Season opened today in my area. Anybody get one yet?

Setting tmrw when I get outa work.

I never got to set. Had this 29 pound Tom in a coyote set this morning. He is the 11th one I have caught in coyote sets this year. None had anything flashy about them as I find it scares the coyote off. Obviously they hunt pretty good with their noses too.

Nice cat-good pile of cats too.

Nice!!

way to go strike2x

Nice cat Strike! Thats exactly what happened to me last season- opening day catch made in an existing coyote set.
I usually release about a half-dozen cats before the season opens, the only good thing about that is I can observe
where the best colored cats are, around me.

Looks like the lake-effect snow bands missed you, here are a couple pics from my run this morning, around Grayling.
I made 6 cat sets today, they were buried in snow before I left.




-NC

Congrats on a nice cat! Glad you connected during season.

Yeah south east of Grayling got snow also. Stopped at the about the south branch. Rosco seen very little. Good job on the cat. That coyote looks good and healthy too.

If I was a gambling man I probably would have let him go but with only a ten day season and a one limit I wasn't going to chance it. I caught a few that were a lot better looking but he looked pretty good today. I will probably catch a better one tomorrow and have to let it go.

I have never had the opportunity to trap bobcats. I think that Ohio will likely have a partial trapping season soon.

The bobcat you caught seems slightly lighter than the bobcats I have seen. It reminds me a little of a cinnamon coon. Are Michigan's bobcat usually that light reddish color?

Keith

Ain't that how it works? Many cats around, they could raise the take to two, I think. But hey were just trappers.

Here are a few of the nicer looking cats I released this season.

The cat I got today was pretty dirty from the rain last 2 days. The other pictures I put up are from drier days.

Way to go Greg! You did the right thing....you know how aggravating they can be..........season is way too short. I have a real runt in the neighborhood, about the size of a housecat. I may not set at all. I DON'T want to pinch that one.

TTT

Let's see more cat pictures, not limited to Michigan. Everyone please show em off. To some of you bobcat may not be a big deal but when you have to scout it out and then have 10 days to get the job done it becomes an obsession.

Nice Strike

I love setting for cats, I think they're the most fascinating furbearer in my part of the world. I had been getting a lot of cats pics/videos all summer and fall but things have really dried up since winter set in. Heavy snow after heavy snow seems to have everything holed up.

Great job on that cat, Strike! Wish I could trap one down here where I'm at. We have very few, but they are around and no season for them.

[img]http://[/img][img]http://[/img] maine cats

this is maine.cats dec 8th 10th

Congrats to those that have been successful already this year . The problem with the season for me is that every year the day before or the day of season we get dumped on with snow . Last night got around a foot and wind today is causing whiteouts . supposed to stop sometime this eve then a bunch more for tomorrow . Lots of bobcats around here but just not worth the hassle for me to try trapping them for what Michigan cats bring .

Plus in the lower peninsula, your only allowed one (1). (2)two if in the U.P.

The Michigan DNR doesn't want people to make large number catches. And only (11)eleven days to catch.

If you hunt them with dogs you get the whole month of January.

We had the same thing here late last week and it played havoc on critter movement. Then it rained hard the night before last and took off a lot of snow and now it's crusted over. Things should pick up again tonight. Clear and cold. A fresh cat track I found today that was made last night before the temps plummeted. I caught a cat not ten yards from these tracks last year. I'll put a set in for it tomorrow. It's the only fresh sign I saw today.

none in my area yet but strike youre sure zero"d in on them!!!

Come on up, I will take you to a spot you can get one.

strike what hardware you using?

I got three sets in today. See what tmrw brings. Gonna check then go set a second area if theres no cat waiting in the morning. Saw 2 day old tracks this morning while setting. I have hope I guess.

Good work strike. You have that bobcat trapping figured out! Thanks for sharing.
I'd say you must also be very good at knowing the trick(s) to release them

With me a coyote or fox set catches them...I have caught 2 in actual cat sets. I think releasing a cat is a test of patience, practice a good catch pole and a second person to distract them. I rarely have all of that at once.

I too catch most in a good coyote set which tells me our numbers are increasing. I switched to this release method after my catch pole.locked up for o minute and I almost killed one. I find it mush easier me easy to do alone. No exposed paws do deal with. I have had many comment on my choice of tote but it has let 5 go with no problem.

I caught a cat under this tree last year and have fresh tracks near it again. Same setup as last year only I'm using deer scraps instead of beaver. Ain't been after beaver yet so I make do. A little flagging to get the cat close.

