I'll bet over the course of thirty or sixty years rebar turns out more profitable. If you trap the same ground each year they can be left on site, whether you walk or ride a horse.

All my earth anchors are free except for the cable. So just removing the trap Is all I do.
I did go to some 1/2" smooth rod this past season I really like It but even with cross staking I had 2 coyotes pull the system. I recovered one that same day but the other one got out on the marsh and the Ice was un safe and I had to give up.
Both situations were my fault the ground was pretty wet and I should have gone with longer re bar or not set It. Smooth steel doesn't hold as well as re bar.

I double stake with rebar.

I use both but a lot more rebar. I like to move traps often and cable stakes are a pain to pull and/or rebuild.

Easier then building re bar stakes.

I said rebuild beav. Meaning I don't have to rebuild rebar because I can pull them. Plus I've been welding for quite a long time. I think I can build a rebar stake as fast as you could build a cable stake. lol

Actually I just quickly figured up costs, I have $6 in rebar and about $.80 in washers to build a dozen 24" long 3/8" rebar stakes, which are the most common stakes I use. So about $1.50 more per dozen, by the time you add in welding wire and gas, than buying a dozen wolf fang stake heads and building your own cable stakes. Now figure I'd have to cut one out of 20 and rebuild them, because I can't pull them, plus the special driver (that will also likely need rebuilt at some point) and I know I am money ahead with the rebar in only maybe a couple years.

Like I said though I use both because there are times where I need the extra holding power of the cable stakes.

Old habits die hard.

If it ain't broke, don't fix it also comes to mind!

I agree. ^^^

Some folks are slow to learn...

If I order some wolf fangs( my design to begin with) my buddy asks how many, I say 500. Then he builds me a 1/2 doz drivers along with the disposables. I don't think I will ever run out of them.

Try setting up 10 dozen DP traps and move them every three days and see how long you stick with those pogos. lol I only got to do this one season before the prices dropped but I still have the DPs (plus some) and enough rebar stakes for them all.

You don't move the anchors just the DPs.
When we could road trap I would go out the week before the season and drive in 2 anchors at each culvert and trail. Opening day run and gun and never had to drive a stake. When the location went dead I just removed the DP or 160 and moved on to better locations. And of coarse the anchors were already In place.
I just used a short piece of 3/8ths flat stock with the cable attached to It. Then I just would fold cable flat against the flat stock and shove It through the stake swivel on the trap. Took about 4 seconds to place the trap and get out. Traps pre baited and pre set.
As far as I know all those earth anchors are still In place.

It takes nothing to hold coons so earth anchors would be over kill.

You'd spend more money in gas prestaking than its worth, plus finding that little loop of cable would be a nightmare. Trails change every year so then what? Rebuild, more $$$$. Not every one has a free source of stake heads.



Correct, that is why rebar is the best choice. Hated to have to explain it to the guys calling us slow learners.

So you never scout an area before you trap It? Scouting and pre anchoring just makes sense If your going to be efficient at your trade.
It must be different In Iowa. Because here In WI most of these trails are In the same place every year.

No need to scout an area I've trapped for 35 years. The trails may be in the same area but maybe 2 feet away rendering your stake from last year useless. Finding the pre staked anchor would take a lot longer than just pushing the stake in when you set the trap.

Well you don't have to worry about something pulling up a earth anchor! We've had two things so far pull up rebar stakes. A coyote and a bobcat. The bobcat was caught at a skunk / possum/ coon set and pulled up an 18" rebar. The coyote was caught at a predator set and she pulled up a 24" rebar. My personal preference are earth anchors! Buy a T-post puller or a super stake puller to get them up!

I use a lot of 1/2" x 24" rebar stakes, and double staked in my dryland trapping, single staked for mink or coon. But I use them for everything. Rebar with a washer welded near the top.

I don't own a T-stake yet, but am toying with building a pile of 24" to 30" stakes for water trapping.

Yup, rebar is great for dp’s but so is tying off to a tree limb or a small anchor of some sort. Lots of options.

But for most other land trapping the earth anchor really shines.

I bet you can too. And it's reusable for ever.