I have 1 week left on my cat tag. I started hunting for 1 today. What's the best way to call 1 in?

I have a rabbit motion decoy (the vibrating 1).

I figure 12 ga 3" 00 buckshot should give me 50 yards

I figure b4 dark is the best time...maybe not the only good time though

I use the attached calling card and plan to sit for an hour or so & vary up the calls. Hopefully the cat in heat works this time of year. I also have a mouth call: rabbit in distress. Plus on Friday I ordered the cat mouth call from F&T...it makes meow sounds I guess.

I think I'll use a red lite, too.

I have experience yote hunting, but this cat hunting is new to me.



I have traps in the area, but no luck yet.
It's taken 6 years to get this tag, so I really want to fill it.

Thanks

Rabbit or fawn distress call

Unless God is going to smile on you literally, what you described is a guarantee that you are not going to fill that tag. "Curiosity killed the cat, but what saves it is patience of the cat and impatience of humans".

Cats take time and take their time. They travel in an area for females 2 miles by 3 miles. For males the area can be as large as 6 miles by 10 miles. You have no experience in your new call. You have 7 days of hunting, and just 7 hours if you hunt every day. In your situation, unless you could be up early and on location at dawn to drive the roads to see if a fresh cat tracked crossed, and then at least ascertain in creating a square area where you would believe the cat was still in, and then setting up a stand where you can see farther than you can shoot with a rifle, you have just as much chance of winning the lottery as getting a cat. The obvious is cats are not coyotes. Cats take their time, sneak in, use cover, watch for airborne and canine predators, and hang up. A coyote comes in thinking it can steal a meal, a cat comes in thinking whatever is making that sound is going to make them a meal.

You can't get a cat if you are not out there, so invest what time you can, but do not expect anything better than a coyote. If you get a cat, buy a lottery ticket as lightning might strike twice with God smiling down on you.

It happens star flakes...just not as probable

Cats are fickle. decoys are marginal, cats may approach but more than likely will sit and watch from a distance.
Reading your comment about OOO buck I'm guessing you have not patterned or tested it in your shotgun, this could lead to disaster if presented the chance.
I run 1 7/8 oz #2s first shot and #4 BUCK second and third. tested and proven.

Besides night time shining for cats I call more between 10am-3pm expect them to be on a dry south facing hillside.

Like star said run on fresh snow find a track and get him called. Still early for breeding season tactics.

Solid advice right there. And some do come straight in but most sneak in. Set REALLY still when calling most times the cats will see you before you see them. I'd be surprised if Ive seen 1 out of every 4 cats I've called in.

Im no pro, but Ive called and killed cats. I prefer woodpecker and other bird distress calls over rabbit. I dont have any science behind it, just what has seemed to work better for me. I use motion decoy, it keeps them looking at the decoy and not at me...id wager they can see a flea blink at 100 yards. True they might hang up and wait, but ive also had them come in quick and swat the decoy. ..man that gets the heart pumping..Lol For shotgun, the local houndsmen turned me on to Royal Buck 21 pellet loads. They swear they can roll coyotes at 75 yards with it. Ive never tried it at those distances. Good luck i hope you can fill your tag..!

I don't doubt at all that that would work, but I've never called a cat in before while coyote hunting, so I'm thinking I should probably use a cat type noise, but then again if it really is too early for mating season my only option may be the distress sounds.
I'll put the fawn call in my bag. I didn't bring that 1 along tonight. I haven't used that 1 a lot. Thanks.

I never mentioned anything about 000, but I may switch to a 2 or 4 if that'd be better

I'm not opposed to using a rifle, but for cats I want the ability to not have to rely on a scope that may be hard to see thru in the dark. I bought 1 of those red light gun mounts a few yrs ago that was advertised to work @ 350 yards but I couldn't get it to do much at 35 yrds.


