Just looking for a few opinions, I did some search's and came up with tons on length of chain for drags but not for what I am after. Looking for how much chain I should add to my coil spring traps in addition to the factory chain. I run mostly Bridger #3 and want to add some chain to make it harder for things get leverage and when they pull they will pull more at an angle. Just so everyone has an idea what my plan is, I am going to add a swivel and another length of chain and another swivel. What is everyone's thoughts?

What are you targeting?

3 swivel on 6 to 7" of chain for canines.

People,used to use,30" to 36" when using single stakes,so that coyotes couldn't pump the stake out.Some people didn't like the momentum that the longer chain gave the coyote so that faction went to short,8"-10" chains and double stakes to prevent pumping.Later,earth anchors came along a nd these also went a long ways toward preventing pumping,regardless if the chain is sbort or long.

My opinion these days is that chain length isn't critical if the proper anchoring system is used with it.With longer chains,however,I don't like when traps and chain can reach entanglement and put swiveling out of commission.In these cases I lean toward shorter chains and double staking or anchors.These days we have a lot of options and Ithi k there is no one answer but common sense in choices goes a long way.

Thank you for the information everyone. I'm targeting any fur I can catch.

Taxi,
That's the kind of information that I was looking for. I had a coyote dig out an earth anchor and thought that maybe longer chain would keep them from focusing on the point of attachment.

Thanks for the advice everyone.

A couple things to remember in your choice are 1, the more chain the more range for the animal when you are trying to take care of it and 2, no matter how much chain you use you should always stake for the strongest critter you may catch.

One of the problems with long chains Is that you have a lot more chain to bury.

A coyote dug out an anchor? I’ve never thought of that as a possibility.

Murphy's law a guess.

I have yet to have any stake dug out. I've had some pulled out but never dug out.

I run some 8" & some up to 30" of chain and swivels. I did have a badger once dig a hole down to where you could see the end of my 30" rebar once. Frozen rocky ground stake still held good, a fox and couple coyotes on the remake if I remember right. Like said above stake or tie off to hold the biggest animals in your area.

Thanks everyone, maybe I'm overthinking it. I run 18" wolf fangs and have never had an issue but just this once, but it bummed me out that I lost my first coyote (I'm fairly sure it was a coyote, but the tracks were pretty cruddy and filled with snow)

I had a coyote dig down to within three inches of a wolf fang this past December. It was very muddy which is nothing new around here but had not ever seen this before. I pulled and reset right on the edge of the catch circle, one in every three or four hundred is not enough to make me change .

I would hate to have to bury 3 feet of chain under my trap no matter what time of year It was. Short chains and If the ground Is a bit on the soft side I will double stake with 2 earth anchors.

I like short chain for my k9 sets because they can't get a good run and lunge to escape like they can on a long chain. Plus what The Beav said about burying all the chain.

Like was said, 3 swivels and a couple links of chain in between them. Holds them tight to the ground. They can't get any leverage. You'd need a fairly long chain for the long chain to become effective. Probably atleast 4-5 feet maybe more...those 1-3ft chains seem to give them a great advantage to getting leverage jumping and lunging. Short chains cost less, weigh less, less advantage for the critter, less to bury...can't see any good reason to go longer unless it's on a drag. Then I'd probably want a good 8-10ft.


That's the first I've heard of a stake being dug....and 18"??? Wow!

No chance it was pulled by a human??? Maybe it wasn't "set" and was easily pulled up? Sometimes we just never know....

2 feet - 3 feet OUT OF THE GROUND length I think is about perfect. I mean to say I like 2' to 3' out of the ground after I've put in the earth anchor.

No reason to bury it, stake to one side and cover with duff, I never have buried the 10' & grapple, and chain under the trap just makes the trap harder to bed.

Hobbs being from Wy Laramie area I will chime in I use 18 to 24 inch stakes but they are smooth to prevent coyotes from pumping stakes like on rebar stakes. I also use Berkshire flat swivels for the same reason. I run 18 inches of chain on my traps and have never had a coyote pump one on me. I typically average 50 dogs a year so they have been tested. I also have traps with 30 inches of chain to use with drags by hooking a drag with another 6 foot of chain. On two different occasions the last couple of years I used a 30 inch chain trap on a stake ran out of short chain traps and the other occasion had loose soil so wanted a longer chain to prevent any chance of pumping. Both cases had coyotes lung out, one I got to watch. They might have stayed put with a 4 coil trap but I choose to use 2 coils and have not had this problem on 18 inch chains. Well learned the lesson no more 30 inch chains on stakes unless they have a drag attached. Now I wonder about loosing a dog on drag with a lot of chain in the right situation. I really feel a 4 coil is over kill and have not had pull outs with my regular set up. I guess there is no perfect set up for every situation.