We can't snare but can use cable restraints. I plan to try some during my cat season starting 12/26. Is this a pretty effective way to fill a cat tag? I assume it's similar to yotes, but with a smaller loop closer to the ground, perhaps with more guiding. I'm thinking cats move about slowly rather than running through a loop. I don't know how much cats like to follow the same trail

She I dont know about same trail but setting on sign is always a boon for me. Then its finding good pich points. Look for places naturally funneled like pond of a dam with weeds each side and path down middle, or opening in a thick hedge or fencerow, lane through woods, etc.
Start there at the natural funnel, then find the real tight pich point in that funnel. A trail across theat dam, or through the opening or lane in thick cover. That will be most likely travel route in this most likely spot. Look in that trail then for a tight spot like where maybe they get squeezed around a tree, or through some taller grass. Set those spots.
I think of this like start global with good habitat, find natural openings they would travel through, then work that down by finding tightest spots within it.

It can be excellent if you have the right terrain to narrow them down.I like to use them to back up a walk through set in case of a miss or walk by.You can also use them at each end of an open end cubby with a half a beaver carcass inside.Put it in line with the travelway so they can se right through,easily.NO one entrance cubbies.

Most common bobcat snare suggestion is 8" wide loop 8" bottom of loop to ground. Misses are more likely but cats can be taken in larger loops. 10" or larger combo cat/coyote loops 10-12" off ground take some cats.

Cable restraints usually require larger diameter stiffer cable such as 3/32. That is a disadvantage but not a show stopper.

So as not to slow down the cat, I suggest not using any scent or visual attractor near a trail set.

I agree

Put a load in the cable
If you'v been to our SOUTH JERSEY TRAPPING and SNARING SCHOOL.You'v learned how to DOUBLE LOAD a snare. I would double load your cable restraint,if setting for cats.

1/16" 1x19 is my cat snare cable

Newt ....PM Sent

answered

Well He can't use exposed bait and he can't set entanglement or use 1/16th cable.

I know a guy who builds cubbies out of chicken wire and covers them with pine boughs. He places bait In the cubby and hangs a CR on either end.
The other thing you might want to check out are bear baiting spots. Some of those bait sites draw more cats and fishers then bears. The pastries and other non meat bait draws In rodents and cats and fisher are there to dine on the rodents. so if you know any bear baiters check in with them.

I'm surprised Wi doesn't legalize 1/16th for bobcats.

Well Is 1/16th cable bob cat specific? I've snared a few cats ( not In WI) and I don't see the need for 1/16th cable.

I don't see a NEED for it, but it might be preferred for bobcat, I don't know.

1/16" 1x19 cable is great for coyote but only with kill spring and solid tie-off. For bobcat 1/16 1x19 or 1/16 7x7. Where legal. The smaller cable is less visible and I think that is an advantage.
The last I heard Steve Wood of Nevada was using 3/64 1x19 for bobcats. Korean 3/64 1x19 cable has breaking strength rating of 400lbs.

I assume for bobcat I can get away with more 'fencing' to encourage the cat thru my cable restraint. By 'fencing' I am referring to small woody debris since we cannot use anything that will cause entanglement.

The other thing I did is put a subtle stick under the loop so it doesn't dive underneath.

You can guide them pretty heavily.Don't stick your guides,just in the snow.The first warm day or night,they will fall over.That will be the time a bobcat comes through and slip by your snare.

When snaring,I always carry a spike with me so I can get a hole in the frozen ground,beneath the snow or not.My favorite is a large scratch all.Once planted in the ground like that,your guides will be impervious to high winds or thawing.

I'll keep that in mind, thanks. Guiding is nice because we have to use cable restraints and can only add guiding so long as it doesn't create entanglement. I'm used to coyotes where guiding them is tough. In that regard, I like bobcat trapping.

Fencing could literally be pieces of chicken wire and still not deter bobcats.

To guide without creating entanglement I suggest carrying a piece of 1/4" or 3/8" rod to hammer and make holes in frozen ground. Then cut limbs pieces about 1/8" diameter by 2-3' tall to stick in the holes as guides. They will freeze and stay in place. If you are using an 8" loop narrow the trail to 8-1/2" or 9" width. Make it so the cat has no alternative but to go through. For cats it also helps to poke a hole centered directly under the loop and insert a small "chin-up" stick that reaches to within 1/2"of bottom of loop to discourage crawling under the loop. It's best to narrow the trail for a foot or 2 on each side of the loop so cat will be less inclined to jump over the whole set. Even with that much guiding you may still catch an occasional coyote or fox.

The same construction can be used with trap(s) on drags to hopefully preserve the sets, Cable restraints or snares on drags are ill advised. If using traps replace the chin-up stick with an arm-sized stick for the cat to step over.

We aren't allowed to use drags for cable restraints.

I did the "chin-up" stick. Perhaps I should also try to put a sort of 'dive' stick over the top to keep them from going over the top of the loop

1x19 5/64 smooth and loaded with small fast locks.
Fenced down game trail through wooded area. I used a 10" loop and my outstretched hand as guide for bottom of loop to the ground distance. #9 wire for support and a pogo anchor.
I'm not sure what is legal in WI but this works for me here.
Jim

I use 1 x 19 5/64 cable also with sure locks. I use for pretty much every thing. Have had really good luck with this size cable.

We had a snowstorm today. As I checked traps, I packed down the trails that my bobcat cable restraints are on. I probably wouldn't do that for yotes but I'm thinking cats would like to follow the trails that I made with my boots.