Keeping wildlife and cattle from knocking over a porta potty on open land

You secure a standard portable toilet on open land with a combination of ground anchors and ratchet straps over the top. The wind gets under the unit because it is a large, light box. To stop that, you need to tie it down with a method that applies downward pressure.

Drive four heavy-duty ground anchors, like screw-in earth anchors or large steel stakes, at an angle away from each corner of the unit. Then, run two heavy-duty ratchet straps in an X pattern over the top of the unit, hooking them to the anchors. The straps go over the roof, not around the sides, to press the unit down onto the ground. This method works without damaging the unit if you use straps with soft protectors where they touch the plastic. For cattle, the straps over the top also remove the flat surface they like to scratch against.

On hard-packed dirt, screw-in anchors hold better than straight rebar. Your rental company can advise on placement and truck access so the service driver can still reach the unit for the weekly service visit.

Sam covered the straps, but the driver also needs to release those ratchet straps every service day. You have to be there or leave the tools for the driver. A better long-term solution for a ranch is to set four concrete footings with embedded J-bolts, then build a simple wooden frame that the unit sits inside. The frame is anchored to the footings, and the unit is strapped to the frame. This creates a permanent, stable pad that the service truck can still access, and the cattle cannot rub against the unit itself. The rental company will note this as a secure placement and not charge for a tipped unit.