Hey guys, all of my beaver and otter sets are usually cabled to trees. However, I’m finding a lot of spots I’d like to set, but there’s no trees to tie off to. What kind of staking methods do you guys use in situations like this? I’m pretty new to otter trapping, but I know there very strong. The traps are 280 and 330 magnums that are fully submerged. Thanks

I have trapped otter and beaver only one year. 330's with saplings for stakes thru both spring loops, extra length of chain (4-5') attached to trap chain, staked down with a 18-24" T stake. If the saplings are driven in enough the target may not even move after being caught. However, I hope someone else will give a more experienced answer.

Railroad plates or rebar stakes with a tee on top,length would depend on the soil.Cender blocks will work.

cable stakes will work good in some ground.
rebar aint ever let me down tho lol had to make some just for the river here years ago to tie off some snares dang banks was deep sand stakes ended up being 5 footers.

I have to be careful how I ask this as I asked a similar question and it got removed.

1.) On railroad plates, can I use just one? Or do I have to use more than one? I would like to just use one per set. Do you think one alone would work?

2.) Secondly, unrelated to plate method: On cable method, is this ok? Do I need to use a plate/cinder-block or is morning dispatch an ethical solution? I would like to do this of course but I want to do what is right.