Bobcat trapping

kcboswell

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Oct 1, 2014
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Decided to try and trap some cats this year in Central Colo. Not looking for any spots I have already done some scouting and found some spots I'd like to try. Just looking for any and all info I can get on this subject. Books, tips, bobcat habits. I'm hungry for knowledge and as green as green can be. Any info would be helpful. I plan on using cage traps during the 2014-15 season. Thank you!
 

charvey9

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Jan 26, 2014
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Hamilton, MT
Tagged. I'm giving it a try for the first time this year also. Been getting quite a few bobcats on my trail cameras for the past few seasons, but little luck getting them to come to call during the daylight. If I happen to get a yote or two, thats a bonus.

Made my first sets this week, but no luck yet. Don't know a whole lot, but what I have leared has mostly come off internet and youtube. I went with some #1.75 and #2 foot hold traps. There are some informative "how to" videos out there. I bought everything I need for trapping, skinning, fleshing, stretching and tanning from F&T Furtraders.

The only thing I have learned so far, is that I want more traps. I'm a bit time restricted, and though 4-5 traps in a few areas was all I could handle. However, once set, checking them is easy. I'm going to add a few more traps in each area, and probably some in my route along the way. I don't know what it is like where you are at, but I have coyote sign all along the forest roads, so making some sets along my drive should be productive.
 
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kcboswell

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Oct 1, 2014
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That's awesome man good luck! I agree on the coyotes being a bonus. I haven't tried calling them yet but it is on the agenda. From what I've read it takes a lot more patience and something to visually distract them like a feather on a string or a decoy. I have the good fortune of having a buddy whose dad used to be a pretty hardcore trapper who still has a lot of the fleshing and stretching tools he will let me borrow as well as being there to teach me. Unfortunately Colorado only allows live trapping so legholds are out for me. I've been pricing traps online and they aren't cheap so I'm planning on building them myself. There isn't a lot to them but making them light, easy to carry, and the pan to trip them are holding me up at the moment. Another problem I face is I work and live in Denver and all the good spots I have found are 1hr plus away. State law requires us to check the traps at least every 24 hours (which I agree is only fair to the animal). So most of my trapping will probably be done on the weekends which is better than nothing. Our season just opened on Monday so I plan on heading up this weekend to do some scouting and probably some calling. If nothing else it gets me up in the hills during the off season and gives me a new challenge and new animal to learn. Best of luck to you and feel free to keep me up to date on your season. Would love to hear how you're doing with your trapping. I don't know a lot of people who trap so I'm looking to network out and share tips and tactics with others.
 

Rizzy

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Apr 27, 2012
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Eagle, Idaho
I have successfully ran a few cat lines in the Owyhees with foothold traps. There is a lot to it, so specific questions are welcome.
I prefer #3 and #4 longsprings, they work better in freezing/snow conditions and reduce the misses/toe catches. Bobcats have a big foot. The #2 will work for coyotes, the 1.75 is a good fox trap. For bobcats the blind walk through set is my favorite and the most productive. You want to make the set such that the only place for the cat to step is on your trap pan. This is done with blocking, and don't use rocks, they like to step on rocks. I would set at least 3 traps at each location. This increases your chances for success, but mainly provides backup. If you get a miss on one trap, there are two others ready to go. Or if a trap gets clogged with a nontarget, your set is not out of service. Sometimes there could be multiple cats traveling through an area. A cat might only go through an area once every 10 days, so you want to be ready and get a catch. I use all exposed sets for cats as they will step on a trap pan thinking it's a rock.

There are certain terrain features to look for that make good places to set traps. Your looking for pinch points on travel corridors, places the cat will start and end it's hunt, and cat toilets. They target rabbits, so focus on places you would walk to jump shoot rabbits. The base of rim rock and a lone rock pile/boulder in the middle of sage flats are really good cat set places.

Tune your traps for a crisp release at 3-4 pounds of pan pressure in order to keep birds, rabbits, rodents, etc. out of the trap. Don't set areas that the bird hunters use regularly or hikers with dogs will go and don't use conibears on land, it's not worth the hassle and negative image.

High Dollar Cats is a good DVD on fur handling for cats. If done right you will be impressed how much you get for a good cat pelt, even at today's prices. January is a good month to sell, prices are set and demand is high.
 

