Bobcat trapping

Logan T · Dec 9, 2014

charvey9 said:
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.

Charvey you seem to be into chasing birds….. if you can (if its legal in oregon) you might try to keep the wings of birds and hang them from a branch at least nearby. I by no means close to being an expert trapper, I'd hardly qualify myself as a good or descent one at that, but I've seen a lot of sets where there is a wing or two or three hanging from a tree, with a trap or two right under it, catch a lot of cats. Its obviously not guaranteed, but its simple and trapping in a lot of ways is made more difficult than it has to be.

I see you said you can't use any game fish, bird, or mammal as bait. Is that "period" or does it apply to the meat or viscera only? In MT, we have something similar…. our regs state: "Exposed Carcass or Bait- No trap or snare may be set within 30 feet of an exposed carcass or bait which is visible from above. Exposed carcass or bait is defined as the meat or viscera of a mammal, bird or fish, or any part thereof that is more than one pound in weight. Bleached bones are excluded."

Wings are lightweight and a huge eye attractant, and I'd guess that you could collect a fair number of them from pics you have posted.

Rizzy · Dec 10, 2014

That's good, they usually do. Is there any blocking?

charvey9 said:
Yup. Hoping they think that is a rock and step on it.

I dug up some pics of a few sets that worked.

Walk thru set on a trail

Walk thru set at the base of a rim rock

2nd set up on the same rim about 300 yards down

crzy_cntryby · Dec 11, 2014

Colorado guys, I thought leg holds were legal under the furbearer lincenses? That's the info I read on cpw website and got from calling in. Maybe I need to go looking again?

kcboswell · Dec 16, 2014

No Colorado banned leg hold, body grip traps, and snares in the 90's. You are required to use live traps. You can use other traps on private land with a permit from CPW. I have never tried to obtain the permit so I don't know what all it entails. A furbearers license is just for furbearers not other small game (upland, waterfowl etc) but furbearers can be taken with a small game license. Confused yet? Welcome to Colorado haha.

Nick Muche · Dec 18, 2014

I love those photos Ron!

Rizzy · Dec 18, 2014

Nick Muche said:
I love those photos Ron!

Thanks Nick,

Bobcats hold really still for the camera!

charvey9 · Dec 19, 2014

Well, my trapping season ended early when the wife got emotional about the idea and litteraly broke down crying. Now there is a two legged creature I will never figure out. However, I don't give in too easily and when she compromised on me hunting, skinning, fleshing, drying, and tanning any fur bearers I get in the garage I figured that was a good win for me. The good news is I was able to identify lots of good sign out looking for my trap line, and knew I had cats in the areas of a few of my cameras. After a few mornings ruined by fog, I finally got a good one the other day and slipped into a trail I thought the yotes and cats were using.

My dad has had pretty good success getting cats to come in to call back in Michigan, and I figured I would keep trying. I had some yotes talking early, but was lots of cover where I was and they didn't come in. About 45 minutes into my sit, I caught this bobcat sneaking into range. This is my first bobcat, and it is already drying in the garage.

CoHiCntry · Dec 19, 2014

Awesome! Congrats!!!

Rizzy · Dec 19, 2014

Nice! congrats
post up a pic of him on the stretcher if you get a chance.

charvey9 · Dec 21, 2014

This was my first attempt at fur handling and animal. No one in my family was into it, and growing up we just gave any furbearers to a friend of the family who sold them. I screwed up once putting a little whole through the neck while skinning, but other than that did alright. Getting the cartalidge out of the ears was also a little tricky, but have since seen some tips on how to do that better next time. In hindsight, I may have fleshed the hide a little too much in some spots and not enough on the head, so hopefully it still turns out OK. I'm keeping this one for myself anyways, and will chalk it up to a learning experience.

Surprisingly, I have not been able to find a really good single source for info on fur handling and have had to kind of compile tips and methods from several different articles, sites, and videos. After letting it hang on the stretcher for a night I turned it the next morning to soften the hide a bit, and then turned it back inside out and have had it on the for a few more days. The body of the pelt is pretty much dry, but the head not quite.

Any tips on when I can pull this off the stretcher and tan? I haven't been able to find any real concise information on the time it needs to dry. I bought one of those home tanning kits from F&T, not sure how well they work.

Rizzy · Dec 21, 2014

It looks fleshed enough in the pic, some trappers actually don't flesh the head out or even pull the ear cartilage. The head is not used in the garment industry so they don't spend the time with it. However I feel it's good technique to flesh out the head and remove the cartilage, it looks better, smells better, and shows the fur buyer that you care about your work.

