# Canine Snare Stakes



## Larry (Dec 2, 2010)

Our friend from the north ( C2C ) asked me about stakes and what I use. His issue is like most rebar stakes freeze in and sometimes they get abandoned for better weather.

*Understanding Rebar Course 101*.

If you look at a rebar it has bumps on it. They serve two purposes.

-One is anchoring rebar so they ANCHOR to concrete without movement.

-Second is so rebar coupling nuts can be used

*Here is the long BS story*

Surveyors, began to love rebar. They were easy to drive in the ground and held firm. But getting them out was a chore even if drilled into rocks.

Then one day this kid came along on the construction sight and started using coupling nuts and rebar to make a rebar fort. The surveyor saw this and said hey whats the difference between the couplers and the ground. He ran to the plumbers truck grabbed a pipe wrench walked over the rebar, ran the jaws down and turned. Yeah the rebar could be twisted out of the ground.

As surveyors are dumb men like Larry and lose things, they never had a pipe wrench. A pipe fitter saw their dilemma after getting tired of giving out his. He welded a smaller piece of rebar on top. Now the surveyors had handles on their rebar to twist them out of rocks and frozen ground.

The boy that was building the rebar fort grew up and became a canine trapper. So mad he could not get it out he down on a yuca plant. Jumping up form this poke plant and landing on the ground on his back. He looked up at the nearby fence that had stick in with twisted #9 wireto tighten the end post. Now he remembered the T STAKES he saw the pipe fitter built for the surveyor.

He built a few and all but one that trapping season was left in the ground as he could twist out the rest. Some required a little persuasion with his trapping hammer, but usually they twisted out.

Next season he built some more. Then he thought why not also tack weld on his #9 support support wire and he will have a stake he can get out of frozen ground. Plus it supports my snare and if I add a dog chain clip I can change snares fast.

The best part was with a 24 to 30 inch #9 support wire he could blend the stake/wire in with the surroundings just off the trail. He had very few refusals and snared happily ever after.

He tried earth anchors and they worked great where he could hang his support wires. However, they were not as fast in setting snares on the Long Line especially when setting around bait piles where you set heavy.

This is similar to what he built, but he was cheaper and used cheaper dog clips......


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## pokeyjeeper (Sep 5, 2013)

Nice one thanks for sharing


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## akiceman25 (Dec 28, 2015)

I like it!


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## C2C (Mar 17, 2012)

Awwwhhh , there is the anwers I was looking for thanx Larry . I make my stakes with an inch tail above the washer so I can twist em out with vise grips , which works good if I have time to do it . Hence my reference to using earth anchors .. The all in one system with anchor and support is good , but I prefer to anchor my sets about the length of the extension away from the set location allowing the animal to hopefully expire away from it and leave as little disturbance as possible . Ive been toying with a different approach to a supposrt but will likely make some of these as well . I dont use a clip to atach snares to stake , just put loop of extension on it . If I was to use earth anchors I wouldnt hesitate to cut them off and leave em , Iam just interested to know if they can be driven into frozen ground . Thx


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## Larry (Dec 2, 2010)

Cam,

All I can say is try them. Somewhere on the internet is a video about a guy demonstrating POGO's, I believe he pre-drills his holes with a battery drill and a long shank bit. Thus I think his method would work in any type of frozen soil.

I use POGOs in Neb. for steel traps. They work great all winter. Possibly the soil you have up there is the same as what I have in Nebraska. Your photos look like similar like similar vegetation so I presume its pretty close. I caution you however. Make 2-3 extra drive rods as you will wear tips. Use a stake or hammer handle pull hard to set them after you drive. Frozen soil is weird and sometimes they slip. If they slip more than 8 inches the cable is cut and I put a new one down.

To be honest and for speed. I stay with rebar for snares. If I cannot get enough tangle or I know its a good trail and I don't want it tore up. Ill add a kill pole. In plumb thickets or high scrub, Ill just tie up high up with doubled tie wire on a 10 foot snare cable and let them hang themselves. This also works good for trails along fence lines but I just tie high on a post. Ive had to use these as you know, I have not used cam locks.

I will say this. I am lucky on stake retrieval in Neb. I have babysitted the ranch for a few weeks before and I am trusted. Yep Larry junior cowboy had 13,000 acres, 600 head with 6 horses to take care of. Makes me feel proud I am trusted with such a large operation at least to me. Allot different; yet similar then doing chore on a Iowa farm that has a 1/10 of the livestock.

Thus I just borrow pickup with the hay bale bale loader. One arm will pull 1/2 rebar stakes. Works great for saving your back. Just hook a chain with a tow hook around the stake and hit the button. Sometimes it so frozen it will squat the truck, but then the stake pops and out it comes.

I have used a High Lift jack with a chain. But its High Lifts have a mind of their own it seems. I think they are needed but you have to respect them ALLOT! When the stake pops the high lift jumps. Now I always jack with one hand and hold the support post with the other. Nothing scarier than a bonk on the noggin from a High Lift, 20 miles in. Its happened once and that's one to many.

Larry


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## C2C (Mar 17, 2012)

OK. I will try a couple and see what happens . Rebar is still probably the best .. If I can get a twist on the rebar they pull slick , the T handle is a great idea

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## Larry (Dec 2, 2010)

Have you had any issues with yotes chewing through the cable?


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## C2C (Mar 17, 2012)

A couple Larry . One pulled to end of cable and wound around a bush once then sat down and calmly chewed thru , no disturbance at set .


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## Larry (Dec 2, 2010)

C2C said:


> A couple Larry . One pulled to end of cable and wound around a bush once then sat down and calmly chewed thru , no disturbance at set .


I should of explained what I am getting at. I have been sitting her in my easy chair ever since I received the snare you sent me. I cannot figure out for the life of me how the having that spring fire helps? My thoughts are without testing is just spring without a trigger would work.

I am going to build both I think and Ill let you know if there is a difference. With any luck that will be this fall.


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## C2C (Mar 17, 2012)

Yes it works Larry , that's how Dakota line sells them , minus the trigger . However, With the trigger added the snare pulls tight and when almost closed off the animal can lunge and get an extra 1inch or so of cable slack taken out and lights out .

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## C2C (Mar 17, 2012)

This happens when trigger goes off

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## Larry (Dec 2, 2010)

Cam, that's what I needed to know. I thank you for the explanation I appreciate it. Change is hard as you know, a guy is always skeptical of anything new to him. However at today's coyote prices he must change to prevent throwing $50 dollar bill or more to the wind. Pm on the way...................................


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