CoHiCntry

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Joined
Feb 15, 2013
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Colorado
Decided to try and trap some cats this year in Central Colo. Not looking for any spots I have already done some scouting and found some spots I'd like to try. Just looking for any and all info I can get on this subject. Books, tips, bobcat habits. I'm hungry for knowledge and as green as green can be. Any info would be helpful. I plan on using cage traps during the 2014-15 season. Thank you!

I'm interested in trying this too. Having to use cage traps kinda stinks though. Did you find a good place online with any traps for sale? I have no idea what kind, or where to get any. I'm probably even greener than you! If you or anybody else can tell me a good place to find cage traps for bobcats that would be appreciated!
 

jmez

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Jun 12, 2012
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Piedmont, SD
Bobcats aren't hard to catch if you can get them to your sets. Visual attactors also work for trapping. A turkey feather on a string or a Christmas tree ball hung near the set helps. They are just like a house cat, very curious and like to play. Some trappers use battery powered squeakers near the set to get their attention, I never tried that.

I used baited sets as well as blind. I had better luck with baited. They have poor noses and don't use them much so if using scents get something with a lot of skunk. I'd recommend Pro's Choice #3 for an attractor scent placed high off the ground near the set. I always used beaver carcasses for bait, cats love beaver meat. Exposed bait is illegal here so I would build a big cubby in rocky areas where I knew they frequented and place traps at the entrance. Never used cage traps but they will readily go in one. Blend it in so it looks like a cave or big hole into a brushpile. I would bait with beaver carcass if you can get one. There are also some bobcat specific baits but I never had luck with them. They also like rabbits and you can use those for bait.
 

Rizzy

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Eagle, Idaho
The logistics of cage trapping is tough, but these guys do it with success.

http://www.cagingbobcats.com/

Otis latham is from Colorado I believe.

I'm interested in trying this too. Having to use cage traps kinda stinks though. Did you find a good place online with any traps for sale? I have no idea what kind, or where to get any. I'm probably even greener than you! If you or anybody else can tell me a good place to find cage traps for bobcats that would be appreciated!
 

charvey9

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Jan 26, 2014
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Hamilton, MT
Good stuff so far.

In Oregon, we are limited to #3's and nothing with a jaw spread larger than 6". I should have just been going with the biggest I could from the beginning, but did order some #3's this week to try out. We don't have much problem with temps below freezing where I am trapping. We also can't use any game fish, bird, or mammal as bait, and can't have sets within 15' of a sight bait. Not sure where Beaver would fall on that, but rabbit are considered predatory and would probably work well. I might have to see if I can hunt me up some rabbit. The christmas ball idea is a good one I will need to try.

So far, I have been making sets similar to the ones I found in this video, except I'm using a rebar anchor:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XrIy03ID3ak

I'm putting them a few feet off the trail where I have photographed them coming through, using sticks/branches to funnel them into the pan. I've only tried a few different scent lures applied to sheeps wool, then spraying the area down with bobcat urine when I'm done. I've avoided putting them directly in the trail as deer/elk are often using the same path.

How far apart to you make your sets? The closest I have so far is about 100 yards apart. Not sure if I should do more in the same spot, or space them out more.

Thanks for the info.
 

Rizzy

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The Deer/Elk will usually step over the set if it's in the right place. You want to utilize the stride difference between cats and deer. If there is a good sized rock or log in the trail the deer Elk will step on one side or the other, the cats will step on top of it, so don't set there. Pick a clean section of trail and put your set with blocking and the deer will step right over it. You can put a good sized branch about 2 feet high across the trail above your set and get them to jump over it also. The cat will go under it. This is is a good snare set also.

I would set 2 or 3 traps within a 100 yards quite often on trails. If I was setting a toilet then they could be feet apart. I found a heavily used toilet one season and put 4 sets around it and 3 in the area on trails. There is no limit, in fact the more you set the first time the better your chances are to get a catch and in turn learn which ones are best quicker.

A blind walk thru on a trail or travel way will usually outperform a baited set for cats. Cat's are very efficient and skilled sight hunters, they know where they want to go to eat usually. Canines on the other hand are not and always interested in potential meals. With a baited set the cat has to choose to want to work the set and they will sometimes just take one sniff or two out of curiosity and continue going where they wanted to go in the first place. However I would always make at least one dirt hole and one cubby set in an area with sign just to be thorough, but the cat catch would usually be on the blind walk thru.

