So I'm gonna make a couple of drag setups for yotes and cats where I have traps near forest roads and don't want my catches to stay in sight. I'm sure I'll get a variety of answers here, but what's a good chain length to use on a grapple style drag? Will be trapping in the thicker woods of North Idaho. Lot of cedars and firs and such.

Minimum of 8’

So would 10 be better, with lots of swivels?

All of mine are on at least 10 feet of chain, sometimes 12 or 13 feet, with at least 3 swivels or more.

10 ft of chain, and however many swivels you use, keep them up close to the trap. They aren’t much good farther down on the chain after it wraps around the brush.

Dfabs, yeah that's kinda what I figured. Thanks.

Lions will test the quality and hardness of your drags, chain and swivels. I had a drag I used for years on coyote an bobs but a lion straightened one of the prongs out. Had to use old Bud dog to find him as the snow had melted. My advice is to over build your equipment if you are in big cat country. Just my two cents.

That ain't a bad idea Larry. We have a good amount of lions and bears up here. No tigers though. I do tend to go on the heavy side on all my 3 to 4 foot chains attached to my double staked traps. Like you said, I got a buddy who has real good hounds here, so worst case scenario he has offered to let me use his hounds.

If your worried about lions put another drag Midway in your chain that'll hold one.

What type of drags do you all use ?

I use 10 feet of chain. I have a wide variety of drags, favorite thus far is the sabre tooth. Wanna try some JC conners, they look great.

I usually add 8 to 9 feet of chain to the factory trap chain so I end up with about 10 feet total. Also some times I tie a 3 to 4 inch by 3 to 4 foot limb about 2 feet behind the drag. I do not like wasting valuable time looking for an unwanted catch (Lion).
I have several types of drags, some home made and some purchased. My most used drags were purchased from John Grahams "Fur Country Lures" out of Lusk Wyoming. They are well made and have a bail on the back to attach a limb or extra weight.
I also use and like steel fence post as drags and sometimes add and extra weight behind them. Its a lot to carry but old window weights or worn out plow shears work really good to attach to the back of your drags. If you are trapping out of a pickup or side by side that helps to haul the stuff.
What I use for a drag is determined by the amount of cover in the area I am trapping for the critter to tangle up.

Having big predators in your area really changes how you attach your traps. If staking traps solid I try to stake like I will catch the biggest critter in the area.
Just my two cents, hope this info helps out.

Ok since we are talking about drags here's my situation.

I have this one farm that probably covers a 1000s acres. This Is wide open country and there Is about 6" of top soil over pretty much solid rock. I don't know how he grows a crop but he does. Scattered through out these areas are Un tilled parcels most are about 1 acre In size. Lots of brush small trees growing and a dumping area for brush and rocks. Coyotes are working these areas and I have caught some along the edges but I have also lost some do to stake pulling.
So what do you think about this system? So If I take about 10 feet of chain attach It to a standard sized cement block then to the trap. Make my sets at certain locations along the edges of this un worked ground then just toss the block back In the brush. I'm concerned about using standard type drags since the coyote might just head out across the open fields. And this next season all that ground Is going to be planted In beans. Do you think the block will do the job?

Beav you already know it will work plus it is better than a pickup box full of old truck tires