Author Topic: Anchoring w/ Rods/trap stakes in Frozen Ground Questions... (Read 1025 times)

Snareman · « **on:** January 06, 2004, 02:37:36 PM »

It sure is fun pounding away on a 24" 1/2" rerod in frozen ground that has a frostline of about 25"!

Are any of you currently pounding in rods in frozen ground and using some sort of drill device to pilot a hole to make it faster?

If so, what kind of bit or drill are you using? Do you have recommendations on model, amps, etc. on cordless drills? If so, what should I be looking for in a cordless that will do the job. (drills aren't my forte') How long does the battery last? How much do they cost?

I know about cross staking with 2 shorter stakes, but now we're pounding 36" total inches instead of 24"!

Any suggestions, advice or tips?

Thanks,

Snareman, aka "Snareguy"

jumptrp · « **Reply #1 on:** January 20, 2004, 08:33:59 AM »

have you tried the disposable cable stakes? they go in much easier and can be removed with a 4' bar with a hook attached 20" from the end. i also use a milwaukee hammer drill with a 1/2" carbide tipped mason bit to get me thru the top 4" of frozen ground but this drill is kinda pricey. i would recomend a dewalt hammer drill and they work just as well. just keep the battery warm and charged, also get a backup battery if ur pounding in alot every day. (berkshire stakes will colapse when pulled and u can put em in a vice and straighten em up to use again)

Snareman · « **Reply #2 on:** January 22, 2004, 02:19:20 PM »

Thanks for the info Jumptrp.

No, I haven't tried pounding disposables in frozen ground. People often refer to pounding stakes, etc, through a 4" or so frostline. Well, our frostline here gets a little deeper than that! I don't think a disposable will hold up. I haven't tried it, but if it works for some, I'm thinking maybe another 10" of frostline won't make much of a difference! We will see.

Take Care-

Snareman

RdFx · « **Reply #3 on:** January 22, 2004, 03:33:22 PM »

In frozen ground if you use a long chain like on 3ns a 12 in stake will do fine ... In fact i have a lot that i use that are only 8 inches ... If using short chain , cross stake with 8 inche stakes.... With berkshire cable stakes you dont have to go all the way thru frozen ground to have them hold. Im using 6 inches of cable and pounding them into frozen ground to top of snare swivel and stopping.... Havent had a yote pull one yet and you wont pull it either... You can also pound a cable stake thru ice if not too thick or 6 inches just like frozen ground and they hold fine. Good Luck

Wackyquacker · « **Reply #4 on:** January 22, 2004, 07:27:14 PM »

How about drags? For snares a goodly log should work. I just hooked one to an old discarded tire that was handy in the river. For support wires I;ll bet you could weld the wire to a 16d or 20d nail. Teh short nail will drive and the support wire is reay to go...I think

jim-NE · « **Reply #5 on:** February 06, 2004, 06:34:18 PM »

would there be any merit to putting anchors out before the freeze in your area?
some locations I have earth anchors on dyed cable that was impossible to get out of the ground late in the season, so I left them in the ground and just unhooked the j-hooks I had attached to them to the chains with. (none of them were in fields where they could have been accidently hooked on a farm implement). I ended up reattaching to them the following season since the locations were still hot and they worked flawlessly.
Sometimes I will dig out beds anywhere I think I may need to put a set late in the season after hard freeze. I pound in an earth anchor, then just leave the loop end and about an inch at most of the cable exposed above the ground in these beds. Then I just lay a piece of bark or a couple of stout branches over the fresh dug beds to help protect them since they will need to stay like this for several weeks of winter. Its too much work to chop frozen dirt in late winter, to me, but if I already have a bed chopped out and anchor in place, it will save me a ton of work late in season. All I do is attach my trap, add dry freeze proof dirt to the bed, and I'm in business. Later in spring after the thaw I go back and get my anchors back out of the ground, then scrub them up and dye them immediately to keep the rusting to a minimum.

Snareman · « **Reply #6 on:** February 07, 2004, 08:15:13 AM »

Hello Jim,

I see you revived the thread!

Sure, there's merit in pre-setting anchors prior to freeze. I have done it. My main question started out because I use Pogo's washer anchor system and didn't know if they would hold up "pounding" them over 12" off frostline.

You can also use quick links... those oval round shaped 3/16" metal with a throat that opens by twisting the gate open and closed. (Yah know?) They are great for attaching traps and snares in a hurry. Then you wouldn't have to open the j-hook.

I have dug out beds several times prior to freeze.... the hole too if it's going to be a dirt hole set. I sometimes use just a hatchet to break the trap bed. Works good for me. I contend with snow here a lot when I'm trapping, so I use metal drags a lot on my snares and traps.

========

Wacky- As stated above, I utilize drags quite often when I'm snaring. I either attach #2 machine chain...straight link or twist link... or 7x19 3/32 cable to commercial drags. Then all I need is something to support off of and I'm set. Since the ground is frozen often when I'm snaring, the drags save a lot of time. I do like keeping the catch where it is sometimes and that's why the post.

Snareman

Wackyquacker · « **Reply #7 on:** February 09, 2004, 03:37:51 PM »

Well, I hate to rain on a parade but good luck with the POGOs. I use them every chance I get, but even in hard dry ground I pound in a pilot hole with a 3/4 " concrete form stake, then I can drive the washer with little problem. I have my gunmaker friend make my drivers from 22 cal barrels...the taper really makes things nice.

Please talk to us about grapple drags on snares with coyotes in mind.