Here's the mouth call I bought. It makes meow sounds...I'm unsure how effective it'll be
https://www.primos.com/primos-hunting/hunting-calls/predator/catnip/c-24/c-107/p-362


I could download a cat call on my phone if that would help

I agree w/ star it won't be easy, but I'll accept the challenge. I know a guy up north that got a cat his 1st time calling, so you never know..

Finding tracks has been super tough, despite scouting a ton of properties.

I was wondering about that. My bobcat calling card has bird sounds as 2 out the 4 noises it makes, which made me think bird sounds are popular.


I don't know anyone around here that hunts bobcats, perhaps b/c it is so hard to draw a tag, so I appreciate the advice


I have a yote decoy for yote hunting. When I researched bobcat hunting I was surprised they don't make a cat decoy.

Monster toms nailed what I’ve seen calling. Every cat I’ve ever called in has hung up at the last piece of cover and either sat down or lurked along that edge and eventually left. I was lucky enough to fill my bobcat permit this year. Came in to a coyote pup distress, hung up at about 200 yds, switched to a cottontail distress and it closed the gap to 100. Frontal shot with 223, no exit hole. 32# female, biggest cat I’ve ever killed. Called in what I presumed to be a large male due to its size one night that sat down 50 yards from me in the wood edge and stayed there for the whole hour I called. I was coyote hunting using coyote vocals in late February. When I got up to leave, I put my red light on that cat and walked within 20 yards and it wasn’t budging. It wasn’t too concerned with me so I figured that was close enough. Those are just two examples.

I dont think any one sound is the magic call. Had too many animals come in to different sounds, but any distress seems to work for me most nights. Get out and call, what do you have to loose.

I'm surprised it came in to a coyote pup distress, coyotesoldier.

strap on your snowshoes and go find a cat to trap

That's what I've been doing the past month.

I have called and shot cats before. I just shot one Thursday and 2 last year. Take your time watch real close because they will hang up a ways out. Have fun and enjoy your time out.

I was too, I could’ve shot it where it hung up the first time and thought it was gonna leave. As soon as I switched to rabbit in distress it covered a 100 yards in a few seconds, and then hung up again. It didn’t want to cover the open ground. I believe the pitch of that particular coyote distress got its attention and the rabbit sounded like food. I’m by no means a master predator hunter or trapper, and most calling I do is at night, but the same areas I catch and call in grey fox are the same type of spot I call in cats. Thickets adjacent to open fields or old pastures.

I an no pro but from my experience you have to real look for them because I don't believe they want come into the open spots.

I've never tried calling a cat and don't know a thing about it but it seems to me just having one in the vicinity would be half the battle. My daughters friend called this in a week or ten days ago before he went to work. Forty-two pounds.

I never had much luck calling bobcats until I started using the fawn distress calls,but bobcats kill alot of deer here in Maine as well as turkeys so maybe a few turkey calls would work as well.

What kind of camo paint is that on his face

I'm big into pastels. I once called in a turkey while wearing a pink Oxford. Dress for success.

I called them in with distressed rabbit but mix it up with some magpie and crows also. Like desertdog mentioned they like to hang back and watch so you need to watch for eyes.

Is That the legendary " Mink Bucket Blue "?!

And, yeah; If Bobcats get That big? No Way I'd want to be approaching one closer than twenty yards either! Wow!

With the waits we have for cat tags I would definetely be trying whatever you need to get it filled but if you’re not seeing sign at the locations you’re trapping at, I’d be moving my traps and also calling elsewhere. I would usually see 3-4 sets of tracks on fresh snow in the areas I had access minimum. If you do pursue calling the rest of the season, I would abandon the red light personally as I’ve never had luck with it despite a lot of calling with one years ago. I know some people do but it hasn’t worked for me. As far as cats go, or coyotes or bear or anything that I call for that matter where populations aren’t plentiful, what has worked the best is what was referenced earlier by finding fresh tracks and isolating where specifically they are and work the area strategically. Also I know people who have used cat sounds and don’t know of any that have actually called in cats, so I’d stick to bird or rabbit sounds personally as that’s what’s worked previously for me and anyone I know who’s called cats in.

