# Bobcat quest



## FREEPOP (Apr 11, 2002)

ottertrapper said:


> Cool pic hope storm misses you guys there. We got it pretty good today for this area but much more tonight and tomorrow it sounds


Fractions of an inch for next couple days. Late Friday night 4" so we're pulling in the morning and heading home.
Think we saw one new set of predator tracks, we think fox today. Went and helped a friend set up till dark tonight. 

Gonna be a cold night


----------



## ottertrapper (Jan 6, 2006)

Pulling Friday morning? Hope you score. Wow can't believe your getting missed. That's good though.


----------



## FREEPOP (Apr 11, 2002)

ottertrapper said:


> Pulling Friday morning? Hope you score. Wow can't believe your getting missed. That's good though.


We got quite a few snow squals but it doesn't look like it added up to an inch.


----------



## FREEPOP (Apr 11, 2002)

Sam and I went out to pee this morning, he got cold


----------



## FREEPOP (Apr 11, 2002)

Well, we're getting our hat handed to us. Finally had fresh tracks to a set and it was frozen in. Probably a good thing as it looked like it was probably a domestic, a big one at that. Checked all my other traps and maybe one was iffy. One more check and homeward bound.


----------



## Luv2hunteup (Mar 22, 2003)

FREEPOP said:


> Well, we're getting our hat handed to us. Finally had fresh tracks to a set and it was frozen in. Probably a good thing as it looked like it was probably a domestic, a big one at that. Checked all my other traps and maybe one was iffy. One more check and homeward bound.


It was a swing and a miss but at least you had an at bat. Thanks for sharing.


----------



## Fool'em (Sep 29, 2016)

im still hopping you score 
Good luck on the last check


----------



## FREEPOP (Apr 11, 2002)

A set at a friend's house


----------



## PunyTrout (Mar 23, 2007)

FREEPOP said:


> Partner suggested we check the line in the opposite direction to turn our luck around.


Your partner might be part Heyoka... That's a great partner to have. Good luck!

Just for context... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heyoka


----------



## Camo1 (Oct 22, 2011)

How do you release a bobcat without getting torn to shreds?


----------



## DirtySteve (Apr 9, 2006)

Camo1 said:


> How do you release a bobcat without getting torn to shreds?


Search it on youtube for some entertainment. Mountain lions are more exciting.


----------



## Crawfish (May 7, 2002)

Typically involves a catch pole. Search YouTube for: "bobcat release trap" and you will find many examples.
See also wolf releases, some good ones out there. 
Lots of comments on those vids from animal rights crowd...


----------



## FREEPOP (Apr 11, 2002)

Mountain lions on drags have got to be the hairiest, imo


----------



## DirtySteve (Apr 9, 2006)

FREEPOP said:


> Mountain lions on drags have got to be the hairiest, imo


The mountain lion on a drag sounds exciting. I forget who posted it but one of the members on here told a story about a bear cub. He was scared to death that momma was going to come in to protect at any moment.


----------



## FREEPOP (Apr 11, 2002)

DirtySteve said:


> The mountain lion on a drag sounds exciting. I forget who posted it but one of the members on here told a story about a bear cub. He was scared to death that momma was going to come in to protect at any moment.


Griffon dog has bear story


----------



## ottertrapper (Jan 6, 2006)

Camo1 said:


> How do you release a bobcat without getting torn to shreds?


Very easily a catch pole of piece of plywood both methods are simple and you won't get torn to shreds.


----------



## plugger (Aug 8, 2001)

ottertrapper said:


> Very easily a catch pole of piece of plywood both methods are simple and you won't get torn to shreds.


 I have been involved with a sheet of plywood with a v notch in it, was easy.


----------



## swampbuck (Dec 23, 2004)

I help with one years ago, the guy threw his carhartt on it and pinned it, I took the trap off. Not an activity I would recommend.


----------



## wannabapro (Feb 26, 2003)

swampbuck said:


> I help with one years ago, the guy threw his carhartt on it and pinned it, I took the trap off. Not an activity I would recommend.


Would like to see the video on that.


----------



## swampbuck (Dec 23, 2004)

I don't think VHS had even been invented then. lol, few scratches and a really pissed off cat.


----------



## Crawfish (May 7, 2002)

After watching some of the cougar releases, they make the released wolves look like sad puppies. Wow, I would not want to tangle with one of those cats.


----------



## FREEPOP (Apr 11, 2002)

There's a really funny one with two anti-trappers releasing someone's bobcat. I don't think those guys will try that again.


----------



## plugger (Aug 8, 2001)

Does this mean no Kitty for you the whole year, or is there a chance you may score somewhere else?


----------



## DirtySteve (Apr 9, 2006)

FREEPOP said:


> There's a really funny one with two anti-trappers releasing someone's bobcat. I don't think those guys will try that again.


