Something to ponder.

This Is the situation.

My buddy wants the coyotes removed from his deer ground. I hung some CRs but most spots had entanglement so couldn't work those areas.
So my know It all buddy thinks we should make some dirt sets. I'm not all that convinced we should do It. The ground Is frozen solid and we have about 5" of crusty snow on the ground. So we proceed to use the splitting maul to chop the beds. I line the bed with wax paper and use the 3 nail system to stabilize the trap. This system really works for keeping the trap solid In the bed. The set was a flat set.
I was out of re bar stakes so I used a earth anchor. Put some poly fill under the pan and covered the set with straw.
First check nothing not even any tracks. That night we got about 2 " of snow nothing the next day. Or for the next 4 days. So yesterday we decided to pull the foot holds. We pulled 3 sets then came to the last set scraped away the snow and there's no trap. There's no quick link and no cable loop sticking out of the ground. And the 3 pins are still there. And all the straw Is still In place. I'm just about positive that nothing could have pulled that anchor.
So I have a an Idea what could have happened but I'm hoping some of you might be able to shed some light on the situation.

Stolen?

Darned Sqaches !!!!

Educated coyote. Or else at your age you forgot to anchor the trap which is probably likely.

Did all the preparation but had a brain f… and covered and left. Voice of experience!

If cable stake maybe the ferrule was bad.

Nope the trap was attached to the anchor. And we had to use the maul to drive the driver and the anchor. I remember not getting the cable all the way In and had to put a chunk of wood on top of it to keep It concealed.

It sounds like you screwed up.

Chew through the cable or the cable wore through on the frozen ground? Cable damaged during staking?

X2

Here's what I think happened.

I'm the the one who came up with the wolf fang anchor. But Instead of having that loop pushed out to attach the cable I just had a hole lazier cut to receive the cable. Then I crush on a stop button on the cable end.
What I think happened Is when driving the anchor through the frozen ground It pushed the stop button off the cable. I won't know until I can dig up that area to see If the spade is still In the ground.
Since there was no catch circle the coyote must have left on the first pull. But I'm not even sure It was a coyote.

You said that the you removed the straw cover and trap and the stake were gone and no catch circle, odd!

That's what I ment. Just didn't know you used a button stop instead of double ferrule. That would be the most likely scenario.

The stop pulled off, I think you nailed it. Without the fang, it takes nothing to pull that cable out, thus no circle.Left on the first jerk!

You would think the hay would be messed up a bit. But hard to tell after you dug it out of the snow?

There's a valuable lesson to be learned from this and one that is important to instill in our kids and grand kids. You tried your best and failed miserably, the lesson here is don't try.

Had cable fail me once in the first year I used it. Enough for me. Chain has never failed me yet.

When I stake a foothold I always give the trap a real good pull to make sure its solid before beddint-you must have forgot to do that quality control step.

Beav I had that happen before...darn frozen ground!
And Yes sir just be sure of your chain type...diameter of chain links. I had a young trapper call and say he had a missing trap...apparently he used swing set chain and a s hook to attach his cable stake to his trap.
Chain broke...s hook surprising held.

Dig it up this spring see if anything is left.

Are ya sure you even planted a trap there?

Seems like it would be pretty easy to see critter tracks in the snow…hauling off a trap on one paw.

If it was me ....I'd be stomping around...blaming it on those cable restrictions. It's the states fault

We had a new snow fall after my first check so that would have covered up any tracks and also cover up the the straw I made the set with. One jerk and It was gone and never left any sign.
And your right Boco I never pulled on the chain. But do to the fact we had to use the maul to drive It I didn't think I needed to.
I'm betting the spade and the stop button is still In the ground.
From now on It's re bar when the ground Is frozen.

Don't try ???

The driver could have come off when you were trying to drive through the frozen ground and then it cut the cable when it went on again.

When the neighbor’s dog gets home they’ll probably give you a call to pick up your trap.

I figure the trap has been gone for at least 5 days. Once It snowed after the first check all I did Is drive by since there was no disturbance In the fresh snow.