How do you make them? What are some cheap ways to make good coon stakes out of things laying around? Need ideas so I can start making stakes

... holds better than rebar and don't get any cheaper.

3/8 rebar

cut 18 , 20 , 22 whatever you like for length

1/2-13 nut just the bulk ones from whoever sells them cheap as bulk

slip the nut over the end and beat it with about a 2-3 pound hammer across 2 of the flats , it will smash the threads into the rebar and hold

also important leave the rebar a 1/4 to 3/8 proud of the top of the nut , as you pound the stakes in they will mushroom over the nut securing them even further. and then you are pounding on the rebar and not the nut.

if you do 1/2 rebar it is a 5/8 nut , pick the nut that just barely slips over it and you have to get bur from cutting it off to get it to slip over.

Cut your re-bar to size and bang a large nut over one end so it's a tight fit, then mash the nut down to grab the re-bar. Easy Peasy. I leave about a 1/2 in of re-bar sticking out thru the nut for a striking surface.

... and after you get them nuts pounded on, take them to someone with a welder and get them done right. LOL

I went to oak wood stakes especially in wet ground for beaver. I don't see why it wouldn't work for racoon. The only thing is dry land animals usually chew on anything in site if caught in a trap. Mine are 1 x 2 x 18".

The above method for rebar stakes works fantastic…for the naysayers, I’ve used them double staked and held coyotes.. not that I’ve caught a gazillion coyotes in my lifetime,, but I’ve never had one pop.
Another good stake , especially for drowning rigs,, find an old beaver lodge or dam and take those home,, they are already seasoned, they are light, and drive good on the mud,,,
Just cut them to length and drill a hole through for the wire to go through. And free is a good price too.

Pounding the nuts on works good, if you want to go an extra yard, anneal the nuts first, then they mash on a little better, but I've never seen them from any method come off, can't say it would never, but if you mash them on like they owe you money they shouldn't...

Spin on a nut that almost fits with a impact wrench, past the end of the rebar leaving 3/8s an inch stick out. Drive that in hard ground and it will never come off.

and yes I painted a bunch blue they are easier to see in the grass that way when you set them down and the paint was 88 cents a can I bought like 10 cans on clearance
I have a bunch of light blue DPs as well , they really do stick out in the grass without being overly visible from 50 yards away.

I like welded not that other ideas won’t work it’s just me. I not only welded mine I ground the nut end to cone shape that fit through a heavy washer then welded/melted it to the washer on top never had a problem.

I like nuts, due to being able to get on them with a large adjustable wrench and twist them when the ground is froze to break them loose. I have forged 100's of them. Heat the rebar red hot and drive it through the nut that is setting on a larger nut. Drive it down and flare out the end of the rebar. Put the other end in the forge and make a four sided point.