It takes a while to draw a bobcat tag around here so maybe we have inexperienced cat trappers.. or maybe fussy bobcats, I don't know. It's not uncommon for me to hear of people that have cats walk around their sets but not come right to it. Maybe people are making sets that are too fancy. I had a co-worker today telling me about his friend that's having this problem this season trying to fill his cat tag. Hopefully it doesn't happen to me with my late season tag starting 12/26.

I would put some big baits out now and try to get them hitting it before season. Cats on bait are like shooting ducks on the water.

Get you some beaver carcass Cats love beaver meat that's my go to bait

Even venison rib cages will cause them to come to the general area to see what the ravens are squaking about.

Your Wisconsin fellow bobcat trapper hope you do not see listen to left lane because you will catch bobcats put the set in front of them ,,, lure vary's little just use something cats like it like money in the bank.
Most of bobcat trapping is putting the set in the right place.

make a barrel cubbie like this
put feed in it year round cats will always check it out

you will also catch fox and coon , put it in thick cover so you don't get birds coming in

AJE- is your tag for Soutern Zone or Northern Zone?

You can literally fence a cat over your trap just like guys fence off a creek for beaver and otter.

I like walk through dirt holes. GOOD coyote or fox pee, a proven prepared bait like Cletus makes. Graham's tomcat as a placing scent, a little Carmens magna glan is good too. My set is about 4-5 feet long. One end has a dirt hole up against backing with pee in it. A gap with a trap in it, then brush for the fence. Cats, like coons will hop up on big rocks or logs and you might miss it. Little rocks, marble sized, and pencil diameter twigs stuck in the ground, make good foot guiding

If ur worried about refusals I'd steer away from cubbies. I'm not a big numbers guys like some on here but the 2 things that helped me start catching cats constantly is setting the thickest cover I can find and making each set like it's a blind set were the cat will walk anyway then adding lure. And set like your trying to catch 20 cats not just one. I love catching cats just haven't targeted them for several years since the price dropped. Good luck.

I caught these here in KS in about a month. I spent 3 weeks in WY that year and caught 9 more. No record for anyone but me but when I look at these photos I miss my youth. I tire out pretty quick anymore. Broken leg and covid have slowed me some more. Last few years I been trapping cats in NM. Nice not dealing with WY winters. I have not set a trap yet this year. I think I will take a couple weeks to trap coyotes for a few friends here in KS when it gets good and cold. Not to sell fur I am not going to. Just cause its good for my mind. Will kill a few coons too. They are getting too thick. Not many houndsmen left to keep their numbers down and populations healthy.

Venison works super wether hunted trimmings or road kill carcasses. They will be around it until it’s gone .

Osky

I have a freezer full of beavers, so could prebait if that would help. The coyotes might enjoy it just as much but I'd rather keep them away.

I trapped Beaver this Fall just for the carcasses for bait.

I should mention: we have an exposed bait law so once season starts I can't set traps at site exposed bait.

The cats will like the beaver as bait. But the coyote don't seem to go after it, not in this area. Have put my remains beaver scraps on my bait piles late and the coyote don't seem to excited about it.

I wouldn't set on them anyway but they will have trails headed to the bait. I believe Boco calls it a "Jackpot" but that is probably a metric term.

This one has not been back for over a week now and with this heavy wet snow nothing else has been either. I have not had a picture on my rib cage and gut pile for 4 days now. I even added a beaver carcass a week ago. I have had red fox, coyote,deer, grey fox and this fat cat visiting it on a regular basis. No tracks since this crappy wet snow either.

That is a dandy cat! He WILL be back for sure as soon as he gets a little hungry.

As fat as he looks that could take a while. I plan to hang a couple snares on the path he walked in on but will have to shovel it off so he won't smother under the snow . I have been clearing off the bait piles every day to make them visible and accessible. A few crows were on it this morning and the overhanging snow crusted trees have kept any more snow off of the pile. Maybe the upcoming cold weather will get critters coming back iin.

Yeah, maybe the snow will harden after a few days.
As for clearing the snow off the bait or set, maybe a person could use a leaf blower.. but I suppose that noise might scare the critters

I hope you get that fat cat

Interesting writeup about bobcats:

https://www.nationaltrappers.com/bobcat.html

I follow a few simple themes;

1. Set on sign. As in... the turd or paw print should be 6 inches or less from my trap pan.

2. If the cat can't breed it or eat it, then the set is not a premium set.

3. Remembering #2, if you overstimulate a cats with too much this, that, and the other, they probe the set once, maybe twice and bam.... away they walk.

4. Cats will teach you if you let them.

Blessings,
Mark

Thanks for these 4 tips Mark.

I was talking to a trapper friend of mine today. He said he has learned a number of things about Bobcat behavior from observing his house cats actions.

That tactic meets all Mark's 4 themes but staking a #3 in a Kitty Litter Box will be a challenge.

Both Robs Quotes. In a winter with heavy snow road kill deer carcasses keep the cats here as daily visitors.



Osky

We sure have deep snow. I've been keeping my eye open for a road killed deer but haven't seen one yet. As for whether Bobcats are very likely to commit to a set in deep snow I'm not sure. And maybe they don't travel as much

When I trapped them in deep snow it was mountains. There were big areas the snow blowed out of. I caught them there. When you get a sunny day and the snow crusts a bit on top they move on it pretty good.

And this seems to be our condition right now here. I theorize that it will lead to increased movement but less evidence of their tracks.

So close!!

newfox1, trapping cats in the rockies I caught a lot of them with a beaver carcass chopped in half after it froze and tie wired to a tree. I would build a sort of covey over them to help with snow and help hide it from ravens and eagles. Pinion squawkers still found them but they dont eat much. Dont weigh much either. Probably helped cats to find them.

Thanks Danny, We were hoping to get them feeding and then build something, Gerry is headed up now to tune it up, fresh bait, another trap, hopefully, we have about another month of season.

I often hear that trapping along a creek is a good method. Does that mean a person should set as close to the creek as reasonably and legally possible or should a person set further back?

If the creek is froze hang snares over the ice

The creek has since thawed. It may re-freeze in ~2 weeks though.

AJE bobcats absolutely love to travel creeks on new ice. I have seen it dozens of times in multiple states. They travel on it after the freeze up so long as its froze but that first night or two they really flock to them. Put on your hip boots and put out snare's while the water is still water when the forecast looks right. Right up by the bank but most especially where brush creates a necked down spot. You want snares out when it freezes. Cats are a lot lighter than you. You hang them before a good cold snap everything looks natural.

I wonder if they ever fall thru new/thin ice

As calculating as they are I would guess rarely.

A challenge I've had is getting a Bobcat to follow the same trail twice

AJE I dont think water bothers a bobcat much.

I like my cubbies big great eye appeal.

That's quite a picture of the cat in the barrel

Thanks.
I wonder if they cross streams via water or if they rely on downed trees

They will walk across beaver dams pretty regular or downed trees but they dont have any problem just swimming across a small creek.

Danny, what's your thoughts on small rivers? The deep, slow moving types common in my country?

Go right in J Staton. Especially when the toms are looking for love. They are as determined as a sailor in Subic bay. They may avoid faster deep water I am not sure. Wading doesnt slow them down anymore than it does a hound.

Have traps out on a farm for about 3 weeks now that has that small river spilling into the Arkansas. Hoping to catch some love sick cats traveling those river banks. Score so far... 4 possums, 2 coons, and 2 cats.

Excellent thread. Thanks to everyone for sharing.

Mac

After the epic severe storm a month or so ago we have more down trees than usual and I think it's giving them ample bridges to cross