Looking for advice on chain and drag setups, I'm in central Montana, always staked my traps but always find some nice spots where NO stake can be installed without heavy equipment! ,Mainly trapping coyotes, soo chain length,strength,swivels ?? I know to stake for the largest critters around ,and we do have Mt.Lions, I've had 2 in traps so far, so how good a drag chain do ya think I need?

Best chain I bought was used off trap shed. Heavy stuff hard to cut with bolt cutters. Was scrap from an IN steel mill used on hoists. I like 10 feet so the drag stays on the ground. Plenty of length to tangle also when it hooks up. Heavy so it helps leave sign and slows the critter down. Best drags I have are JC Conners made where both points dig in. i would stay way from the shiney stuff. To easy to see. Can hide dark chain easier. Probably dont matter with cats but every now and then someone sees a chain they are going to pick it up. Even if they dont steal it your set is going to need re made.

What Danny said! I will just add I use number 5 straight link chain. 10ft of it and 3 on my trap gives me 13ft total. Heavy rig. Keeps it on the ground and digging. Or in my case I am able to reach something to pre hook.

I like #5, you could probably get away with quality #3, but better to be safe, and the heavier chain is better on drags. I'd say minimum 8', the longer the better, except of course for the packing around part. Weld your j-hooks on your swivels! MB crunch proofs with welded j-hooks will hold anything you can catch. Haven't tried much other than them and the big wolf swivels (unnecessary, bulky, and expensive) because I found out that they will hold anything.

The more open the ground longer chain is needed 10'12' feet , drags if they leave mark good if they don 't do not use them. The tricky spot comes in when deer elk cattle step in trap and pack the trap off 20 ' feet or so and and step out of it. It can get a bit frustrating a good dog will help a bunch.

When we could keep lions in a trap I have 15 plus feet, everything welded#3 chain and a good dog. Caught several lions over 100 that didn't get a hundred yards, coyotes maybe 30 or so Elk would get in the sage and pull out took awhile to find my traps, deer I would release----I use the KB really a fur trap, holds tighter than the bonds of marriage!