# Which rifle for bobcats?



## Beaverhunter2 (Jan 22, 2005)

According to my trail cam and the tracks, I have three bobcats working my boneyard- two small ones and a big one. With our ten-day trapping season over, I'm thinking toward hunting them. The trail cam says they come all hours of the day and I think I'll be setting up a pop-up blind about 65-75 yards from the pile and either waiting them out or, if necessary, trying to call them in. 

I have three rifles available to me- a Savage .17HMR, a Marlin 25M in .22WMR, and a Savage 340 in .223. After skinning a couple bobcats shot with a .223, it seems like over-kill- especially at 75 yards. Both rifles shoot 1 1/2" groups at this range (usually better). The question is:

Any suggestions on which rimfire would be best for 'cats and what load? 

I haven't seen any coyote sign near the boneyard or on the trail cam- just 'cats, crows, bluejays and chickadees. Although whatever other rifle I may have, during daylight the .223 will be in the blind with me- especially if I'm calling.

Thanks for any input!

John


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## sourdough44 (Mar 2, 2008)

Well, the daytime bobcat would be rather uncommon. I'd say generally you would have more of a chance of seeing a coyote, but it sounds like maybe not in your location. With good moon light it would be best to stay put into the evening(after dark) hours. With that in mind the 22 mag or HMR would keep you legal. The shotgun with "T" or #2-BB is a good option at the closer ranges.

I think the 22 mag will get it done with good shot placement. It would be helpful to have some trailcam info to see it there is any pattern to their visits. Bobcats can be here this eve & gone tomorrow in their habits. I do think the best time is to set up just before dark & wait them out as long as possible into the eve. I'd also try to freshen up the pile for a week or 2 prior to the hunt & plan it with a favorable moon.

Just to add the 22 mag has more energy then the HMR overall.


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## leechwrangler (Aug 9, 2010)

i was hoping one of your pics would be a 243 lol 5mm magnum


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## brushbuster (Nov 9, 2009)

sourdough44 said:


> Well, the daytime bobcat would be rather uncommon. I'd say generally you would have more of a chance of seeing a coyote, but it sounds like maybe not in your location. With good moon light it would be best to stay put into the evening(after dark) hours. With that in mind the 22 mag or HMR would keep you legal. The shotgun with "T" or #2-BB is a good option at the closer ranges.
> 
> I think the 22 mag will get it done with good shot placement. It would be helpful to have some trailcam info to see it there is any pattern to their visits. Bobcats can be here this eve & gone tomorrow in their habits. I do think the best time is to set up just before dark & wait them out as long as possible into the eve. I'd also try to freshen up the pile for a week or 2 prior to the hunt & plan it with a favorable moon.
> 
> Just to add the 22 mag has more energy then the HMR overall.


Just incase people dont know, its illegal to hunt bobcat at night. half hour before sunrise and half hour after sunset for bobcat.


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## Mitchell Ulrich (Sep 10, 2007)

Being a Taxidermist I've seen what a shotgun does to small size animals like Coyote and Bobcat...I'd stick with the .22mag.


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## Beaverhunter2 (Jan 22, 2005)

sourdough44 said:


> Well, the daytime bobcat would be rather uncommon.


 
That's what I would have thought but they are hitting the boneyard at all hours- 8am, 10am, noon, 1pm, 4pm, 6pm, 8pm, 2am. Based on the trail cam, it went on for at least 5 days. I'll be restocking it in a couple more days and settign up the blind for when I get a chance to go up during season.

I'll try to post a few pictures here:





































Unless there's a sudden surge of support for the .17HMR- .22WMR it is!

John


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## SNAREMAN (Dec 10, 2006)

John,is this property in an area open to cat trapping?If it is,to bad you could'nt have got up there for a few day's,looks like about as much as a "sure thing" as you can get.Good luck on the hunt,it may take a few hr's on the stand but I have a feeling that you'll end-up with a nice reward


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## motorcityhtps (Mar 1, 2010)

I, too, have been considering setting up a 4 day cat hunt for my birthday in January. Although I don't have the private land or the trail cam pics, I was thinking about what gun to use. I myself also decided on a .22 Mag. I was thinking the 40 grain might be a bit heavy, I was leaning toward the Winchester 34 grain HP, since they seem like they expand a little faster and there would be less chance of an exit hole.