When you use scents on a walk thru set put a different one on each side of the set so they have a reason to go thru it, this plays more on the curiosity. If you put the same scent on both sides of the set they don't necessarily need to walk through the set to smell it ;)
 
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kcboswell

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All this information is awesome thank you guys very much! Unfortunately in Colorado we cant use anything but live traps. However we can use legally taken game animals as bait (beaver, rabbit etc) which are easy enough to come buy. As far as finding good places online to buy traps I have found a few. The one Rizzy recommended is the best one I've found and if you can afford it I would recommend trying them out. I've also seen a lot of guys taking them in Colorado with homemade traps but no one is quick to give away the blueprints. Like I said I don't know shit from good chocolate when it comes to trapping cats but I think a lot of the info you guys gave me can be applied to getting them in a cage. Best of luck to all you guys and post some pictures of what you get as I would love to see em. I'm looking forward to learning a lot and being out in the woods and I'll post my progress as I go.
 
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Beaver and muskrat are legal bait in OR, as they are furbearers. They do need to be used in a non-sight bait situation, such as a covey, or used 15' from your foothold set. I use baited sets mostly, but know guys who use scent and others that trail set! I think they all will work as long as you get the hang of the particular method and develop your own personal system to fit your location and situation.
 
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charvey9

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Beaver and muskrat are legal bait in OR, as they are furbearers. They do need to be used in a non-sight bait situation, such as a covey, or used 15' from your foothold set. I use baited sets mostly, but know guys who use scent and others that trail set! I think they all will work as long as you get the hang of the particular method and develop your own personal system to fit your location and situation.

Excellent. Thanks for the info.
 

charvey9

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Went out this morning in a monsoon. Almost got blown off the mountain a few times. Made some blind sets like this one below. Maybe looks like a little overkill, but lots of critters travel this trail and the bigger ones should opt to go around or over this set. I actually bumped 3 elk walking in to this spot. There is also a great place for a cubby set like 20 yards away under a hollowed out stump in the side of the slope...just need more traps. Hopefully I'm on the right track here.

 

RGH

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Feb 15, 2014
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CO
I'm interested in trying this too. Having to use cage traps kinda stinks though. Did you find a good place online with any traps for sale? I have no idea what kind, or where to get any. I'm probably even greener than you! If you or anybody else can tell me a good place to find cage traps for bobcats that would be appreciated!

Definitely not a pro but I have caught a few in cage traps. Couple of simple tips that have helped improve my chances: 1. As mentioned hang a feather, wing or or something that will flutter in the wind 3-5 feet above your trap. 2. Brush in your trap around the sides and back , so a cat cannot get to the bait or lure without going inside the trap. 3. Use a lure scent ( I use Cat Collector), don't over do it, I put a glob about the size of your thumbnail on a stick and throw it in the back of the trap or rub it on the bait. 4. Dirt in the bottom of your cage, I have been told they do not like the feel of the wire mesh. As for the traps, I have found height and length matter more than width. The bigger the better! Shoot me a pm if you would like and I can get you in contact with a guy that sells cage traps in sets of three. They all fit inside each other and are light enough to pack if needed. A set of three costs $225 last time I bought some. He lives in Grand Junction, but I have guys that travel to Denver weekly that I work with, so I may be able to help you out if you are interested. Good luck!
 

CoHiCntry

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Colorado
Definitely not a pro but I have caught a few in cage traps. Couple of simple tips that have helped improve my chances: 1. As mentioned hang a feather, wing or or something that will flutter in the wind 3-5 feet above your trap. 2. Brush in your trap around the sides and back , so a cat cannot get to the bait or lure without going inside the trap. 3. Use a lure scent ( I use Cat Collector), don't over do it, I put a glob about the size of your thumbnail on a stick and throw it in the back of the trap or rub it on the bait. 4. Dirt in the bottom of your cage, I have been told they do not like the feel of the wire mesh. As for the traps, I have found height and length matter more than width. The bigger the better! Shoot me a pm if you would like and I can get you in contact with a guy that sells cage traps in sets of three. They all fit inside each other and are light enough to pack if needed. A set of three costs $225 last time I bought some. He lives in Grand Junction, but I have guys that travel to Denver weekly that I work with, so I may be able to help you out if you are interested. Good luck!

Good information... thanks. PM sent!
 
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