Just started setting traps over the past two days. All pee posts targeting coyote, fox, maybe coon. Just set yesterday, one of the posts is knocked over and I follow the drag trail to this. A young male bobcat up in a tree. Our bobcat season starts in two days, so he must be released. I don't think I would keep him anyhow, as he is small. As I approached him with the catch pole, he went higher up. Should I call the fire department? Anyone ever read the kid book "Cat Up a Tree"? That is how I feel, because I do not know how to get this animal down without it getting hurt, or me getting hurt.
All useful suggestions welcome. First sarcastic commenter gets drafted into helping out, like climbing the ladder to reach kitty kitty.
Thanks, men. Sorry photo is sideways, but that is how I feel about this situation, sideways
PA

Those back foot catches are the ones I've had problems with on cats also. If he stays in that position, if you can get a loop on each lever you should be able pull down and release the trap. You can use a long pole with a fork on the end to place the loops on the levers. How high up is he?

I would call the fire department. You should do the work. I would be afraid of the cat jumping out of the tree and the trap getting tangled on a limb. Also maybe animal control could help.

Is it your property cut the tree down

I’ve never been in that situation and I wish you the best. I would leave him there till Saturday lol-no I wouldn’t but I am interested to hear the solution to this predicament.

If you can reach him, Put the catch pole on him and get him down. They are pretty resilient. If you catch him around the neck, you need to act fast, as they go out quick, and you can lose them if you dawdle. Another person would help, one to catch and control the cat, and one to take the trap off as soon as you can safly do it. Take him a short distance from where you are and take the noose off, and make sure he is breathing. If not, blow air into it's lungs. I do that by grabing the snout, and making a ring around his nose with your thumb and forfinger, put your lips against the thumb and forefinger, and a good puff from you will make his ribs rise. May need to do a couple of times. I've done this many times, turning cats loose. Time is of the essence!

Call your regional PGC office and see if they have anybody available to help.

Thanks guys. I have a text into our game warden, who is swamped with deer season violations paperwork. I asked him for a deputy or cadet to help. It is my tree, so I can cut it down, and I guess that might end up being the solution. To be continued, that is for sure

+1

No help from me, but great full pad catch in that 550!

I wouldn't waste the time and I would anchor the end of the chain to something and drop the tree.

There is one fear of drags comfirmed

Lots of unknowns but the best option IMO would be to get him back down close enough to the ground to use a catch pole. Can you reach the drag from the ground? Add an extension of some kind to the drag if needed and try to pull or use a pole to coax him down. I would definitely try to get the drag anchored so he could not take off if he decided to come down. Throw a chunk of meat under the tree and leave for a while. Watch with binos, he may come down on his own and get tangled where you can get to him.

I just realized your image was sideways when I looked at the horizen instead of focusing on the bobcat.



Like 160user said, anchor the drag, wire it to the tree then cut the tree down.

Let us know how it goes.

Yep my first thought was cut the tree down

Good luck

Never been in that situation with a cat. Me personally I would anchor the drag and since the cat is vertical with a back foot catch I would climb slowly and reach to release the jaws. I would also try to keep a branch or 3 between me and jaws just in case it decides to jump.

This Isn't good PR you should keep this deal as quite as possible.

Asking for advice to RELEASE an uninjured animal is bad PR? Funny, Jackpine Savage posted a picture nearly identical of a cat in a tree and no one said BOO.

I wouldn't cut the tree Just see if you can get close enough to pull the levers on the trap . Remember you are just trying to get the trap off. Don't worry about getting him down. I think he will be too worried about hanging on to bother swatting you. Most advice is focused on getting him down when it should be getting the trap off !!!!!!!!!

Ladder to reach him , leather gloves in case he gets aggressive !!!! open levers cat released !!