It will work if it is of decent size and not compromised by rust.

critters don't care if it's heavy like WD's or not and pre-hooking in timber allows light drag use AND not wasting time looking for critters, PLUS they leave all their scent near the set to attract more.

IME heavy drags are best for open grassy areas

a few swivels in the first 2 ft of chain is essential regardless of weight or chain length

Most will say not to use/trust it...I have 2 yellow labs that are hard on everything, and my 1st double loop chains lasted a couple years (tied up all the time). The swivels mid chain actually wore out before the chain, although some of the loops were wore/stretched pretty good. I'm not sure of the size, but I'd say it was #3. My opinion would be to use it, and check it after EVERY catch, but I haven't used drags before either. Good luck.

I run 2+ dz traps with 10 to 12 ft 2/0 loop chain. I use a 3/8 smooth rod coyote drag. I use a Duke #3 offset 4 coil. I run 4 swivels the first 4 ft. I use this setup on public land. If someone steals it. Not like losing a mb 650 or bridger #2 dogless modified trap. With a sabertooth drag and 10ft of #3 chain. I prehook 98% of them. I make sure the loop chain is dyed good so it dont rust. No issue with the loop chain.

Just got a fish scale and figured I'd check. Turns out my 5/8" drags are right around the 4lbs mark

Those are bad-a no matter what they weigh! If you don't mind, I will fashion mine after yours. Thanks for sharing!!

Great looking drag. I bet they will work good. I have some 1 inch. Do u think I could make the frame out of it. Then make points out of 5/8. Just single peices not doubled on the 1 inch. I can get my hands on up to 3 inch I think it is. But way too big.

Do it!

I use old style fox grapples and ~8'-10' of heavy chain, think sides off tire chains of the chain that used to be used for play ground swings, chain stays in contact with ground and the grapple doesn't need any weight, in woods. I usually prehook but that long chain will catch at the first thing the animal runs around, which is usually the first thing it comes to as it tries to hide. (think about walking through a jobsite dragging a 50' extension cord and how many things that can get caught on- a 10' or longer chain doesn't need to be as heavy gauge as an 8' because as a chain gets long it will automatically have more ground contact)
Chain and hook together might weigh a pound or pound half. I can carry several with traps on a walking line. weigh about the same two 24" stakes and set faster.
You could not give me any three pound anchors if I had to use them, I'd take a few if i could sell them or give then out to guys I don't like..

My drag situation is different than most of you but my question is do you often get the chain wrapped around the base of the grapple without a modified v bar welded to the bottom?

I use drags occasionally but would like to use them more. I’m occasionally amazed at the distance a wolf can get with a drag of any material.

I run 10’ of chain, and 10’ of extension cable with a grapple. With a green log toggle I just have a short piece of cable for cinching on the log.

Weight is not an issue as all
My gear is in a sled.
These are what I’ve made and using.

nooksack,
How do those work on wolves? It looks like the one on the left has a quicklink welded to it to attach chain/cable to? Was thinking of making some here for doing blind sets for wolves in the deep snow. Just stick a trap in the wolf tracks and toss the grapple into the snow. Could do it without getting off the snowmachine and minimum of disturbance.
Never trapped a wolf on a grapple though, I know people do it but was always leery of coming back after it snowed a foot overnight and trying to track a wolf that was caught before it snowed.

That's a good idea bearcat, most have a link of chain welded on. The 1" grapple in the pic has a u joint bolt welded on. I use adjustable ends on both ends of my cable extensions to attach. I only started to use grapples the last two years. Always solid or a 8' plus green pole otherwise.

They work pretty good, but the smart ones will stay on the packed trail and go a ways sometimes before getting off or hooking up. I am always nervous towards the end of the week if snow/wind is forecast. The flip side is bad also when a chinook blows through.

Like Beav said, length is more important than weight. Anything can happen, I know of an instance where a wolf picked up the grapple and packed it a long ways. Its so fast to just set and toss, and its much easier to get them in the set out in the wide safe open. However nothing provides peace of mind like a solid anchor.

Finally got around to working on these. As I mentioned earlier this spring, I found some rebar and decided to get some drags made. A family friend who is a lifelong welder (He is currently 94) needed some work to do because work has been slow due to Covid 19 so I brought it in to him.

Did a great job. The picture shows five drags but he did a complete dozen. These should last me a lifetime.

Thanks for all the ideas.

Brian

Get a concrete block drill a hole through one end place a eye bolt In that hole and hook up your chain. Trust me no matter what kind of country your In a coyotes Isn't going very far.

We were involved In this coyote study and we were trapping 100 of acres of harvested bean fields. The land was all cap rocked so you couldn't get In a stake anywhere. But there lots of small areas of heavy brush. We just tossed the block back In cover and made the set up tight to the edge. That way we didn't have to hide much chain. In most cases the coyote moved the block enough so It didn't destroy the set. And we just left the blocks In place for next year.

I want to say I seen Jeff dunlap do something like this on one of his videos on youtube

I know a guy who has a piece of pipe added to his drag chain with about six chain loops about three feet from the actual trap. This "guide pipe" fits over a piece of rebar angled much as you suggest. When an animal gets in the trap it can only go the direction the rebar / guide pipe are aimed.