I went to pull the few traps I have out for coyotes this morning because of all the rain we've had and are supposed to get this week. In my set I had a nice female bobcat, and for some reason I wasn't in the mood to kill her so I decided to release her. I walked back to the truck for my catch pole. First attempt I put it around her head and one shoulder and put the end of the pole against my chest and bent down to release the jaws when the pole slip u,deer my arm, it was a back foot catch so when it slipped she sprung and my head and swiped with her front paw and missed my face by inches as I was squirming backwards. Close call. Second attempt I released her No problem but as started backing away she just kept coming at me in the hunched up crawl they do when they are hunting. I hollered at her and even thru a stick at her but she just kept following growling the whole time. After she had followed me 50 yds or so and wouldn't leave I lost the compassion I had for her when I released her and pulled out the 22 and took her. I gave her every chance to run off but she apparently wanted to go home with me. Anyone ever have this happened? Every other I've ever released ran off

Never had anything like that happen...thats crazy!

That's wild. Back foot cat catch can be sketchy for sure. Never had that happen but have been in some OS back foot cat catches scenarios.

That's crazy. Makes for an exciting day for sure!

One I released this year didn't follow me but he didn't run either. He crept back under the fallen tree I had used for my cubby set and just sat there. I slowly backed out of there and he sat tight. I came back 15-20 minutes later to grab a trail cam that was watching that set and he finally ran off when I approached.

I always make them pass out and take the trap off while they're out. They seem to forget what happened.

RMT did you have to change your pants?

Made a good shot and it expired quick?

Wrong time of the month maybe, the cat would have been fine in a few days but you would have been hungry and tired from walking backwards by then.

I got backed down by a very ticked off doe that I released once. Thankfully I was able to get away without having to shoot it but I wasn't sure what was going to happen for a minute.

Yea poco it was only a 5ft shot when I finally took her. I wish I could post pics. I haven't been able too since the Chang the other day. I was shocked at the way it acted , I figured as soon as it realized it was free it would take off. Boy was I wrong

This was shortly after I released her

Here's a pic showing the back foot catch

There are a lot of things I'd rather have coming at me than a angry cat. Glad you made it out okay.

Come out west and try it with a 100 plus pound lion even with a helper its a rodeo next one I get I will try to get some video.

I've released a plenty of cats an never had one rush or follow me. In fact I remake alot of sets with the released cat a couple yards away just watching me not realizing their free. After the remake is done I shu them away so to make sure you don't catch her again.

I would have brought her home to! Had I not tripped from stumbling backward

Gald you didn't get hurt! Get it tanned as a wall hanger and tell your future generations the story!!

I can't imagine that. A friend of mine got pretty good at releasing bears from foot snares. He says you can tell right off which ones are going to give you a problem.

Cats are kind of retarded compared to other animals.

yes I've had that happen two time both times they came at my head ,not fun one cut my hand pretty good ,right thru leather gloves

if theres any chance at all you got scratched during all that id be worried about rabies

Crazy!

I released a few.before season this year and this one stalked.me.back to the truck. I wanted to remake.the set but it was sitting on the trap bed and wouldn't move. I waked up with my catch pole and tried to run it off. It had other ideas. Started doing the hunting stalk toward me and I backed.to my truck and hopped in. I set in truck for.a minute and it was looking at me. It finally left when I say the truck to drive off. Most will run away when I approach them.

Man, I don’t know if I ever want to catch one now

I had a ferrel cat in a tizzy earlier this year. Half made me jumpy. If its bigger brother version acted like that I'm not sure what I'd do. Can't imagine a lion out West.

Yea I about shirt my pants for sure, I couldn't imagine a mountain lion

Yea I about shirt my pants for sure, I couldn't imagine a mountain lion. I was fortunate I didn't get nicked when she swung at me when u was releasing her. A man could get rich selling videos of trapping bloopers if he videod everything. Lol

She's madder than a wet hen! Usually it's a male that refuses to leave, I guess you ticked her off pretty bad!

Apparently I did tactical20, it was a pretty easy release except for the pole slipping once, not sure why she was so PO'd

I bet. I agree releasing a lion would be a new set of clothes and boots for sure. Lol a trapper blooper video would be a hit

Never heard of one acting like that before. like someone else said, I've had them sit there growling not realizing they've been released and had to shoo them off but, never heard of one stalking a trapper after release.