You can improve that set posco,and make it a multiple catch set by using the old OTA cat fence.
Spike a couple poles to a good thick tree about 4 feet off the ground that extends about 15 ft or so each side of the bait.I like to hang a beaver on each side of the tree.
Once the poles are in place,stand up a bunch of brush all the way out both sides leaving 3 or 4 snared openings on each side.The cat and fox will approach on one side then circle to check out the bait on the other side,a good multiple catch type jackpot set that can be used every year once made.
If you cant use snares use footholds in the openings set with step sticks like a trail set.
As you catch and skin toss carcasses both sides of the fence if legal.A few of these sets on your line will produce a ton of fur on a bush line.

Thanks for the tips, Boco, always looking to refine my techniques. We're not allowed to use snares and bait has to be covered to keep it from being seen from above. I do like the idea of the fencing.

Still waiting on a big male too come strolling through. I know they're there, I've got them on camera, but they haven't showed themselves lately.

Had a buddy tell me he missed a cat today. Said it went after his flagging and never got in the trap. I asked him why the flagging was in front of the trap. I always put any attractor behind the trap. I don't believe anything should be anywhere but behind the trap. By that I mean lures, baits flags, anything use to attract a critter. What is your thoughts on this?

I was thinking about that earlier this evening. The cats out there wandering. It's hungry or it isn't. If it's hungry and the flag draws it to my bait, it seems to me the cat is going to go for the bait. I'm likely missing cats that would have come in strictly out of curiosity. I have seen them (tracks in snow) satisfy their curiosity from several yards away from a flag and turn away.

Strike2x,

You got the hang of this bobcat catching brother!
Well done.
Merry Christmas.
Mark

Thanks Mark, I have watched your video over and over. Seems I learn more each time. Now I just need to improve my coyote numbers. Seems bobcat are taking over in my area. Almost guaranteed that when I first set a new coyote area I will get a cat first. Merry Christmas to you also. I celebrate the birth of my savior every year.

Got my cat this morning, 30lb-10oz male.



Missed a coyote at another set, it must have stepped around the set 100 times but never on that critical spot. Too much snow covered all my guiding. Not worried, I have a feeling he'll be getting a ride in the back of the truck, soon.

-NC

Let's see some more. I know there are more bobcat around than these few.

thats the only reason ive bought trailcams......one was hit on road about 30 miles east of me and 40 miles north,so im waiting...been watching for tracks in the snow for years.

A bobcat story from a place that doesn't have them, or almost never has them.

Western SD (west of the Missouri River) has always had a bcat season for as long as I can remember. About 5 years ago, the state opened up a season in about 7 counties that border the Missouri on the east side of the state. Along the river its usually rough ground with "cedar" patches up "north" and more full fledged forest as the river borders NB and heads towards Iowa.

I live a mile or so from one of the "East River" rivers-- on the east side of the state, the rivers flow north-to-south, and the west side, west to east. My rivers' valley gets deeper and more wooded further south as it heads to Sioux City, IA but up here, does it have enough cover for bcats or other "shelterbelt" (planted tree patches) "forests", I don't know. A young kid about 10 miles se of here, almost into Iowa, was checking his trap "line" on their farm one winter day about 4 years ago and ended up with a bcat!! Not knowing what to do, he .22-ed it and then came home to tell his folks. Dad knew there was no bcat season here so called the state guys and they came and got the cat. They didn't fine the kid but the family couldn't keep the animal (SD trappers have to surrender the carcass of taken bcats anyway). The state guy did tell the family they could probably buy the cat's pelt back when the state had their annual auction of antlers and critter parts from stuff they find dead or from criminal cases that have been settled. SD GF&P gets no money (or almost no money) from the state's general fund so is always looking for more cash in its coffers.

The annual auction came and the family had supporters telling the people in attendance the story and trying to have the kid get the hide back at a minimum bid. But, there was one richard who either didn't care or didn't get it and was bidding against the family. I'm sure there was plenty of hot stares at this guy as the bid went up so either he finally got it or ran out of what he wanted to pay for the bcat hide and quit. I don't remember was the final cost of the hide was back to the family but it was well north of a C note. But, a once-in-a-lifetime thing for that boy and a family memory!

That's a beaut. Heading out the door to see if anything like that stepped in one of my sets last night.

Nice tom, way to go Bill!

Thanks, Jan. This guy was as fat as a coon, over 1" thick in places. Never seen one like that before.

-NC

Some of those northern cats have a lot of resemblance to lynx.
They will crossbreed where their range overlaps.

I guess this should answer any questions of will a Bobcat go in one of my cubbies. This is the same cubby I picture earlier. I got my bobcat before I got a chance to set it so I helped my niece set it and after her checking for 3 days she got this one one the forth check. She was super excited. She is trying some fox trapping this year and wants to do more next year. By the way, no flagging was used at this set....