I called Saturday nite as I mentioned. Interestingly, yesterday there was tracks on both in front of & behind where I was calling. Maybe it's coincidence, maybe they're moving more, or MAYBE I called it in only to have it hang up 100 yrd in front of or behind me. I plan to get more traps out today. I am leary about calling the area I'm trapping, but now I'm thinking it might help, not hurt my chances. This cat has been giving me fits since new years eve. I'm honing in, but the clock is ticking. 34 traps out right now. I probly should get out there & call each night this week. I was thinking that hammering in more sets each evening after work may spook the area, but now I'm thinking I better keep at, regardless of method. This has been exciting but frustrating at the same time. The cat(s) doesn't seem to use the same path twice. I have my sets flagged but haven't got it yet. Every track I've seen this month appears to be a single track, so I don't think there's kits running around. Thanks for the replies so far.

Good Luck AJE!

Dave

Did you try putting out a bait station at all?

I have been calling 'cats since they opened up our county about 35 years ago. I haven't, however, been out in several years. I have only called in a seen 5 'cats, 3 of which I shot. They are totally different acting than fox or coyotes. I've had canines literally gallop up to my calling, 'cats on the other hand just materialize and suddenly appear where you'd swear it is impossible to get without being seen before they get there! They move like a hunting Great Blue Heron, making super slow moves, and are apparently super paranoid they are going to get bit by what's hurting the rabbit they hear squawking. I have had them appear within literally 10 seconds of starting the call sequence(true story!), and other times take a half hour+ to arrive. I am absolutely positive I called others I didn't see before they spotted me and left. I agree with Monster Toms load recommendations. Good luck!

It’s something I just started this year but I call like crazy where I’m trapping. Cats are not weary animals like coyotes and they are easy to call in if your patient, the key is having a cat to call to. A beaver carcass can help with getting one in the vicinity to call over. I’ve called them into my pickup while standing outside of it talking on the phone. Three times this year I’ve pulled into some traps, checked and not had anything, let my call blast from the pickup for 30-60 minutes while I went off to throw in some more sets and came back to have a cat caught not 50 yards from the pickup.

Thanks for all the feedback so far. I think I'll keep at it both calling AND trapping. After all, I know there's 1 in the area.

Yes, I do have 1 bait station out. A beaver carcass. I saw tracks in that area 3 weeks ago, so I put out the carcass, but thus far nothing has touched it. My F&T order, which will probly arrive today, has 1 of those electric lures in it (battery powered). I plan on puttin it by the carcass.

As for the red light, I was thinking of using it in a more unconvential matter...not for scope hunting, but to use after dark if I can get it within buckshot range.

Wire a beaver carcass up on a tree in the area you think cats are in. Once they find it they will lay up around that area and feed till it's gone. They will feed all hours of the day and night too.

At least two cats came to this carcass day and night, plus a coyote and deer sniffing around. The bottom pic shows how I place the carcass.

Ahh, interesting. I do have 1 beaver left (froze) in the freezer. I've been debating if/how to use it, & whether it would hinder the traps I have on the property. It might be the hot ticket. I could hit it with an ax a few times to break through the fur & open it up. Maybe I could place it so it helps my hunting AND trapping chances. After all, I now know there is a cat in the area. Hmmm...

Great pictures!!!

Better yet, run buy a spy point micro and put your carcass in front of it, then you’ll get the pic sent right to your phone when the cat arrives...

Yeah, I want a camera like that at some point. We'll see what I can afford.

They come on sale for $129. There not the top of the line but they work just fine for what I need.

Isn't there a monthly fee though?

You can have it send 100 pictures a month for free. Then it’s $5 a month for 250, or $10 for a 1000. If you pay for the whole year at one time it cuts the prices in half

Been doing some calling as of late. I had to work this morning. Brother went and called. 12 minutes and the cat came walking in. Fixed on the decoy. Bang, flop, and sealed. Some people have all the luck.