I'd love to hear more people's view on this.


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## brushbuster (Nov 9, 2009)

A buddy and i have been hunting cats for years with a 12 ga. where we hunt you cant get a shot out past 20 yards. To get into the spots you have to duck your head and cover your face and bust through the brush. We see more and shoot more cats since we started hunting thick cover.Last year for some stupid reason i thought i would bring my 243 because i wanted to hunt a spot that wasnt so thick. My farthest shot was 35 yards. A cat came in and i had the power turned all the way up on the cat and took the shot, needless to say i hit some fur but i never found blood and i tracked that thing close to a mile until he swam the river.
My buddy laughed at me and showed me his cat room ,again,(this room is full of rugs and mounts all taken with a scatter gun) and then said didnt i tell you to take the shot gun? 
Yup i made a stupid mistake. Yup i should have had that cat. yup a rifle could have taken it. Nope. i am not going in the brush again without my 12 ga. we use #4 shot turkey loads.
Im not disrespecting Mitchell U's comment about tearing up hides its just that that is what we use for our conditions, I cant notice any flaws in the hides. But that doesnt mean that it doesnt happen.


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## Beaverhunter2 (Jan 22, 2005)

SNAREMAN said:


> John,is this property in an area open to cat trapping?If it is,to bad you could'nt have got up there for a few day's,looks like about as much as a "sure thing" as you can get.Good luck on the hunt,it may take a few hr's on the stand but I have a feeling that you'll end-up with a nice reward


It is. I went up for the first weekend. Set the two cubbies in the background of the pics on Friday night. I had one of the small ones go 10' upwind Friday night. I bailed on Saturday because the forecast was for 12" of snow with 40mph winds (and we're 5 miles from the county road). 

The second weekend was kyboshed because Emily and I had to work the Jay's Fur Auction. We went to the Camp after the Auction but it ran so late that with the snow on the roads it kept us from getting there until 10:30pm (and we had to be back in Detroit at 3pm Sunday for the Family Christmas Dinner). If I had seen these pics I probably would have done things differently. I don't know if you noticed but the last three pictures were the day of the auction. Em and I probably could have both filled our tags. Maybe we still will- just with a gun instead of a trap. 

Still, it would be nice to trap a bobcat that I actually got to keep. I'm tired of releasing them! They aren't very cooperative.

John


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## Mitchell Ulrich (Sep 10, 2007)

[_QUOTE=brushbuster;3466034]A buddy and i have been hunting cats for years with a 12 ga. where we hunt you cant get a shot out past 20 yards. To get into the spots you have to duck your head and cover your face and bust through the brush. We see more and shoot more cats since we started hunting thick cover.Last year for some stupid reason i thought i would bring my 243 because i wanted to hunt a spot that wasnt so thick. My farthest shot was 35 yards. A cat came in and i had the power turned all the way up on the cat and took the shot, needless to say i hit some fur but i never found blood and i tracked that thing close to a mile until he swam the river._
_My buddy laughed at me and showed me his cat room ,again,(this room is full of rugs and mounts all taken with a scatter gun) and then said didnt i tell you to take the shot gun? _
_Yup i made a stupid mistake. Yup i should have had that cat. yup a rifle could have taken it. Nope._ *i am not going in the brush again without my 12 ga. we use #4 shot turkey loads.*
*Im not disrespecting Mitchell U's comment about tearing up hides its just that that is what we use for our conditions, I cant notice any flaws in the hides. But that doesnt mean that it doesnt happen*.[/QUOTE]

Each one of those holes is a repair, and since you can't sew up a round hole, that means I have to cut out a "football" over the round in order to sew it without being visible. That takes on average ten minuets to repair, per hole. If there's a spot where two,three or five pellets swiss cheese an area, then now I'm looking at patching with scrap skin... providing I have a skin that will match the damaged area.
I'm looking at things from a Taxidermist point of view. Given the big pitcure..at the very least you eliminated one very successful predator from the woods, have a flat skin for the wall and the memory of the hunt.


