I'm preparing for the 12/26 season opener.... 1st time I've drawn a tag. Do cats move around more actively & also expand their range as the weather gets colder? I suppose it might depend on the amount of snow, which is totally unpredictable in December in central Wi.

They are very habitual, and will take the same trails as long as they’re passable. I don’t believe they expand their range due to cold unless food becomes scarce in a particular area. Bobcats have a very large range to begin with, at least in the states I’ve trapped in here in the west. It can take weeks for a bobcat to come back through a particular canyon in Nevada. They hunker down during a storm but once it passes they’ll be back out hunting.

I’m by no means an expert, but that’s what I believe. Maybe a ‘cat trapper that puts up numbers and has experience with your area can chime in and correct me if I’m wrong

here in ks if a cat set is going to hit, probably 90% of the time its within 3-4 days. When snow is on the ground they still move. while its snowing hard they do not move much. when snow blows out of an area or off a ridge or off one side of a hill they will be where the snow isnt

Thanks. That helps. My season starts 12/26/22. My 2nd cat attempt ever. I didn't get 1 on my 1st go-around in '19.

Cold weather in this country does have affect,,,, it does not effect range imo but does effect movement by cold I mean 10 below they tend to stay in one place as well as big snows 2 ft. Of snow until condition s change either warm up or snow crust up .but if you are on top of them it does not matter they have to eat .

Predators hunt hard during storms.They have much success catching prey that is hunkered down in a storm,they know where to look and the prey is at a disadvantage.
Make sure you have lots of good working sets functioning during storms and your traps will be full.

I'm glad we got this big heavy snow before I plan on putting out a bunch of sets rather than after. I don't have a refined system in place yet for fixing up Bobcat sets after we get a snow dumping

Down here in “extreme cold” with wind, which is probably a warm day up there, our critters shut down. About the only thing I’ve caught during really really cold windy nights or even have on camera is cats. They just don’t seem to care. I was expecting a line full of critters one night last year with it dropped to the teens, until I got up and checked for pics from that night, one cat and that was it. Didn’t even get a deer picture.

It's been one storm after another here the past ~week. It's making for an interesting preparation for my 12/26 opening date

Cold doesn't seem to affect their movement at all, but a bunch of deep, soft snow will. You get a bunch of deep soft snow and they will not be traveling far, and they will likely be in the heavy timber where the snow is shallower. As soon as it settles and stiffens up they will go back to traveling farther. They will also walk any packed trails, plowed roads, snowmobile tracks, etc. for fairly long distances when the snow is deep and soft.

I might put on some snowshoes and pack my own trail for them. So far I haven't been able to scout for tracks because we keep getting snow every couple days.

Well we have plenty of snow. Geez, this is some crazy weather. It keeps snowing. Now the snow is done, but it is going to drift.