disposable stakes vs earth anchors

[garman]

guys/gals wondering about earth anchors vs. berkshire original stakes what would you recommend? I live in south east minnesota and am thinking about moving to the new age of disposable stakes vs. rerod. any suggestions are needed thanks garman

[bill1306 (Phil)]

I used the Pogo disposable stakes for the first time this winter and was really impressed with them. They were easy to drive in, really hard to pull, some were imposable to pull. On coyotes, they didn't budge the stake. I have a lot of re-bar stakes, but in the future I'll be using more disposables and less re-bar. One other thing, I used a split ring to attach the stake to the trap. Again they are light weight and don't take up much space in the truck or on the four wheeler.

Phil

[thebeav2]

They work In most situations but you still need re bar In some types of soil. Or you can cross stake with earth anchors If the soil Is questionable.

[pastortrapper]

I used pogos this year as well. Real impressed with them. Tried to pull some of them and the split ring stretched out before the anchor pulled up. Had to dig the anchor up with a spade. Don't think I will use anything else.

Scott

[ltd]

pogos are great as long as the ground is not frozen. The washer bend over in frozen ground.

[possumblaster]

I use pogos-they are the most cost efficient in my opinion.I double up 14 gauge trapping wire to run from the anchor to the trap. Several twists at the end swivel and you're set. I trap anything I can, and have never lost an animal to a bad stake set up since I startred using pogos.Just remember to set the stake(regardless of what you use) by giving it a good tug before you set the trap in place.This will insure that you have rotated the device into a "locked" position in the ground.I have had one or two that slid right out of the ground when I pulle on them after driving them in the ground,This seems to happen in hard or rocky soil.When you pull the set,cut the wire and go.You are only losing about ten cents insted of pulling your guts out or carrying a special puller to remove an Iowa or Berkshire stake.

[crittergetter100]

i prefer the berkshire heavy duty stakes at 12" and some 15". thought about trying some of o-gormans high desert sprears this up comming season. but if i dont change all my stakes to the spears that means carrying two drivers with me

[robertw]

I (make my own) use the Iowa type disposable. To pull them I use a regular pick / mattock.

Rerod stakes have no place on my dry land trap lines.

[RonMarsh]

I am willing to send you an information pack On the Retrievable Cable Stake. Just PM me your postal address and I will send it right out to you.
Thank you
Ron

[ohiyotee]

When i first switched to "disposable" stakes i was using the berkshires and they worked great as far as holding . Well being the cheap guy that i am i started to reuse them and eventually had trouble while driving them and having the attachment piont pull loose. remember i was trying to do things i shouldn't have, as a one time use item they were supper.

now i have the double edge pointed pipe type with the nut wielded on the side, not sure what they are called on all my canine traps. One of the things i like about them is the fact that they are already attached to the trap, so if i grab a trap i have a stake. Mine are fixed right off the j hook of the last swivel with 1/8 inch cable about 16 inches long.

Another feature of the cable stakes is the fact that unlike re-bar if you cannot get the last 2 or 3 inches in the ground it is not a problem . You just bend it over and finish the set.

If i want to attach a drag all i have to do is quick link it to the loop in the cable down at the bullet and that gives me another 16 inches of drag length.

It could be argued that in rocky ground they are no good . we have some rock here but probable not like some places so i cannot comment on that. All in all they work great here in Ohio and i would never go back to re-bar. as for the Berkshires , if you want to reuse them i think you would find that in the long run they are not made for it. At least the model i used 6 or 7 years ago. greg

[trappnman]

ohioyte- you must be talking about the HD berkshires. I've reused 99% of the reg Berkshires I pull. Just take a channel lock and bend them back into shape. If they are going to break they break then, and that for me is rare.

[thebeav2]

Lite soils and heavy rain will get you some lost traps when using earth anchors, It happens.
High desert spears are just a take off of the Butera spade stake which was the first disposable stake on the market. I have used them for over 15 years. The more surface area the better a disposable will hold In the ground.
I get mine made for nothing so they are truly disposable. But with a tile spade and a little digging most can be retrieved In short order. If you are going to SET your disposables make sure that you drive your chain down about 3" Into the ground so that when you SET the anchor your cable Is still under ground. I just hate It when I have 3 or 4" of cable sticking out of the ground. In most cases I don't set the anchor I let the animal do that. If the ground I'm trapping Is suspect then I will SET the anchor.

[ohiyotee]

I looked around and found this is the model that i had,

I found that when i pulled them they would bend right at the attachment point and eventually the cable would separate due to the metal breaking at the attachment point after a few reuses.

The ones i have now have been reused at least 10 times each some many more do to moving traps in the same year. I think they are called Iowa bullets, that may be wrong . I think that they are not made anyore as i don't see them for sale anywhere.

[Steve Gappa]

yep, thats the one I use, the original ones.

Maybe its how I pull them, or the ground, but mine are certainly reusable. Never had a problem ever with the cable fraying, but do have an occasional one that breaks at the attachment point like you say. But very few.

[garman]

beav actually the high desert spear is a take off of what Don Bierman of cherokee, Iowa area talked about in his book. which mr. Bierman explains how he was taught from trappers in the (I believe) adirondack area. in this book he discusses how to make them. the book is Bierman's professional fox and coyote trapping methods, excellent book, excellent trapper, and a top grade of a man. I also remember the butera spade, i do not know where that idea came from whether it was from Bierman, the adirondacks or Bierman got the idea from butera but that is what I know. garman

[pinky]

you guys using pullers to remove cabled stakes are still living in the dark ages, never used a puller and never will.they all can be made easily retrievable, even pogos

[Steve Gappa]

pickax in loop.... bing, bang, pulled. Quicker than rebar

[thebeav2]

Well I just lay my tile spade down flat on the ground wrap the chain around the handle and lift. About 90% of the time it comes out with ony one pull. If It dosen't I cut the cable and walk. My earth anchors are free so I realy could care less.

[robertw]

Beav,
You got some good looking blond making them for you and giving them to you at Christmas to get them free?

[thebeav2]

Nope she dosen't do trapping or metal work LOL
Got a very good buddy who owns a metal fabracating Co and If I need something he makes It for me for nothing. Pretty good deal.