Looking for everyone’s input here. Never tried this for coyotes, but have encountered a few good locations to set and gave up because I had a horrible time staking. This was several years ago.
Now I have a good bit of extra #2 American chain handy and am curious, if I would encounter that scenario again, could I use say 6’ of chain with several swivels and chain around a tree? If so, is there a better length to use? I have quite a bit of 3/16 quick links (the kind you screw closed - not spring clips). Would those be good to use? I did try to search this and found a few people saying anchoring around a tree is fine. Just wondering if my chain and quick links would be ok?

Thanks

Sure, I've done it many times and used cable too, and I used shock springs with it.

I say smoke em if you got em. Have met plenty here that that exact thing. Maybe a bit more chain so the critter can get off the set .

Thanks for the replies, guys. I have more cable than I can use right now, too so I will probably try both and incorporate some springs too. Is cable a one time use type of thing? I reuse stake cable but it is all treated and doesn’t seem to get beat up in the ground. I feel like the cable could end up being a kinked up mess which is fine too just wondering. Thanks again.

I think that’d be alright. Is there enough brush around to use drags? I think I’d go that route before chaining or cabling to a tree

Can get a lot of use out of cable as long as you dont have a lot of small trees and coons. Using 1/8 you can get many years of them. If you can find it in 7x19, it's even better.

I'll drag or cable wherever possible before banging anchors in if I can help it.

when you tie off to a solid tree you want your chain fairly tight so the animal doesn't get a lot of momentum. they usually just go in a circle then and get all wrapped up. you want a couple swivels right at the trap. anyplace else they will not be in play after the animal tangles and wraps up tight

Yeah, it might be that my cable wouldn’t be the best for this situation. I have 7x7 3/32.

Bob, Yeah there is a brush and I have considered drags. At the moment, I only have a few drags. I got them with the understanding that it didn’t take much, but am a little worried about a catch getting away with one. If it went the wrong way, these don’t have the weight to leave a great drag mark.

Anchoring to a tree works just fine, be it chain or cable. Pretty much my go-to for wolves. I use 1/8 cable extensions around the tree then a length of chain. If there's a smaller tree (6-8" or so) I'll just wrap the chain around and quick link off to itself. I try to leave some slack in the wrap around the tree to provide some swiveling although they usually tetherball themselves tight, so swivels up close are key as Danny pointed out.


Caught quite a few at this set:


Example during construction:


Results:

Jumperzee,
Thanks for the pics! That’s definitely what I had pictured in my head. Great example and nice pic. Is that a solid black wolf?

I like this thread.

I agree! I didn’t know we would get pics on this



Otis, am I understanding this correct - you tied a knot in the chain with the drag so it just stayed right right there rather than being a drag? I like that idea if one is running drags so you could do either way without changing a thing. I don’t blame ya - I wouldn’t want a trap to hold a bear.

I have an area that I trap that is mostly paved roads(not public) and most of the best locations are in the intersections of these roads. I can't drive a stake because of the gravel they used as a base for the road and have caught several coyotes using a 6-8 foot cable and a mb550. It really was a perfect idea until you catch a bobcat in a state you have to release them and they have 8' of freedom. Lol

Fishnhunts, that’s what I typically run is the MB550. Releasing a bobcat with 8’ of chain - I’d probably look like the guy in the bomb suit walking up on that. after a few cold ones, you could probably make a bet with a buddy and let him release it? Worth a shot I’d say

I use trees often during the winter to reduce disturbances in the snow on blind sets. I use a short piece of double looped 1/8" cable around the tree with both loops attached to a quick link on the chain to the trap. This way when the coyote circles the tree, the loop will spin around the tree freely and prevent entanglement.



Here is a photo of the catch circle around the tree.

Mr locklear runs a 10 foot chain on his drags for Texas bobcat. Watch his teachers of the night video for bobcats and you'll see he doesn't have to much of a problem. Just have the catch pole ready. Loll.

Make or buy a snare chaser if you're wanting to pin down animals on long chain/cable.

ArcheryGuy, thanks for the drawing and good pic. Another great idea.

SniperBBB, I just looked up the snare chaser. That’s pretty slick, too. Probably gonna wish one day I had one of those ready for long chain, but so far over the years, I’ve only had one animal that I needed to release and it was a very little bobcat. It worked out. But I bought a catch pole shortly after that adventure that week. He was a little cat not much larger than a house cat so we were able to release him without hurting us or him.

I really am liking the idea of using long chain right now though after this thread. Thanks a lot guys.

99* of all my snares and foot hold traps are anchored to a tree. With cable

I would hate to think of all the 100s of feet of cable and chain I would have to use to secure traps to trees In my area. And I'm not going to depend on trees to tie off my sets. I'll use a stake to put my trap where It needs to be not where a tree dictates where I put It.