When I was about ten,
I got hollered at by a land owner because a coon in my trap
chewed up a nice oak tree about 4" diameter.

I never forgot about it.
It is not "a" tree,
someone owns it.

He pointed to a patch of iron wood and said have at those.

Mountain or woods trapping with soft earth or very rocky or lots of roots, I will cable off trap.
I can make set faster and easier/faster to pull set.

Here's a clearing on mountain side- simple dirthole under root, along a trail.
Cable around tree, other end attached with Quick Link to end swivel of trap chain-

Thanks for the explanation, Hern. Very interesting.
Different styles and trapping conditions. Here it is rare to find a location where you can't quickly poke in a cable stake. That has become my go to over the years, and I like to have all my equipment set up the same for ease and speed. Thanks again.

What kind of cable are y’all using that gets kinked up? I’ve got some DP’s with cable that are 6 years old and still about as straight as when I made them. And that’s with having to untangle them from trees and brush. Think I used 1/8”.

Never had a problem with cable linking or tangles on my DP’s or cable extensions on my conibears. I’m assuming the issues occur when pulling and tossing into a pile. I simply coil the cable as I’m going back to the vehicle and clip with the spring clip or whatever all in a neat package and no problems.

I use about a 1.5 foot of cable with a 3 inch earth anchor made form 1/2 inch black pipe. This give me the option to use the earth anchor or a 1/2 inch rebar stake through the pipe depending on what the ground or creek is like.

Do you have pictures of your setup? Sounds like interesting and how do you drive your anchor?

I stake the coons to the ground using stock chains, maybe an added mid-chain swivel on some. Unless the ground is too rocky to stake them, I see no advantage to cabling or chaining them to a tree or similar. Rather that is a disadvantage if they wrap around the tree or tangle in sticks stopping swiveling or compressing the DP springs.

For me there is only one main reason for using cable extensions to secure your traps. That is to avoid drawing attention on public lands or anywhere around visible houses. The pounding of any staking system can be heard for a greater distance then you think. Sound travels. Wrapping a cable around a big sapling or wood drag is quiet and you're on your way

Im gonna go way against the grain here.. now I dont hardcore coon trap but ive caught my share over the years. Much of the time i use about 6' of chain and a small/medium sized drag. I
mostly pre hook the drag and 9/10 its right there waiting on me.. I also like this because I can walk the bank and just pre hook the trap in roots or whatever and mink/rats just drown there at the set.. Not really a rig I use to target just coon, more of a do all creek bank rig that just works for me..

I like it KY... When I originally swapped to just chain I was blowing cash on k9 traps. I think a dozen or 2 rigs with a drag plus the rest quick snap be the ticket

I’ve used old truck brake rotors as anchors if I can drive to the spots. I push the cable through one of the holes and attach the other end to the DP. Ain’t had a coon yet that could move one, lol.

Here it is its a 3 inch piece of 1/2 inch black pipe with a 1/4inch nut welded to it. I can either drive it into the ground or use 1/2 rebar as a stake and the pipe will pivot around it just fine. I also use this anchor with my canine sets I use either 14inches of cable or #2chain I considered it to be my poor mans super stake. The driver is a piece of 5/8rod with the last 3 1/2 ground down so it will fit inside the anchor with a nut welded above for a stop.

Here it is its a 3 inch piece of 1/2 inch black pipe with a 1/4inch nut welded to it. I can either drive it into the ground or use 1/2 rebar as a stake and the pipe will pivot around it just fine. I also use this anchor with my canine sets I use either 14inches of cable or #2chain I considered it to be my poor mans super stake. The driver is a piece of 5/8rod with the last 3 1/2 ground down so it will fit inside the anchor with a nut welded above for a stop.

Excellent idea and being able to use with earth anchor is a win/ win. How much luck do you have on pull day. Thinking IL clay might need to be cable cut.

For the rebar I use a big pair of vise grips clamp it on to the top and rotate it back and forth any you can work it up and out. If I'm using the earth anchor I have a puller for them but most of them whether it's the coon sets or canine. I will mark them with some of the hi vis survey tape orange, hot pink or what ever there is availible and pull them early spring once the frost is out of the ground. As long as I get them out of the ground before the farmers start working fields the land owners are ok with it. As for IL clay I'm in West Central IL, Brown county where are you at ?
J

Here’s a tree before with a DP cabled around the tree…


And the same tree after a catch, lol.