Bobcats/Hounds/Shotguns?

W

wisconsinteacher

New member
I drew a bobcat tag and have a group of houndsmen set up to hunt. They said to bring a shotgun. I have a BPS and 870 both in 12ga. I'm looking for info on what loads to try with what choke and at what distance?

Here is what I have on hand:

3" 870 with chokes from mod to extra full turkey chokes. I have the gun set up to shoot 50 yards with hevi 13 #6 for turkey

3.5" BPS with reddot chokes from mod to extra full turkey. This is my main turkey gun and set up with 3.5" hevi 13 and deadly out to 60 yards on birds.

Is hevi 13 #5 too small? What should a pattern look like at 30-50-70 yards?

Thanks
 
I have run #4 buckshot loads for a long time. You should be able to pattern it with those chokes and the modified and then go with the best pattern. I generally shoot my bobcats from 30-60 yards with it.

You could also go with Dead Coyote T-shot. It is expensive. But since you are limited on your draw it might be worth it to invest in it. I have taken shots out 70 yards with it. The more shot in the air the better your chances.
 
I agree, with snowman, but have been using the Hornady dead coyote shot in T shot.

The size works great, and doesn't mess up the pelts at all. (not saying the others do) best is that you don't have to change your bird chokes out. They work with Modified.

They don't break the bank and work well for me on cats. (even up close) I shot one at 10yrds maybe that was broadside and it took it off it's feet, but didn't mess up the pelt. I don't think a single pellet missed.

The pattern holds well, and i use it out to 50yrds and the AR for after that.
 
I'm surprised at the recommendation of a shotgun for a treed or bayed up bobcat. Anyway, ask the hounds men how far the shot usually is. A treed cat wouldn't seem to be a particularly long shot, maybe 20 - 30 yards tops? At 20 yards those Hevi 13 #5's would work. If for some reason you need to stretch the range then everything changes. If 35+ yard shots are expected you'll have some work to do on the pattern range with BB and larger size shot and suitable chokes. Or, bring an accurate scoped .22 Magnum.
 
The reason they said to bring a shotgun is because they are expecting any shots made to be at a running bobcat and not a treed one. Get ahold of some guys with better hounds that can put enough pressure on the cat to make it tree. Then you can use a 22 and make a precision shot with extremely minimal pelt damage.

If I had to use a shotgun to take running shots at a bobcat, I'd shoot my hounds and start over.


Tex
 
Originally Posted By: Tex AdamsThe reason they said to bring a shotgun is because they are expecting any shots made to be at a running bobcat and not a treed one. Get ahold of some guys with better hounds that can put enough pressure on the cat to make it tree. Then you can use a 22 and make a precision shot with extremely minimal pelt damage.
If I had to use a shotgun to take running shots at a bobcat, I'd shoot my hounds and start over.
Tex

This makes no sense at all, bobcats are not like bunnies that will just run in a big circle and let you shoot at them as they go by. If a hound is on a bobcat it will run long and hard. Either the cat will tree or you will NEVER EVER see it because he is potentially miles ahead of you. I am sure the shotgun is just what those boys up in Wisconsin like to use when the cat is treed. Most folks here are using .22 rifles. Either way it will be a fun adventure!
 
Shotgun seems a really odd choice of hunting arm for this type hunt... to me.
 
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Originally Posted By: jcs271Originally Posted By: Tex AdamsThe reason they said to bring a shotgun is because they are expecting any shots made to be at a running bobcat and not a treed one. Get ahold of some guys with better hounds that can put enough pressure on the cat to make it tree. Then you can use a 22 and make a precision shot with extremely minimal pelt damage.
If I had to use a shotgun to take running shots at a bobcat, I'd shoot my hounds and start over.
Tex

This makes no sense at all, bobcats are not like bunnies that will just run in a big circle and let you shoot at them as they go by. If a hound is on a bobcat it will run long and hard. Either the cat will tree or you will NEVER EVER see it because he is potentially miles ahead of you. I am sure the shotgun is just what those boys up in Wisconsin like to use when the cat is treed. Most folks here are using .22 rifles. Either way it will be a fun adventure!

As a houndsman who spends most of his time hunting bobcats, I stand by what I said. If a bobcat lines out, that means the hounds are putting enough pressure on him to try and find refuge in a new zipcode. You just have to hope they are fast enough to either catch it, or pressure it enough to make it go up. If people are using a shotgun, that means they DO expect it to stick around close, which means they are using some fairly slow dogs. Again, I'd shoot mine if they were that slow.