Thats a good option

Not a bad price. Thanks Trapper155.

As for calling bobcats, 1 thing with mouth calls (which I like) is that the sound is coming from myself, potentially leading the bobcat right to me, but if I move at all it might see me easier than if I had a remote caller.

I need to come up w/ a way to secure my electronic callers control pad. I bumped it tonight & it fell outta the tree stand. Nothing has come in yet, but it might be stirring them up in the area. Tomorrow night I might try the 'cat in heat' call

Hang onto that remote good and tight when you’re playing the cat in heat. I’d hate to see it respond when you bend over to pick it up! If it gets to riding your leg, it’s just best to let him finish

Yep.

I'll see what I can come up with to secure it so it's stable&convenient.

Hopefully I can call 1 in starting 12/26, though I'd rather fill my tag trapping.

We can’t use e-callers here for cats, only mouth calls. E-callers make it to easy I guess.

If e-callers made it too easy, everyone in the states that allow them would fill their tags every year . ..and I can assure you that doesnt happen. Ask me how I know

good luck aje i hope you pinch one

Apparently we have a rather large population of cats because you can set an e-caller out and turn it on and before you even get to your stand a cat is there, lol. This happens on every call setup.

That's probably not uncommon as sneaky as they are

I don't expect it to be easy, but I'll see if I can figure out how to call 1 in.

I have a moto rabbit decoy that should help.

I'll probably use buckshot.

Play a prey noise for 20-30 minutes then the bobcat in heat for 20-30. Then move locations and repeat. I’d switch to a rifle as well. My experience is only calling lions but this technique is pretty effective. The big males might not commit to prey sounds but they can’t resist the love sounds (in my case I use lion in heat). Try it over tracks in the snow if you can, it’s effective for lions, I’ve shot 4 and called 2 more in, in the last two years

Hunt with traps.

I will, mostly. But may supplement it w/ hunting.

20-30 minutes of prey distress and then 20-30 of the bobcat in heat. Play continuously. The switch in sounds half way through is for two reasons. Sometimes they hang up and then when the sound switches they can’t resist and some cats won’t come into prey noises but will immediately come into sweet love sounds. Motion furball decoy if you have one, put the speaker as far from you as you can; the entire length of the cord or 50 yards in front for a wireless. Switch to a rifle so extend your shot distance. Set up over fresh tracks if there is snow. I wouldn’t hesitate to use a house cat in distress if you have one before the bobcat in heat. My experience is solely calling lions in but I’ve called in 6 lions in the last two years using what I described.

Call areas where you have traps.

I'm guessing lots of cats are called in without being seen. Day or night a thermal scanner is a big plus.

Probably true. I bet more often than not they come sneaking in instead of trotting in, I don't know

I would concentrate on beaver ponds. Head end ponds generally got good characteristics Hit the ridges coming into the dams. Dark and knarly with tipped over trees is good. If you have rock outcropping mixed in that’s a bonus.

I trapped a few beaver after deer season. Never saw so much cat sign

If I find a beaver pond in this area, I'll set it nimzy

Everyone who targets bobcat in this country does it one of two ways. The way I do, with traps in exposed walkthrough sets, or the other way, with hounds. I know people who have called one in while calling coyotes but it’s an oddity, not a regular occurrence.

You might try to find a local guy with cat hounds and see what he’d charge to get you on one. A guy with good hounds on a reasonably fresh track has very good odds of success.

Hounding would surely up my chances of getting 1, big time. I haven't decided about wanting to go that route yet.

You wanna do it or have some dog do it for ya?

Throw some rat or beaver carcasses in some Dark Rugged country, bottoms, cedars, hemlocks, blow downs, rough rock outcroppings.

Find any trAcks??

I want to do it.

I did finally find tracks on one property this season

Set it. Dead man walkin

I did. I put a cage right next to one of the sets of tracks- it almost has to stick its head in there to get by. That's been a week. I haven't seen any track since

(This word is unacceptable on Trapperman) b back. Perhaps add another set and change it up. Dirt hole or cubby.