This is one of my favorite stories about catching an anti messing with a trapper....

http://www.trapperman.com/forum/ubb...24/Caught_a_trap_thief__(LITERALL#Post1007924


----------



## FREEPOP (Apr 11, 2002)

plugger said:


> Does this mean no Kitty for you the whole year, or is there a chance you may score somewhere else?


No kitty this year only a ten day season where we were. Taking the lessons we learned, experience gained and already planning for next year.


----------



## plugger (Aug 8, 2001)

FREEPOP said:


> No kitty this year only a ten day season where we were. Taking the lessons we learned, experience gained and already planning for next year.


 Is there any info out about how many were successful in the ten day season?


----------



## FREEPOP (Apr 11, 2002)

plugger said:


> Is there any info out about how many were successful in the ten day season?


They have to be registered/sealed with the DNR and the skulls have to be submitted, so the numbers should be available but I've never searched or seen them posted.


----------



## ottertrapper (Jan 6, 2006)

Freepop I too am already looking forward to cat season next year! I am waiting on y new cat stretchers from coloradocat off tman so i can put this years tom up. I wanted to finally put a cat up on a cat board instead of otter or coyote boards. With what you learned this year you will be successful


----------



## FREEPOP (Apr 11, 2002)

ottertrapper said:


> Freepop I too am already looking forward to cat season next year! I am waiting on y new cat stretchers from coloradocat off tman so i can put this years tom up. I wanted to finally put a cat up on a cat board instead of otter or coyote boards. With what you learned this year you will be successful


We'll give it another shot. I told my partner that I didn't get my otter the first time I tried, so success will be sweeter when it does happen. We extremely cut our anticipated line down because of the weather. I took 75 traps with me and I believe I only had about 15 out. I'm a firm believer in having twice the traps you'll need so I hoped to have about 40 out. We decided on a smaller, fairly easy route that we could get too if we got really dumped on. From what I've read, cat's territories can be quite big so even if you set on sign, it may not come through again in thd ten day season. I know for coyotes, I like traps out for 2 weeks minimum. Big woods Trapping is definitely new to both of us, we're farm field trappers and that adds a new twist.
We were both quite disappointed in our results but the sting is subsiding and plans for our next attempt are being formed. One thing for sure, it'll be a heck of a lot better than being at work.


----------



## 9 (Jan 17, 2000)

FREEPOP said:


> We'll give it another shot. I told my partner that I didn't get my otter the first time I tried, so success will be sweeter when it does happen. We extremely cut our anticipated line down because of the weather. I took 75 traps with me and I believe I only had about 15 out. I'm a firm believer in having twice the traps you'll need so I hoped to have about 40 out. We decided on a smaller, fairly easy route that we could get too if we got really dumped on. From what I've read, cat's territories can be quite big so even if you set on sign, it may not come through again in thd ten day season. I know for coyotes, I like traps out for 2 weeks minimum. Big woods Trapping is definitely new to both of us, we're farm field trappers and that adds a new twist.
> We were both quite disappointed in our results but the sting is subsiding and plans for our next attempt are being formed. One thing for sure, it'll be a heck of a lot better than being at work.


Interesting about MI bobcat ranges. I had property east of Lewiston for over 30 years and I seemed to have cats on it all the time. I also never had a shortage of bunnies either so I figured I had a resident cat population and their range was only as large or small as their prey base.

Now here in Midland Co., where the farm ground meets the big woods, I see the same scenerio on my deer hunting properties. If there is a good prey base and I've got cats, I have cats all the time! Once the prey base drops, my cats leave.

It's been my observation that whether I have a good or poor cat population any given year, I find a dead deer from hunting season or whatever, if there is a cat or family of cats in the area, it'll/they'll be guarding that carcass! When that happens, things become almost too easy. The cats will have trails to/from and around the perimter of the carcass so it's easy picking with trail sets. First night doubles are common.

On one large property there is a huge pile of tree root balls that the contractor hauls in. This pile is possubly 30' high and covers about 2 acres with a truck ramp going up one side. The full-time operator that works the are tells of watching familes of up to 3 cats at a time sitting atop the stump ends looking like owls, watching for prey as he moves and dumps loads of stumps.


----------



## FREEPOP (Apr 11, 2002)

I agree Seldom and that was another piece of the puzzle I was hoping to find was prey and we saw no sign There were many places that I have run the dogs on hare that we wanted to get too but access was questionable.


----------



## plugger (Aug 8, 2001)

I helped an ex student of mine release a bobcat several years ago and it was caught in a straw set for fox. The cat got caught the first night traps were set. A year ago my brother in-law hit a bobcat with his truck. I am pretty sure it was feeding or investigating a dead deer that was on the side of the road. The DNR naturally took the bobcat.


----------

