Home-Made Pogos vs Wolf Fangs cost comparison

I cut cable when I pull traps. Very much better on my old back and joints and is much faster, so I've made pogos and used them as a true disposable for about 10 years now. But, prices have inceased to the point where it is cheaper/easier/faster to just buy commercial-made fangs.

**Homemade Pogos per 100 = $59.48 or about 60 cent each.

* 2" diameter x 1/4" hole & 20 d common nails (100 each) = $37.58 (includes sales tax).
* 3/32" aluminum double ferrules (200) = $13.90.
* 3/32 7x7 cable (17" per stake) = $8.00.

Must bend and cut nails to make j-hooks.

**Store-bought Wolf Fangs per 100 = $42.00 to $60.00 depending on dealer plus tax and shipping.....about 45 to 65 cent each.

No need for a j-hook so faster to make.
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Three years ago, I could make the 2" pogos for 30 cent each and Wolf Fangs were about 40 to 50 cent each.

Well...that has changed....

Since I got 5000 ft of 3/32- 7x7 and 10000 = 3/32 ferrules for free. I only have bout 45 cents a piece in mine. BUT now with others charging = 60 a 100 for Wolf Fangs. With shipping thats 65 or so a 100 pn them. I would love to have some = 40 cent a peice wolf fangs. Willing to buy = 5000 or more at a time BUT dont see it happening. If anyone has a lead on = 5000 or more at 4O cents or less please feel free to PM me. I go threw lots of them

Here's the direction I'm going. Cutting the superstakes off of my chained stakes and j hooking a pogo. I can straighten a j hook or fold a washer with a puller. The puller won't budge a superstake.



0.13



0.12

Or pre-made, same price. 0.25



No cable to fool with, just replace the pogo after a pull.

But. What about if you just dont want OR have the time ro pull? I think Swamp Wolf. As well as myself. Wouldnt mind a cheaper -= cut and run system. I dont mind. Buying in bulk. So IF i couls find a cheaper - Wolf Fang style system. Im all in

Maybe I still have some grunt left but I can put a puller on and straighten that bottom j hook in about as much time as it takes to cut cable.

Its either that or I go to a high lift jack.

But why? I use Felco plyers. I may be old. But do you think you can keep up with me doing that 100 times a day ? What about = getting out of the truck. Getting the puller. Then pulling it ? I just keep my Felco plyers in my jacket pocket. 2 traps on each side of rode = puller ? Or plyers? Which do you think will be faster?

I'd slow down after the first ten, lol.

I just need a = 20 cent wolf fang. LoL!

Since I told Dale Billingsley I just as well tell you folks. Skip the j hook and try some cotter keys. I quit using Pogos a while back but I bought a ton of Cotter Keys at farm sales and in bulk. It saves time in assembly and costs for land sets if you are the "cut and run type". When DP's came out (I bought my first 100 Griz's from Gary Bonnet in 2001 at the nationals) I used a small 1.25" fender washers, J hooks and/or Cotter keys and retrieved them. A pain opening the J's and the expense. Then I switched to no J hook or Cotter key and just threaded the cable through the washer hole and used an annealed 1/4" smashed nut and began drilling. If you want you, can drive cable with a double ferrule loop replacing the J hook and another single ferrule 1"above (sandwiching) the fender washer but more time and expense for me. SO................... For all you old guys like me that have shoulders that remind you of your age, I threw away the hammer and drilled a pilot hole with a cordless drill, pushed the washer down into the hole, set it and was gone. Use a 3/4" diam. drill for 1.25" fender washer and went 12-20" deep. Drill as deep as you think need to for a good hold or drill more pilots for more Pogos and connect them at the chain (two will hold any coon alive). I used this size on DP's for years with no problems. Used bigger washer for a while for canines but I now use something different for disposables on coyotes as I gave up on the expense and drilling of large round holes the larger washers in our frozen ground. You guys may be able to use it year round in GA or AL. My way of cheapening the costs without the quality................................................ the mike

No you can't.

Some fangs made thinner and CHEAPER would be perfect to cut and run.

Let me know if you find any that cheap....please.

I've tried the 1.5" and 1.25" washers. They are a no- go for coyotes in sandy soils. I could pull them back up by hand.

Like Steeltraps, I exit with my cable cutters in my left hand and trapping hoe in right...pop trap with foot, kick to the side, take my trapping hoe and make one swing exposing cable below quick link. Cut it into about 2 inches below surface and pitch trap into SxS. Mere seconds to pull trap.

I'm sometimes pulling 100+ coyote sets on same day. Use to take me all day to pull 100 to 150. Now it takes me 1 hour.

I've done the old pry em up, dig em up, auger em up......NO MORE OF THAT 4 ME.

Swamp Wolf. Sound like we are on about the same page. I do about the same. Plyers in right hand. Step on trap. Kick dirt at cable Pull up on trap. Clip. Now. I dont dig much. I dont pull up or SET Wolf Fang anchor. Why not ? I just drive it in. Then on pull day. Pull on it. It move 1 inch. Sticks up out of ground. I cut Do 100 or more traps. Never over 130 so far this year. BUT you are right. Pulling with truck? 30000 acres ? 120 traps? Took me 8 hrs last year. This year ? Under 3 hrs. Cut and run????? Yes please! Just looking for cheaper Wolf Fang system

Swamp Wolf. What if we made our own?? What would be needed? What machine would need to be bought? IF we dont sell them is it illegal to sort of copy a Wolf Fang? I could invest 5 or 6 grand on such a thing. Where do we get materials for them?