What county u in?

It's on a property where the owner has dogs and will only allow me to use cage traps

At some of my other locations I have Beaver carcasses out but nothing has found them yet- they might be too frozen for a cat's liking

If you’re calling with an E-caller and cats aren’t coming in, then you probably aren’t going to catch any either. Y’all must have an extremely low population. Have you caught one in previous years and had to release any? If not then trapping the same areas isn’t going to catch any.

Never have I caught a bobcat. It's tough in my area. I did call 1 in 1 time but it wasn't while predator hunting- it was while turkey hunting. I think that's the only Bobcat I've ever seen in my life, other than a rare sighting on trail camera here & there. It's not easy getting a bobcat tag, but when we do draw they give us 5 weeks or so for the season.

If y’all have snow then it looks like boot leather is in order. Then again if your population is that low it could be weeks before that cat makes its rounds even if you find tracks.

Calling one in is just about unheard of from the people I talk to

Patience is key in cat trapping. Females will usually pass back through in 2-3 weeks here, some old toms can take as long as 6 weeks. They have very big home ranges

I feel like I'm chasing a ghost but I'll keep at it daily until 1/31.

Funny i was thinking about trying to call bobcats this weekend and this thread pops up.

I’d sit right in the middle of the biggest field around and start scratching on a turkey call…

Find the bunnies you will find the cats.

I covered a lot of ground today and didn't see any tracks at least no tracks that I could distinguish as a cat track. I'll look for some rabbit sign and try to scout it this week

How far are you traveling to find sign, set locations,how many sets are operating,etc. BR falls? I'd think there would be a good population east of town? Sometimes you have to go a little out of your way for the trophy. Boots on the ground as others have said will give you far more answers. Boots on the ground in locations stated will give you even more. Good luck

AJE,
I had to pull my traps today unfortunately. I found fresh cat tracks this morning at two sets. I set those 7 days ago and the sign there was fresh from the night prior when I found it. Both of those sets were 20 miles apart so no chance it was the same cat. Im sure every cat is different and your area probably dictates range as well, but 7 days is what I found it took for them to come back around for me. Unfortunately neither of those cats wandered the 20 yards over to my cubby to find my traps. I did find that all the cat sign I found was either at the top of a ridge or within the cedar swamp creek bottom. After following the tracks a ways it seems as though they meander about with no rhyme or reason thru the trees.

I also had a beaver carcass out and found coyote tracks running right past it within 20-30 yards this morning. Two days ago I opened the carcass up some more hoping it would emit some more scent and get some action. Can’t believe the coyotes didn’t smell it and come in.

I think I’m gonna have to resort to running one down with some hounds. No more vacation time left for me to trap other than the remaining weekends.

^^^^ this ^^^^

Thanks
Funny you say that because I do plan on heading east of town next week
I agree that there are more cats over there
Today I used my snowmobile to help me cover more ground
With the weather being so crappy it's been hard to get as many sets out as I would like

I own 33 acres there on the east side, but it's so far off the road I haven't figured out how to get to it yet with all the snow we had & debris that got knocked down b/c of the wet snow. I'm determined to find a way though next week. It's along a big creek that should be a hot spot, but I'm not sure if it will be iced over or not

I have noticed that cats like to walk fellen logs. If tracks are distorted that may help you identify. Keep persistent look for more sigh to pass time. Learning the country and habits is the fun part anyway, after the catch the work begins. If you drive by any abandoned farms you may want to check them out.

I have walked up to sets. Been 5 yards away. Wondering what happened to tear it up like that, Then seeing a cat cause it finally moved. Just like the rabbit in short green grass you didnt see till it ran. Bobcats are almost unbelievably hard to see and sneaky. If Seth can see 1 in 4 he has eyes like an eagle or something. Its more likely than not, a cat coming in will see you first.

