Setting Chain and Cable Stakes

Seriously, how important do you guys think it is, to manually pull up on, to "set" a cable or chain stake?

I threw my back out last week, setting one (and I don't go crazy when I do because of back issues). When I told a buddy about it, he said "I just let the coyotes set them for me". That makes a lot of sense to me.

Really, when a coyote...or whatever canine starts pulling on, and fighting the trap, isn't the stake going to get set anyway? Can any of you guys give an example of when failure to "set" a stake caused an animal to pull the whole rig out of the ground?

From now on, I'll "set" the stakes in loose sandy soil...just to make sure, but I don't really see the need to set the stake in clay or heavier soils.

I have often wondered that same thing but set them just to make sure they'll hold.

I had an end drive off this year, new (wolf fang). If i didn't set it , i'd never have known. Set them stakes or loose the trap and animal.

I think this one really depends on the area you are trapping. I set some of mine to make sure i found good ground. We have a good amount of dry sand here with a hard layer of clay at varying depths. If i set an anchor 12"'s and it goes in pretty easy i check to make sure it is not just sand. 12" in sand and they just pull out too easy for me to trust. Now if i am driving them and I have to get the big hammer i clip my trap on and roll. No need to test if i have a hernia or not.

I only set them when the ground is questionably soft. I can tell when i drive in the pilot hole. I have never had one fail...yet. Ive had them almost dug up and some pulled out a little further than i like but not fail. I drive my anchor totally underground so if i set them i have a tag end to deal with when bedding so i only set them when i question the integrity of the dirt.

1 in a hundred will pull out when you set them. If you don't mind those odds, don't set them.

Have yet to set a fang never had one pull out yet I cut an run to save my back and yes drivers bend in frozen ground.

I'm using both MB Chain Stakes, and Wolf Fangs on 1/8" cable. The only thing that ever even moves, is if I'm on one of my farms that has "looser" sand...then I can feel the stake set...after it drifts up a bit. Even the firm sand farms are hard enough, you can't hardly get a stake to set. And the hard soil farms...well, I can't get the stake end to turn, no matter how hard I pull.

Sometimes I wonder if I shouldn't just go back to cross staking. Sure easier to pull, when it's time.

Not much for rocks here but just getting the driver out is sometimes a challenge. The weld on tip weld spot is even harder to pull.

Like others have said two different times this season I have lost the ends of wolf fangs I assume because they cable is getting sheared off on rocks in the ground. if I hadn't have pulled up to set it the next animal that stepped in that trap would have taken the Trap and whole thing with them still on their foot

Al all I do is take trap in my hand give it a little slack and pop the chain couple times to make sure I did not shear of the stake end good to go.
Note get below the frozen ground or it will not set well .

Same here except it was a super stake with a welded S hook. Gave it a good pull and the next thing I knew I was landing on my butt! First one I’ve ever used so my confidence is a bit shaken.

While all y'all are right about stakes in good ground I can't in good conscience not make a set without making sure or making sure on all remakes. But I'm slightly anal about some things.

I drove stakes in places that looked like a J when I pulled them I remember driving a stake in Missouri was like settled by a gravel pit hammer it in and either pull it right out of leave it there. Here until the hard Frost sets in the range work the best.

That's why I had to switch to the super stakes ends. Our ground is hard enough 1 in 4 would just bend in a J around the driver, then driver and all was stuck.

I like that idea, Ken. It's either gonna pop out...or stay put.

Something else to think on a side note for this. a lot of folks don't pull cable stakes to set just because they do not want to have the cable end poking around their set. I switched partially to chained fangs this year. I will never use cable stakes again really. I can put the anchor at any depth and then just deal with a little bit of chain. so much easier to work with. For those in harder ground i assume the super stakes are the same with chains. no fraying or cut cables on rocks and no poking in the air crap.

The first year i used them, i thought i would just let the coyotes set them for me. Everything worked out but when i was pulling sets, one that i hadn't connected on pulled right out and didn't set at all. I check them all now.

I set every stake I put in the ground. Two seconds and a quick pull is worth knowing that I'm not gonna lose my trap and catch.