I was day dreaming of trapping the big critters and realized, I have never read about anchoring for them.
For those of you whom have had the opportunity to trap wolves or lions, how do you anchor your traps? What is your staking or drag set up?

I use either earth anchors or triple stake with 18" stakes.I'm sure I could get buy with double staking(talking about wolves).Keep in mind that when wolf season comes in,Dec 15th,the ground is frozen flint hard.My earth anchors are Dirt Dogs which are about 50% bigger than wolf fangs.Many wolves have been held in traditional coyote sets.Where I set for wolves,it's too open for me to feel comfortable using drags.

We can't trap mountain lions but I anchor bobcat sets so that lions can't take off with gear.This can be earth anchors or 1/8" cable or chains around trees.Anchoring solidly gives them a better chance to pull out.

Drag if you can 10 ft chain on drag 3ft. Chain on a trap. #3 chain is all I use.
Staking I use disposable using 1/8 cable or #3 chain most times both. Again using a longer trap chain 3ft.most times as keeps wolves from getting over the top of the stake.

Andy - for wolves I use a homemade pipe earth anchor and/or cable off to a tree with 1/8" cable. My basic setup is 8-10 feet of chain with a shock spring and lots of swivels. When I earth anchor I do it short - maybe 18-24" or so from the trap and then the end cabled off around a tree. I don't use the earth anchor alone since we have fairly loose soil and it's common for the woof to pump the anchor out. I routinely use the cable-around-tree alone too, and never had trouble. I double ferrule both ends of the cable. Wolf isn't coming out of a 750 or larger sized trap if you have a high pad catch. If it's thick timber or brushy the wolves are generally tetherballed around something anyway.

Trying a bunch of homemade drags and clogs in the mix this year after talking to a bunch of other wolf trappers at the ITA rondy in Salmon this last June. The only possible reason I have for using these systems is to get them out of sight, or to set someplace without a tree nearby, of which I have a few places I'm going to try. I'm still planning to earth anchor most since I don't have to worry too much about anyone seeing them.

I should add,my staked traps have 4' of chain.I have some set up with 10' chains and extra extension chains in 6' and 10',for other situations.

If you are holding wolf alive for a couple days in a foothold you want a heavy clog(not a drag).This allows them limited movement(like a shock absorber) and keeps them tired out-less chance they will escape the trap compared to solid staking.

Thank you. I was thinking the animals were so powerful it would take more than what you have mentioned. Heck I double stake, use 1/8th cable to trees or clogs, or #3 chain on drags for yotes and bobble kittys.

Never caught a wolf none around here yet but the dozen lions I have cought didn't fight the trap as hard as a yote I use drags on everything they never go far

Don't set for wolves here but have held plenty of them with 1.5 inch pogos. They'll pull the trap apart sometimes but never had one pull a pogo.