Nimzy I have snared quite a few cats off of logs because of what you describe. Logs just lying on the ground. If its big around as a 30 gallon drum its worth 3-4 minutes to hang one. Coons and fox also like to hop up on them. I have no idea why they do that.

Today I got access to a 103 acre property owned by a friend of mine in which he showed me the 3 key areas of the property that he saw numerous Bobcats on camera this fall. We didn't set any traps though because couldn't find even one cat track today, despite walking for miles through swamps, woods, hills, logging roads and food plots. I'm starting to wonder if the early season has a better chance of success

In Wisconsin the tag is success. As long as you can keep traps working any part of the season is great. Being of a trophy status these late primers will be more presentable later. You need to take some chances and increase your odds. Go down along some creeks, find a knarly, windblown, twisted up mess and make some sets. Use a muskrat carcass and some skunk essence. Repeat.

Are you catching anything at all in your sets? Coyotes, fox, coons, possums?

1 possum. Coyotes I don't think would step on an exposed pan, a cubby, a cage, or show any interest in a set that has flagging at it. As for coon, in this cold I only saw tracks twice this winter & it was literally on the dry edge part of creek beds.

As for the issue with not finding bobcat tracks, maybe cats are light enough that they just aren't leaving defined tracks.

I noticed of that cat tracks I found that they tend to walk in other tracks which makes them hard to distinguish. In my case they were walking in the tracks of wolves, coyotes, and coon. I only noticed the tracks when they eventually took their own path. If the snow is crusty I don’t think they will leave much of a track as the last couple I found were fairly faint in the 1/4 inch of dusty snow on top of the hard layer of snow. Even the coyotes were able to stay on top of the frozen snow.

And the property I scouted yesterday was loaded w/ some of the best deer trails (like cow paths) that I've ever seen..and the landowner told me the cats he's seen (at least based on his cameras) is deer trails. Maybe those deer stomp out any cat tracks in a hurry

I like to hang snares around old brush piles and packrat nests. Not in the "deer" trails" so much but the smaller fainter "rabbit trails".

Two brush piles 20 yards or so apart will often have a trail between them . Thats a really likely spot for a foot trap

Often small brush choked creeks or drainages will have a spot where one bank is 6-8 feet or more higer than the other. that high bank usually has a trail right on the edge. Set a set there too. Dont need to find a track. If there are cats around they will go there.

Dry creeks or drainages look for a necked down spot and set in the drainage

Mark June has a post about setting on sign. That is always best. I have trapped country real similar to what he showing and that dry dirt country sign is easier to find. Here in KS you have to set stuff that just looks catty. You wont set many traps otherwise. I never trapped in WI but if I was cat trapping there I would definately set any sign but I would keep an eye out for catty looking location too.

Now that’s possible. When it’s really dry here and the ground gets hard as a rock I can’t even see my own tracks much less anything else.
Don’t know how your weather is, but if I was just after cats and nothing else, I would clear snow or whatever I had to do to make a dirt hole set even if I had to use a pick ax. I’d clear a spot 3ft wide that could be seen from 100yds away and stuff enough bait down the hole to feed a pack of wolves. I’d have a set at the hole and another at the edge of the cleared out spot with urine.
I’m hoping you get it done!

Thanks danny

We have plenty of snow right now, lol. I do sometimes try to toss dirt up on the snow.

I covered more ground tonight & was seeing tracks that very well could have been Bobcat but the tracks were so melted & obscure that a person couldn't tell what they are. Tracks have been tough to distinguish this year. Tonight we're in a winter weather advisory with some minor sleet so I'm not sure what that's going to do

I went for a two mile hike east of town today and didn't see any sign but I don't know maybe they're either running on top of the snow or a lot of the tracks I've noticed are indistinguishable probably because of the freeze/thaw cycle

Sometimes I wonder what's more effective in Wisconsin- Bobcat hunting or trapping

Best of luck to you AJE.

I ended up deciding to focus on trapping instead of hunting them this season. I have mixed thoughts as to whether that was smart or not.