Around here many of the heavily used critter trails follow along shale ledges that have little to no soil with minimal grass and moss growing on them. It's practically impossible to bed a trap underground without adding soil and making it obvious and forget about driving a stake in. Drags or cabling to a tree works but drags aren't always preferred because I don't want critters running off into areas with houses nearby. How would you guys set wide open trails on solid rock?

Pinebear

I would add soil preseason like this time of year where you want to make your set.This way when season opens your good to go.

What kind of critters are you targeting?

Fox and coyote. I trap this one ridge trail that both reds and yotes travel regularly. I was stuck setting where I could manage to get a stake in rather than exactly where I would've liked to set and that was after many attempts to pound in a double stake. Then I'd bring in dirt to cover the trap. I think my only choice is to find or bring in and set up a heavy drag that can't be moved much. Only problem then is blending dirt on shale rock is so obvious so I would chop up moss to cover. Ridge is wide open about 20' wide but critters follow one main path mostly. I managed to catch a red in a CR snare by blocking the path down some with brush but after that one catch they just went around that spot.

If it's rock take and drill a hole. If you want to stake

Pinebear, you have many reds right around you there? I hadnt caught one over there yet, but I usually only run for cats and a chance yote for about a week or so.

Drilling aint a bad idea backriverguy! Hey Mud, it seemed like there were more reds around last year than there has been. I think the yote population has dropped a lot too. So few deer for them to prey on and more guys after them.