Often,while on the way home from work,I'll set out dog proof coon boxes with 220,s and run them in the morning on the way in. I put them behind donut shops or restaurants(with permission,they have coon problems, dumpster ect).Ive got a couple of latches on the boxes to make sure the traps stay in the box and are contained.Ive never staked them down and never felt the need to. An acquaintance got on to me little about not staking them.I got to thinking,mabee im missing something.Does anyone else see the need in staking them down?

I think the concern is if they reach in and set it off on a leg then they can drag your box around the front of the doughnut shop and make it so you don't trap there any more.

the stake or cable off to something is insurance

Agree time looking is wasted rather then a quick anchor job. A little cable and a snap hook saves time and keeps the low down on the low down that way. A dead coon in back of a store is not a problem like on dead one in front of a store.

And you never know when something will carry your catch off. I've had bobcats try to steal coon from me.

Always stake-better safe than sorry.Last thing we as trappers need is an animal running around with a trap on it,the public would not be forgiving.
Tom

I use a t-stake thru the box, going thru the 220 trap ring underneath, so it all stays right there

Got any bears in Michigan?

Yes,All good points. Seems like things happen when you're sure nothing will.A little insurance goes a long way

Wire them off. LLL

I don't claim to be coon trapper and don't really like trapping them unless have a good market. But when we do chase them it's 100% body grippers and you can be guaranteed there's always a few that are alive over the course of 3-4 week run. Don't ever rely on body gripper as sure fire coon killer on dry land. They'll crawl plenty far in right circumstances

All of mine get a cable extension and a quick link or snap link.

Ever catch a football sized dog or cat in what sounds like a city habitat? Probably worse PR than a coon dragging a box down the street. I'd anchor them behind the dumpster and then use the dumpster as needed!

I believe in securely anchoring / staking every trap, except for the common mouse trap. However, I even use a stake on rat snap traps - drill a hole in the wood bed then wire to a 10” landscape nail. A non-target animal may get caught, or carry off a caught animal. I do not want the associated headaches or bad PR.

I don't understand why one would not anchor securely and especially in your case with limited time for setting and checking and pulling before work and the public is active around your sets.

Bryce

I even anchor mouse traps.

I always wondered the same UNTIL I had one gone one day. Not a place where theft would be a concern. I looked around and found a BIG boar coon in a pond with a "seemingly" perfect catch with a strong #220. He had broken the 14ga wire and ran about 30 yards before getting into the pond and drowning.

Big Boar coon are tougher than we think sometimes.

Mine are all outfitted with cable and a swivel now.

Stake em down!

I think you got your answer, I'm not gonna add to it!

The dumpster is quite a ways off and its in an enclosure so not much chance of anyone seeing much except for the kid taking out the trash. With a concrete pad,cant really stake but wired to a couple of concrete blocks should do the trick.

Me neither

Have we all learned a lesson here today?