Cage Trapping Bobcats tips

To bad. I have even tried to give Otis a hard time and he is still civil to me. On a different note I am thinking of statring a new business. Is there a market in the Grand Junction area for rocks or bushes trappers can by to stick their cages behind?
 
I don't know, maybe, from what people say about how many cat trappers there are. I'll see how many there are this winter I guess. I know sheep wool works good, somebody said Llama wool is bad, what about alpaca wool? Thanks
 
Thought this thread needed to resurface with trapping season in full swing.

I know for me here we are dealing with early severe conditions that change how or where we might set a cage or deal with the snow and freezing conditions with them.

So for all you cage crazy people out there lets hear some hints in how you keep things working in adverse conditions.

Hopefully we'll hear or see some video from Mercer, or pictures of him trapping in shorts just so we know life is good elsewhere in the world.

A little hint from me is "persistance" stay on top of those cages sweep them out make sure they are working keep the scent fresh and walk a trail trough the snow so a cat will follow it to your set, this is huge for me when the snow gets deep. Cats are always looking to walk where it is easier, give it to them and you'll catch a few more.
 
i like the idea of making trails to cages. but i only do that on private land now.
I checked 36 cages in canyon area. only 3 cages weren't tampered with by humans following my footprints to cages.
so needless to say it was time to pull that area and move on. usually get about 5-7 cats out of there and was only able to get 3 before i was pushed out.
 
I understand that Dan, we sure live in an era of no integrity, or respect for other people..

I guess I should have pointed out that I too only do this on private land unless I can get to my trap a round about way on public land.

I do think we have way less trouble here with trap theft and tampering, than you do down there.
 
Thanks for bringing this back up to the top George. I sweep out my cage after each storm and make a dirt fan in front of my cage ( It really adds a lot of attraction ) I also re-lure every 5 days and freshen my bait. With the freeze thaw that we have I also work the actions on my traps to insure that they still work. If they have any moisture freeze issues I use a small torch to unthaw and de water my moving points. Then I use vaseline or unscented chapstick on all contact points. I also use a skunky smelling lure in back when it gets really cold.
 
I don't know about the rest of you, but this snow is the pits!
I had everything set for three days, got 8" of snow, spent a longday cleaning and freshening all the traps. Got 2 days of good weather, and then another 4" of snow. A least this time I had most of the cages covered in bags. Another day of cleaning a freshening.

I have not seen one fresh cat track since the last storm.(which also means I haven't missed them, I guess)

My local game warden says he hasn't had tagged any cats other than mine since the start of the season.

This tough start will "weed out" the wanna be trappers that seem to have sprung up overnight, leaving us die hards, and hard heads.
crazy.gif
 
Huntingal we have had a foot of snow and single digit high temps, lows temps at 20 below 0, even the most potent scent I have is barely decernable when I am at my sets, this is now all about location of sets as a person will not be able to draw a cat far to see what that curious smell is.

I have seen some good tom tracks while out and about but they have been several 100 yards from my sets and always hunting!! Time will tell if I have put my trap in the right place.

Your right the wanna be's will weed out quick, saw all this back in the late 70's early 80's everyone was a trapper till they found out you have to be insane to do it!

Onery you have a way of showing us all that it is all about the fun we have doing this, Very funny!!
 
Onery I think the white marshmallows will blend to much now. I think I saw some red and green Christmas ones at the store the other day. They might be the "magic lure" everyone is looking for.
 
huntingal acting like she aint catching any. I know better

I got a tip; dont trap where the top trapper in the state is trapping. I put together a big plan with a partner so I could continue to work my day job. Secured a place to plug in the trailer at a ranch property, did all the scouting, set up the camp and ran into Yancy the second day. neither of us backed down and we ended setting on top of each other. One line I had in for four days and then he set traps fifty yards from mine.

I dont think it worked out real well for either of us. I have moved on and catching a few more now but burning more fuel.

It got down into the teens and even a couple of nights of single digits. Even some of that white stuff fell from the sky. I thought it was ashes or something but when I touched it it was cold. Then it turned to mud and then Ice. Its gone now. Still havent figured it out. What it did show me is how inefficient I am at catching the available cats. The one day we had snow on the ground we found evidence of four cats near our cages. Everything from not getting close enough to the trap to discover it, to frozen pans to cats working the back of the trap.

Someone talked about being dilegent in your trap maintenance. Very sound advice. Most of my traps are still waxed from last year but the new ones I didnt have time for. Well those traps have cost me a few cats from the frost. Additionally we have had some pans froze with too much dirt around the hinge from the two days of rain followed by freezing night temps. Keep that dirt away from the hinge! Keep those doors and moving parts waxed!

ML
 
Well heck. Kinda hard to release them once their stretched! lol

My personal opinion is that cats that small should be turned out. The yearlings (18 month olds) usually strecth 34 -35 and are just fine. Kittens are the ones that go 28 -32 and I just dont have the heart to take them. Turned loose 5 so far this season. Dont bother me a bit.

Wondering who gotya is. First post. Welcome.

ML
 
Yea it did him no good. But I will release all the rest I catch, when you are only catching 1 or 2 a week it's tough to let them go but it is the right thing to do. Thanks for the advise. I'm going to take huntingals advise and trap the flats over Christmas break any tips on areas to target?
 
Yea it did him no good. But I will release all the rest I catch, when you are only catching 1 or 2 a week it's tough to let them go but it is the right thing to do. Thanks for the advise. I'm going to take huntingals advise and trap the flats over Christmas break any tips on areas to target?
 
So I have figured out it might be wise to change my youtube video!!

Got a call from a friend of my sons that he recognized the place where it was taken, so on his way through the area he swings by to check it out sure enough he sees the cage and to his suprise there is a nice tom in it!!

Good thing he was a square shooter, or I may have just had an empty cage after he left, thank God for honest people..

Maybe a trail cam at those places that may be to easy for people to find would be wise also !!
 
Mercer I talked to you a couple of times last year on the phone. Last year was first year trapping caught 12 cats I like most trappers have a full time job and run my line after work. I'm a hunting and fishing fool who is learning the do's and don't of trapping. I really enjoy the challenge but dealing with people and theft is something I need to get better at. I have learned everything about cage trapping from predator hunting for 30 + years and this site. I really respect your input as well as everyone else who has contributed. I teach during the day and slip in and out at night.
 
Mercer I talked to you a couple of times last year on the phone. Last year was first year trapping caught 12 cats I like most trappers have a full time job and run my line after work. I'm a hunting and fishing fool who is learning the do's and don't of trapping. I really enjoy the challenge but dealing with people and theft is something I need to get better at. I have learned everything about cage trapping from predator hunting for 30 + years and this site. I really respect your input as well as everyone else who has contributed. I teach during the day and slip in and out at night.
 
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