ST,
A metal press/stamp is used to make those. Not sure where to get steel. But I'm gonna ask Brian with Southern Snares. He bought Sleepy Creek and has all the presses. He will know.

SW. I have an idea. Going to town about 10 am. Will start new thread. About noon. I have to run some numbers. BUT i am spending = 2000 a year or so on = Wolf Fangs. Plus 500 a year on cordless drills 200 a year on drill bits. 100 a year on drivers So. 2800 is a 14 day job. WHAT if i take 2 weeks off. Go to the best gunsmith shop. Friend of mine and spend 2 weeks. 16 hr days. And make say = 50000 Wolf Fang type pointed stakes ???? Save me a LOT of money in the rest of my Trapping career??

^^^^^^ I am just thinking long term. Good Lord willing at 50 I can trap another 20 years. So even a = 10 or 15000 investment in these. Would pay off long term? Price of materials? Bet it goes up in the future! Quess yall think im crazy for thinking about building 50000 of these ? LOL!! NOT GOING to sell any ! Just build enough to last a for 20 years

ST,
I'm interested in this^^^^^

I use about 1000 per year...if I can keep going. I'm 58....lol

Ok Swamp Wolf. Doing some research 5x10 sheet of 11 gauge = .120 little thinner than Wolf Fang will run 300 dollars or so IF I go pick it up. You could make = 2333 of them. The cost of material per unit is about 13 cents each. SO if by some miracle you could get someone to cut and stamp them for say 20 cent each That puts you at 33 cents each. SO does anyone want to = Cut and stamp = 2333 Wolf Fang type points for = 466 dollars. My quess would be NO WAY!!! That a lot of work for lets round it up to 500 dollars. So that puts us at 35 cents each. Unless you by 11 ga sheets by tons at a time. I dont see Anyway to do this for a good price. Well gave it a shot

ST,
That cost...$466 to $500 ....to stamp out a sheet of fangs might not be too far off for a cost guess. Once the press is set there shouldn't be a lot of human work involved. Brian with Southern Snares called me this morning by chance and I missed the call. Have tried to call him back 3 times and got voicemail. I'll keep trying.

SW hope you are right on production price. More research will be needed.

Laser table? Mennonite or Amish?

Could you use 1" x 11ga flat steel? Might be better, and easier to stamp than a sheet..?

Don't think you'll find any Amish with a laser table, but hey, who knows!

I use them all the time. Good workmanship

I went back to cable in recent year years to cut down on weight I was carrying into locations. I have to hoof it into several spots. Oh so worth it around here to have a spot off the road and no access from others but only get to go in if I hoof it.
I generally double staked my coyote traps for many years with double rebar. Carrying 4-5 traps, plus 8-10 rebar stakes, hammer, trowel, bait, pee, waxed dirt. That’s a load to hoof it very far with. Taking the weight of all that rebar out of the equation was a game changer for me.
I didn’t have good luck with pogos here getting them into unplowed solid ground. Went well into fields that had been plowed a few times though. Longer cables, and larger fender washers worked for coyotes. Pilot holes were helpful. I went back to bullet stakes or the heavy berk styles and had good luck: the berk styles I found were super cheap if I shopped around and like others mentioned on here I started just cutting cable at end of season. Our January ground freezes up rock solid and not way to save most of those berks with a puller so cutting cable and getting back home quickly was way to go for me.
Easy to retool the next year with fresh cables.
Jim

OK. I have it figured out. Didn’t want it to come to this but at 60 a 100 for earth anchor = Wolf Fangs. Its has come down to this =. In the late 80 and early 90s I made a homemade earth anchor. I can build it for 20 cents. BUT it is labor intensive. I can just buy a truck load of 1/2 inch conduit some 1 cent nuts and some 1 cent bolts. I have a 120 buzz box welder. Thats all thas need. Didnt want it to come to this. But. I will NOW have to spen many a nite. Drinking bourbon. And welding. I HATE welding!

I invested in bullet stakes last year, almost all of where I am trapping is sandy soil, swamp, mud, etc. I cant leave my stuff in the ground unfortunately, and pulling them out last year was terrible. This year I am doing all natural drags except with beaver. Already has worked out great, far easier, lighter and it lets the animal run off in the woods. I know it wont work for everybody, but my drags are like 6 foot long, maybe 2" diameter sweetgum or chinese tallow saplings. I will wrap the chain around the drags, and just put a nail through the chain. Other times I will use a big rock, but ill wrap the chain around the rock, and use wire to make the chain tight. Also use a pull spring so the momentum gets taken away.

MattLA,
Why can't you leave a 15" length of 3/32" cable and a fender washer in the ground? Will be rusted away rather quickly in acidic soils.


Please don't say it's due to environmental concerns......