Rolling up on this in the morning

Nice .I bet it was interesting getting that chain out the tree.

I have had a few in Kansas over the years I have walked up on and stopped. I could see the little dimple in the trap bed area showing the trap was gone. Always a welcome sight.

It was Slipknot. Bob I too saw the trap bed empty and immediately started looking for drag marks. My pup found him before me, I was looking down not up. Could be careless behavior next time lol.

"Up" is the first place I have learned to look if that is the type of cover I am in. Actually I stop and scan the immediate area as best I can before I mingle around too much. I have seen rookies learn a good lesson a few times.

They don’t need much vertical structure to make them climb.

Kool pic!

This one went straight up. No disturbance on the ground at all.

All cats find security in heights if it is available.

As do greys.

Just hanging out.

I have seen a few cat catches like this one that nearly completely destroyed the tree. Most were white pine and juniper trees. You could smell the pine sap in the air it was that strong. Those trees were 8-10 ft tall.

This one got pretty high up.

Yep, that's a high one. It would have been interesting to see the video of the recovery in that situation. Some old-fashioned monkey climbing I would guess.

Had a cat in Kansas years ago that got up a tree. Probably about 8 ft as I recall. Had a buddy with me at the time that said he could take care of it. Or it may have been I made a wager that he couldn't get that cat down safely without losing it.

Anyway, he gave it a good attempt. About the second try of getting the snare pole around that cat that old tom sprayed him good. Now that was priceless to witness. I was in the safe zone. He smelled the cab of my truck up all day.

I only find the lazy ones, I guess.

Probably too fat to climb much.

I have caught several cats by 1 or 2 toes on a drag but it usually don't end well when they take to a tree.

That's the kind of luck I have too.

I've had quite a few climbers over the yrs. Multiple empty traps hanging too... 12 claws sure can gain a lot of leverage

Those thickets and brush piles and fringes are all cat magnets.