Finally got my Michigan bobcat!

Spurchaser said:
That’s what I like about this forum. One man’s trash is another mans treasure.
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Yeah, a bobcat in MI is definitely a treasure. We can only shoot one in the lower peninsula (where I hunt) and your season dates/length is based on what unit you're in. The county I reside in doesn't even have a season, I have to travel north. Also we can't hunt at night for bobcat, it's daytime only. There are definitely areas of the state that have more than others, but there certainly isn't cats running around all over the place. The easiest way to fill a tag is to hook up with a group of houndsman, but they've keyed in on the opportunity and are getting $2-3K for a hunt.
 
Thankfully, no seasons on Bobcats in TX, but the landowner of ranches I hunted protects bobcats except in pastures where they present a problem to the smaller exotics such as Thompson gazelle and springbok. I was blessed to have the opportunity to hunt them in a few pastures, and take pictures of them on all of the property year around for more than 20 years. Best of both worlds!
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I didn’t mean any disrespect by the comment. Down here they’re like possums, always clogging up a set when trapping.
As far as calling them, they’ll come in to just about any prey sound. What’s crazy is I’ve probably called in more cats to pup distress than coyotes. Could be I have way more cats than coyotes too, lol.
Sometimes they’ll run in within feet of the call and then go in sneak mode. Other times you just scan and they’re just sitting looking at the call. I swear they can sneak in without ever seeing them even with a thermal. I’ve had them less than 30yds even with me just sitting and staring at the call, then look at me, then back to the call.
 
Spurchaser said:
I didn’t mean any disrespect by the comment.
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No, I knew what you meant. It was just a good segue to shed some light on bobcat hunting in Michigan. They don’t make it easy on us. For example, yesterday I had to travel an hour to a DNR check point to have it sealed (they remove/keep my kill tag and put their tag on it) by them and they keep the skull.
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I don’t even get to keep the skull! So dumb. I guess back in the day they used to just take a tooth, but that's not the case anymore.
 
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wolverines said:
They don’t make it easy on us. For example, yesterday I had to travel an hour to a DNR check point to have it sealed (they remove/keep my kill tag and put their tag on it) by them and they keep the skull.
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Sounds like quite an ordeal. How long does this process take, once you get there?
 
hm1996 said:
Sounds like quite an ordeal. How long does this process take, once you get there?
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5 minutes maybe. Just some routine questions after scanning the barcode on my driver's license....trapping or hunting? Male or female? Location/township? I signed my name on their tablet, took the hide and was back on the road to the taxidermists.
 
Wolverines, did you ask if you can get the skull back? The Game and Fish game warden took my bobcat carcass when he tagged the pelt. I asked if I can get the skull back when the biologists are done with it and he said yes, they'll set them aside for those who want them.
 
Grigsby said:
Wolverines, did you ask if you can get the skull back? The Game and Fish game warden took my bobcat carcass when he tagged the pelt. I asked if I can get the skull back when the biologists are done with it and he said yes, they'll set them aside for those who want them.
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I didn't ask. Like Lazer said, I don't know how you could possibly get YOUR skull back cause it's not tagged or marked. I guess if the person you talked to was in a good mood you might be able to work something out. It's a crumby deal. I guess it doesn't hurt to ask, but from everything I've heard you can't get it back.
 
I'm sure they can keep track of whose skull is whose if they want to, and I'm assuming they will give mine back. But this is a first for me so I'll see what happens. I took photos of the teeth so I should be able to tell if they don't mess them up too bad.
 
That is a nice looking cat. Your patience and persistence paid off. Bobcats are a real trophy in my opinion, beautiful animals. Congratulations.
 
wolverines said:
5 minutes maybe. Just some routine questions after scanning the barcode on my driver's license....trapping or hunting? Male or female? Location/township? I signed my name on their tablet, took the hide and was back on the road to the taxidermists.
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Who's doing the work and what are you having done ?
 
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