole. I normally carry In shifted dirt so I can just remove the hard soil and discard It. Just keep enough native soil to top dress the soil you brought In.
But In my area I hardly have to use the dill system.

Most trapper hammers that are used for making trap beds aren't built right. A angled digging blade makes it a lot harder to dig a decent bed. In hard ground you would be better off using a small hand held hatchet. Or at least a hammer that has a digging blade that Is perpendicular to the hammer head.

I have the same system beav,it works good in normal conditions. This stuff in Texas isn't normal, it's so compacted a cat can barely scratch it. My shoulders and elbows can't hack all the extra digging. Trying to make this as easy as possible.

After looking at AJE post and link I noticed they sold an auger that starts at 2 inches and goes to 3 inches. After finding out your only supposed to use the hammer drill with the sds bits I have devised a plan. I will call Papio creek if possible and see if they can take a 18 inch sds masonry bit then make one of their augers, starting with the masonry bit then 1 inch to 2 inch then 3 inch to turn this puppy into a hammer drill/auger for dirtholes and trap beds.

Now my question is how long will a masonry bit stay sharp using it in dirt or whatever it is in Texas?

Taximan is the expert who taught me a couple great tricks for frozen hard ground. Read his post above and learn much.

I carry a Milwaukee 18 volt hammer drill with backup batteries. I ordered a few extra long carbide masonry bits made by Bosch. They are the best. 3/8”, 1/2”, and 1”. Drill for your stakes and use rebar. Double stake. Nothing gets away.

Carry a very stout lever puller and/or a hi lift jack. Backup for if and when something decides to freeze in.

In nice weather use cheap long ship auger bits to predrill stake holes. I carry a second Milwaukee 18 volt hammer drill with an auger bit.

As Taximan says it saves weR and tear on “worn in” body parts.

When all else fails, go home and get a big tractor with a front end loader.

Best wishes.

I will never use a steel stake for trapping again, with our soil you can sometimes have trouble with a 30" stake on a snare, a trap would be much worse, cable end has far superior swivel action
I won't use battery power on a trap bed, 2-3 wacks with a pick ax and bed is dug

Tac, you are a lucky man, you should go with to Texas one of these years and work ground that's not nice.

Pulaski Axe, or the convenience of modern apparatus.

I will use my Danuser auger and power in everything. Trap bed in 2 seconds, and sonotubes to anchor everything!

Anyone ever use concrete expansion bolts in big rocks for anchors? I have an amazing coyote location but it's nothing but rock and it's wide open so can't use drags confidently. I tried driving some bolts in and they seem solid just curious if anyone ever had them come loose from a coyote jerking around for hours. Highly doubt they would but looking for input. Bolted down a rebar attachment swivel I could hook trap chain to. Thanks

I really like your idea. Couple of questions. How long are they? Are you welding the point on them? And what are you welding on the side to attach your chain?

Thanks

JT

pre-drill hole for cabled wolf-fangs--- easy--- then cut to pull trap-- saves alot of wear on your person--- I would rather be setting and catching than jacking out an anchor or stake

This is by far....the BEST way.

Took me several years to finally realize speed and ease is better than saving a few dollars on truly disposable cable stakes.