Bobcats are fairly easy to trap, but they are probably the toughest North American game animal for a hound to run. They leave little scent and they are tough to track. That being said, they can successfully be hunted and caught with hounds. I can't imagine using a shotgun to harvest a stationary furbearer, especially one as prized and valuable as a bobcat. It doesn't matter what kind of shot you use, you will still damage the pelt. I know plenty of houndsmen and bobcat hunters back in Wisconsin and Michigan and when it comes to firearms used for bobcats, they are two camps. The guys with the good hounds usually use a 22 and the guys using the track straddlers hope for a some sort of shot with their shotgun.

I would encourage the OP to find some houndsman with some good hounds and carry along his 22. If he needs some names and numbers, call me and I can hook him up.


Tex
 
I owned and hunted with hounds for many years. While I agree with most of your points,you and I both know that the slowest hound in the world is never going to give you a shot at a bobcat who is staying in the area because it's being run by a slower pack. A hunter is only going to see the cat if it's treed for the simple reason that we are not fast enough to keep up with the race and will never find ourselves between cat and hound. Nobody intentionally hunts bobcats with a shotgun because their hounds are "slow".

Hopefully the OP will come back on here and explain why they want him to pack a shotgun. (Hopefully it's not because they have seen him shoot
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Originally Posted By: Tex AdamsThe reason they said to bring a shotgun is because they are expecting any shots made to be at a running bobcat and not a treed one. Get ahold of some guys with better hounds that can put enough pressure on the cat to make it tree. Then you can use a 22 and make a precision shot with extremely minimal pelt damage.

If I had to use a shotgun to take running shots at a bobcat, I'd shoot my hounds and start over.


Tex

This!!!!!! Where are these guys running these cats??? In Kansas where there are no trees???? I'd use a 223 with FMJ bullets or why not let the air out of the cat with a bow and arrow???
 
Originally Posted By: msincOriginally Posted By: Tex AdamsThe reason they said to bring a shotgun is because they are expecting any shots made to be at a running bobcat and not a treed one. Get ahold of some guys with better hounds that can put enough pressure on the cat to make it tree. Then you can use a 22 and make a precision shot with extremely minimal pelt damage.

If I had to use a shotgun to take running shots at a bobcat, I'd shoot my hounds and start over.


Tex

This!!!!!! Where are these guys running these cats??? In Kansas where there are no trees???? I'd use a 223 with FMJ bullets or why not let the air out of the cat with a bow and arrow???

Yep....listen to Tex....he's spot on.

My Cur dog has treed a few Cats....I shoot em with a 22LR revolver.
 
The reason I was told to have a shotgun is because the cats sometimes make a circle and not cross the roads. We will be hunting in 1 mile by 1 mile blocks of swamp/timber/and slashing. Last season the groups shot 13 cats. 7 treed and 6 were shot on the ground ahead of the dogs. I plan on having a .22 with in case the does tree.
 
Mystery solved. That is a type of hunting unlike anything most of us have probably experienced while chasing cats. But for those circumstances a shotgun does make sense. Good luck!

P.S. I'm also really thankful that your buddies won't have to shoot their dogs because they're too slow to get the job done.
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In that case if you're taking a shotgun for a bobcat being pushed on the ground by hounds then you have your work cut out for you. Read the big shotgun sticky thread at the top of this forum and get ready to buy some ammo and chokes and put the work in on the patterning range to find a reliable 40 + yard bobcat killing load.
 
Originally Posted By: Tex Adams I can't imagine using a shotgun to harvest a stationary furbearer, especially one as prized and valuable as a bobcat. It doesn't matter what kind of shot you use, you will still damage the pelt.



you might know hounds, bobcats, rifles and plenty of other stuff. but you do not know much about pelt damage with shotguns.
 
Originally Posted By: SlickerThanSnotQuote: I can't imagine using a shotgun to harvest a stationary furbearer, especially one as prized and valuable as a bobcat. It doesn't matter what kind of shot you use, you will still damage the pelt.



you might know hounds, bobcats, rifles and plenty of other stuff. but you do not know much about pelt damage with shotguns.

I don't know where the quote came from but STS is correct. Shotguns don't destroy hides unless at extremely close ranges where the shot column is still tight enough to be more like a Foster style slug. A few years ago I shot a hard charger coyote at about 6 or 7 steps and made quite a mess. At 20+ yards as in the treed cat scenario it's no problem at all.
 
I shot several bobcats, all called in, and even at 10yrds with Hornady Coyote load and T shot, i stopped counting the pellet holes at 20 with a broadside shot. Not a single markdown on the pelt, when i sold it.

I don't think a single pellet missed, and it took the cat off it's feet. I would post the pic of the 29# cat, but don't want to go through the effort of moving the pics around.
 
Originally Posted By: Tbone-AZI shot several bobcats, all called in, and even at 10yrds with Hornady Coyote load and T shot, i stopped counting the pellet holes at 20 with a broadside shot. Not a single markdown on the pelt, when i sold it.


Yep.....I've never seen or heard of a fur buyer or taxidermist that complained about shotgunned pelts.
 


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