Let's talk Bobcats.

[DustyC]

With bobcat season close I was just curious how many of you trap and hunt them. What's your favorite set? Whats the topography of your trapping ares? Gang set over 1 trap? What size of trap and the pan tension you run?
Just curious.

[LeviM]

The only thing I have to say is, You are all lucky bastards!!!!!!!

[EO caller]

You've seen pics of the country I trap Dusty. Lots of breaks and juniper. I won't set a trap under #3 size. Always wire screen for pan cover. For cats I like a small hole set under a tree or large sage brush. A nice V to narrow it down to the lures. Lots of eye appeal. Usually a hanging wing or rabbit hide. Lots of food lure and gland and piss. Some good fresh shit if available. I have sort of gang set an area with sign in the past, but after some listening to a master cat trapper I'm probly gonna switch to double trap set-up. I always use drags unless I can get a stake in but that doesn't happen to often. I do like a walk through set next to a bluff and I ain't afraid of putting in a trail set if need be. I just work with what I got. I'm far from being really confident but I'm getting better. A certain site administrator has opened my eyes to alot of things that make lot of sense and I plan on putting it to use this winter.

[DustyC]

I never thought of the hole set under a tree. That is going in my bag of tricks.My country is big rocks with thick sage at the base, so I do a lot of edge line trapping. I use a lot of walk-through sets and a modifed cubby. (to hard to explain so I'll take pics this winter)

[Coyotehunter]

when I was trapping cats in minnestoa I used cubby sets (which filled right in with snow) and walk through sets with a staked beaver carcass. In wyoming I try to avoid the catch all predator set. I have very few non-target catches in my cat sets. I try to get them up off of the main trail. I have caught lots of big toms on a coyote flat set but very few coyote in a flagged cat set. The biggest problem I have is porcupines. If you are in an area with a buch of them you will catch everyone. Cats really seem to enjoy looking at them in a trap. I get pretty frustrated when I come up on a cat set with a porcupine in it and cat tracks all around him.

this dirt hole set took 5 cats in one winter and a badger. Not a single coyote. I just would not have thought this would turn out to be my most productive cat set that winter. That is just the way it works out some times. Not a single cat at this location in the past 2 years. A little drainage coming out of the timber on to a big sage flat. I think part of the issue is that are rabbit population crashed and the food just is not there anymore.

a couple of cats on drags in the timber.

[EO caller]

CH I get alot of non target coyotes in flagged, blocked up, bobcat sets. Probly cause I'm not in prime cat location huh?

[Coyotehunter]

I would have to say it is your location. if you put it under a coyotes nose, especially YOY i think you are just going to have more non-targets. I would try to trail snare those coyotes before they get to your cat set.

[DustyC]

Nice cats Jamie!! What about feathers downa dirthole and scattered around? I generally wind up with a walk through under a tree or a cubby. type situation. How do you hang your flag? Do you go directly over the trap or out away asn a visual attractor to draw them in close and let the lure do the rest?

[Coyotehunter]

Nice cats Coyotehunter!! What about feathers downa dirthole and scattered around? I generally wind up with a walk through under a tree or a cubby. type situation. How do you hang your flag? Do you go directly over the trap or out away asn a visual attractor to draw them in close and let the lure do the rest?

I like to use whole pigeons on dirt holes for coyotes and cats. Feathers everywhere I think is a big eye appeal. I typically hang the flag over the set but near the set works if that is the only option. Some guys are trying to get the cat to reach up for the flag and get a hind lig catch. if so so focal point at ground level is not used. turds are my main focal point once they start to work the set.

[barebackjack]

Contemplating a potential move.......and itll be real close to cat country!


Whats everyones take on exposed sets vs covered?

I hear a lot of cat guys utilize exposed traps with a shingle on the pan.

[Coyotehunter]

I was told by a top notch western cat trapper that no self respecting trapper would leave a trap uncovered......and shingles are for roofs, not traps. there are some good reasons for the uncovered trap in heavy coyote country, and the shingles do not bother the cats, in minnesta lots of cat trappers used jar lids screwed to the pan with moss placed on the upside down lid. I cover everything up and use steel screens.

[DustyC]

It's a touchy situation. I actually left about 3 sets uncovered last year and 1 took 2 cats and a single on another. I think like everything out there it has it's place. It helps keep the trap from freezing down and keep coyotes out of it. Just really hard to walk away from an uncovered trap.

[EO caller]

No way I could do it. I spent to much time making waxed dirt. Them traps are gonna be covered, blended, and winterized. I'm just going to block the hell out of them and hope the coyotes don't like it. I do have a question for CH. When you set two traps next to each other, do you set them loose jaw to loose jaw or dog to dog or lever to lever? I know you should put a stick or something in between for guiding.

[barebackjack]

Whats everybody's "go to" cat set?

[Coyotehunter]

I put my dogs out.