I like to rub mine with borax after I flesh it and then put it on the stretcher fur out from the get go. This works here because the climate here is dry, if your close to the coast and have a wet climate it probably will not work. A wedge in the body and coat hangers in the front legs will open it up enough to air it out. The Nevada Stretch is what you want to learn, this showcases all the belly fur and front legs on the cat. The majority of the value on a bobcat is the spotted fur on the belly and legs. When it sounds like tissue paper it's dry enough to take off the stretcher. Different parts of the cat will dry at different rates, so don't go by just the belly.

Bobcat putup tutorials

http://www.trapperman.com/forum/ubb...49508/Bobcat_-_Cat_Put_Up,_Part_I#Post2649508
http://www.trapperman.com/forum/ubb...9511/Bobcat_-_Cat_Put_Up,_Part_II#Post2649511
http://www.trapperman.com/forum/ubb...512/Bobcat_-_Cat_Put_Up,_Part_III#Post2649512
http://www.trapperman.com/forum/ubb...33/Bobcat_Put_Up,Part_IV,__the_Gr#Post2649533

charvey9 · Dec 22, 2014

Rizzy said:
It looks fleshed enough in the pic, some trappers actually don't flesh the head out or even pull the ear cartilage. The head is not used in the garment industry so they don't spend the time with it. However I feel it's good technique to flesh out the head and remove the cartilage, it looks better, smells better, and shows the fur buyer that you care about your work.

I like to rub mine with borax after I flesh it and then put it on the stretcher fur out from the get go. This works here because the climate here is dry, if your close to the coast and have a wet climate it probably will not work. A wedge in the body and coat hangers in the front legs will open it up enough to air it out. The Nevada Stretch is what you want to learn, this showcases all the belly fur and front legs on the cat. The majority of the value on a bobcat is the spotted fur on the belly and legs. When it sounds like tissue paper it's dry enough to take off the stretcher. Different parts of the cat will dry at different rates, so don't go by just the belly.

Bobcat putup tutorials

http://www.trapperman.com/forum/ubb...49508/Bobcat_-_Cat_Put_Up,_Part_I#Post2649508
http://www.trapperman.com/forum/ubb...9511/Bobcat_-_Cat_Put_Up,_Part_II#Post2649511
http://www.trapperman.com/forum/ubb...512/Bobcat_-_Cat_Put_Up,_Part_III#Post2649512
http://www.trapperman.com/forum/ubb...33/Bobcat_Put_Up,Part_IV,__the_Gr#Post2649533

Good stuff. Thanks again.

I guess I'm in no rush to get the pelt finished, so will just let it hang for a good long while.

gonhunting247 · Dec 22, 2014

Good work on your first cat charvey9, that's cool. After a while you'll get the feel of turn timing. With good air movement it can be done in a matter of a few hrs.Make sure you have good air flow to the inside once turned though.
Home tanning will work fine on the thin skin of a bobcat, just make sure to break the skin a little while drying to keep it pliable.
Congrats!

Nick Muche · Dec 22, 2014

Ron,

Can you get more $$$ out of a cat when you skin them out for Taxidermy (fleshing the face, turning the ears, lips, etc...)? I know we do up here and most of the stuff we do is for that market, less marten.

Rizzy · Dec 22, 2014

I think it depends on the demand. Bobcats have a real strong market in Russia and China for garments. In years past some of the top cats where going for over a grand each. If you get a casty bellied cat then skinning it for taxidermy would probably make you more, where as a nice big clear belly with well defined spots would probably get more on the fur market when the prices are high. Wolves on the other hand seem to always be worth more for taxidermy.

charvey9 · Dec 22, 2014

Well, I turned the pelt this evening as most everything seemed pretty dry on the inside. Was a pain in the arse to get the head turned back, but finally got it. A little disappointed that some of the hair was falling out, mostly near the bottom. I guess I must have fleshed a little too much in those spots. Oh well, this is a learning experience....just wish it would have been on a coyote. Still looks pretty good and won't be able to tell when its hanging on the wall.

charvey9 · Dec 28, 2014

On another note...

Yep. I made some bobcat kabobs with the backstrap. Cooked well done of course, it was still tender meat and looked a lot like pork. Not much flavor though, even with the rub I used. Next time I'll marinate in something over night. I saved the rear quarters too, and may either smoke or slow cook them at some point. I think it would make good stew meat.

RStarck · Dec 28, 2014

Check out 5911ryan on YouTube. He has over 50 videos detailing how to handle all sorts of fur.

6t4nova · Dec 29, 2014

Rizzy said:
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.

Mercer has some great information out there and has great traps. When I lived in Colorado, several guys used his traps and lures. Can't go wrong with them. Well constructed and I've seen first hand the success people have had with them in CO.

mcr-85 · Dec 31, 2014

View attachment 22256

I caught a couple the day after christmas. Fun stuff.

Bobcat trapping

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