Can't imagine releasing a mountain lion.

It was a female, they really don't need any other reasons.

Never had it happen except in a nightmare. I've jumped awake in bed during a dream where I'm looking for a cat caught in a trap on a drag and step on it before I even reach where the trap was set, too. That could happen easily.
You are lucky and must be quick. Glad you weren't hurt.

Yea dublelung seems the females are always the meanest no matter what species

I remember when Fishers first showed up in our County. I wasn't trapping then, but a buddy was. When he was releasing his first one it was trying to get him at full throttle. He was thinking they were all going to be a handful like that. Thankfully they weren't. I'm a new trapper, but I've been in the woods long enough to know every animal can act unpredictably. Glad you got away clean!
Joe

And never leave your truck doors open when releasing a critter!

Interesting story. I couldn't help but laugh at your response when she wouldn't let it go. I would have done the exact same thing. Probably a notch earlier. I'm not at the point of releasing cats yet anyway - unless they are really small.

Yea wolverine I usually don't release anything unless season is closed, but for some reason I thought since it was a female and it was on family property I'd let her go so she could reproduce. But my plan and hers were apparently different

First one I had to release, I had a home made pole, a hog noose one, I put it on the Tom, he jumps around a little, I thought wait a minute, the other three legs are just as long as the one in the trap, and they have like one inch claws on them, I decided for some reason to cinch the loop tighter, he went limp right away, I let him out, camera running, I made the mistake of not moving him off to the side, he wakes up, snarled-growled, and stood his ground, he finally ran off when I threw my trowel at him.
Another one I couldn't get to leave no matter what I tried, I ran my truck up hill towards him, I spun out about 10 ft below him, he finally got intimidated and took off

If she would have connected with the swipe, the least of your worries would have been getting "nicked when she swung". More like she would have brought you in for a bite to the face or worse.
I don't want to play armchair quarterback, but readjusting the snare to around the neck would have been a better plan. That way you have control of how much persuasion to employ to the snare tension to adjust her attitude until she "cooperates" to your heartfelt intentions.
It wouldn't have made for such of an exhilarating story as yours, which I thoroughly enjoyed.
We're trappers, man. We live on the edge!

Yea 52carl, I'm fairly new to trapping this is my third year but I have realized how easy it is to choke them out so I put the catch pole around the head and one leg( behind shoulder). Live and learn. I was definitely lucky. Lol

from experience?

Well let me tell you this, Hoss, you got way bigger stones than I do to even try to release a bobcat. I won't even do that with a house cat. I got bit once doing that. Once...
I'm glad it all worked out for you. Your Indian name will be "Big Stones".

A friend of mine had his cat in close proximity to his feet when his paperboy tossed the morning news and hit the glass door startling the cat. The cat dug into his big toe for traction. Did quite a job on him and that was an accidental laceration, I can't imagine what they could do if determined.

Yes, had it happen earlier this year. Story about half way down the thread.

http://iowatrapperstalk.com/ubbthreads.php/topics/74135/Cat-ching_and_Realeasing#Post74135

When I first got back into trapping in the 1980's I got the not-so-bright idea of tapping a large tom on the nose like I might a fox. As I swung a stick he timed me, jumped, sunk his teeth through my clothes and into my upper leg. I punched his head with my fist a couple of times but he would not turn loose. As I drew my 22 pistol from its holster he released and repositioned himself for another attack. That's when he got a bullet between his eyes. I thought "he's healthy", so I skipped the rabies shot. The wound became infected. Sale of the pelt barely covered the cost of doctor visit and antibiotics prescription. I still have a scar to remember him by.

I release about a third of my cage trapped cats. Some of those are on the fight and dont run off right away. They lunge and growl and stalk back at me. I can flip bush and sticks in their face, and they still come at me. I haven't yet had one actually get ahold of me and I certainly dont turn my back, but I'm pretty much used to it now. I seems that the key is to get them to turn around. That flips the switch off.
Cats are so hard wired that when in the fight mode they stay that way till that switch flips.

Typical irrational female.