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## stagliano (Nov 10, 2006)

Mitchell Ulrich said:


> Given the big pitcure..at the very least you eliminated one very successful predator from the woods


Why is it beneficial to eliminate a successful predator? Should we eliminate all predators? Should wildlife management only focus on increasing game populations via removal of predators and if so is this a responsible way to manage our natural resources?


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## Mitchell Ulrich (Sep 10, 2007)

stagliano said:


> Why is it beneficial to eliminate a successful predator? *Because it's fun.* Should we eliminate all predators? *No, we need some to shoot next year. *Should wildlife management only focus on increasing game populations via removal of predators *if it means more critters for us to hunt, then yes!*and if so is this a responsible way to manage our natural resources*?Hell yes, it is! I'm glad that you've finally come around to our way of thinking.[/*QUOTE]
> 
> 
> Mitch


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## oilcan (Feb 10, 2007)

Mitchell Ulrich said:


> stagliano said:
> 
> 
> > Why is it beneficial to eliminate a successful predator? *Because it's fun.* Should we eliminate all predators? *No, we need some to shoot next year. *Should wildlife management only focus on increasing game populations via removal of predators *if it means more critters for us to hunt, then yes!*and if so is this a responsible way to manage our natural resources*?Hell yes, it is! I'm glad that you've finally come around to our way of thinking.[/*QUOTE]
> ...


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## MIoutdoorsjunkie (Oct 11, 2006)

stagliano said:


> Why is it beneficial to eliminate a successful predator? Should we eliminate all predators? Should wildlife management only focus on increasing game populations via removal of predators and if so is this a responsible way to manage our natural resources?


 
Huh?? I thought this was a "which gun for the job" thread. May want to take that comment over to the "sound off" board..


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## Lucky Dog (Jul 4, 2004)

Mitchell Ulrich said:


> Each one of those holes is a repair, and since you can't sew up a round hole, that means I have to cut out a "football" over the round in order to sew it without being visible. That takes on average ten minuets to repair, per hole. If there's a spot where two,three or five pellets swiss cheese an area, then now I'm looking at patching with scrap skin... providing I have a skin that will match the damaged area.
> I'm looking at things from a Taxidermist point of view. Given the big pitcure..at the very least you eliminated one very successful predator from the woods, have a flat skin for the wall and the memory of the hunt.


This might be a dumb question, but why repair the holes from pellets? I've got a few tanned hides that have plenty of pellet holes and you can't tell from the fur side. I would think that stretched over a form you would not know either. I can see repairing the big holes, but not the small ones.


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## Mitchell Ulrich (Sep 10, 2007)

There are a couple of reasons:

1) It makes for a longer lasting mount if there are no weak points in the skin.

2) There is a lot of glue used to hold the skin in place and prevent "drumming". The glue has the consistency of a thick syrup and can be a real pain to remove from the fur. If you have a few holes in the skin, the glue is going to ooze out and make a mess.

3) After everything is together (and later on down the road) it will require grooming. I use my shop vac and a wire dog brush to groom and clean. When the force of the air hits the hole it's going to balloon up and over time weaken the skin. The hole also tends to catch the wire brush and if your not careful you could cause the hole to tear causing a rip.

4) Shot holes usually have collateral damage, bruising the skin so bad it deteriorates the skin. If there was an underlying artery blood clots fro so heavily that the hair/fur will never wash clean and as a result need to be cut away.

5) Don't forget the pellets holes that you are seeing are dry and not soaked up and stretched. Plus I was also referring to the larger shot and buckshot damage. However, I have seen bird shot do some pretty extensive damage as well.
I'm sure there are also a few other reason that I'm overlooking but I think that you get the idea.

Mitch


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## Lucky Dog (Jul 4, 2004)

Wow there is a lot more to mounting an animal than I thought.
Thanks for the explanation.


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