Drew my first bobcat tag here in Wisconsin for the first period. I have been scouting and have a property where I am consistently getting pictures of I think at least 2 different cats on trail cameras. The areas where I have them on camera are on the edges of small streams as well as crossing over the stream on logs. What sets should I be focusing on? Can I successfully set trees that are blown down over the stream where I have them crossing? Walk through sets on the edge of the stream? How do you keep coons from plugging up your sets? I'm also trapping public land so I'm concerned about having to deal with other people too. I won't be able to get sets in until 2 days after season opens So I'm hoping no one will have sets in this area by the time I get my sets out though it is a very large area

Simple dirt hole will get them about as good as anything. Walk throughs are good too. Maybe Flint hill will chime in

Are there trails leading to these log crossings? If so I would just hang a snare well a CR In those trails.

Remember bird dogs will be out and about, what Beav said. Cr's on trails leading to crossing logs, or cubbies with foot holds in same area.

Yeah, this spot I feel confident there won't be any bird dogs running through there. I'm a bird hunter myself and there really isn't any good bird cover in this spot I'm planning to set.

Congratulations at drawing your first tag.

Thank you!

Also, I was wondering about the staking situation. I will be running duke 550s and have original 12" super stakes with 3/32" cable. Will this be sufficient for holding a cat? Do I need to add more swivels? If so, how would I do this with the cable?

That's close to what I use and don't have any issues. I do add a third swivel to all my trap chains.

That anchor will be fine. Bobkitty’s will fight it but don’t bulldoze it. Caught’em in 450’s and 550’s. Both earth anchors and drags. Did have one make it about 50yds in some small pines without a lot of understory. Other than that one, all the others have been right there near the original set.

What are your guys go to for lure and/or urine for bobcat sets? I will most likely do a mixture of dirt holes, walk throughs, and maybe a cubby or two. With walk through sets, are you looking for very tight spots and placing sticks, small rocks, anything else around your trap so the cat steps on the pan? Are you looking for spots that are too narrow for deer so you aren't having deer fire your trap? I am going to be primarily setting very close to creeks or small tributaries. Should I be looking for these narrow spots parallel to the water? Also, I have a camera up in this area and check every few months. I normally have just one Picture of a cat during those few months so I'm having a hard time figuring out the exact routes these cats are taking. Last winter every time I went to this spot I would find new cat tracks. It is an area where there are edges of pine and thick cover with lots of downed trees. Obviously there is at least one cat using this area so will my best bet be to throw a mixture of different sets out? A few dirt holes, a few walk throughs, a few cubbys? I also have a fisher tag so I will be putting a few body grip cubbies somewhere near here too as I have seen fisher in the general area.

I had great success with Cavens Feline Fix and No BS Patriot. Caught several in a regular coyote set with scent and or bat, and a shot of red fox.

Down here the more gaudy the set, the more likely for a cat and it’ll generally keep coyotes out.
Find scat and put a well blended set right beside it. That cat or another will visit and drop a load there as well.
I use Sierra Mist and Gusto for cats. Seems down here anything a little skunky and a gland lure will catch.

Congrats on your bobcat tag.I would use 2 to 3 sets in each location using walk thru,dirthole,and flat sets

Curious about bait for bobcat. I have some muskrat and beaver scraps left over from last year but am also saving all of my game bird carcasses to use for bobcat and fisher(ducks, grouse, woodcock). Will this do the trick? I know I have heard guys talk about only using fresh beaver for bait

Good luck,hard to beat beaver and fowl for bait.Make 3 sets at each location walk thru,cubby open ended so they can look through the cubby,trash mound and blind set around the sets.I like 3 smells at cat sets,again good luck this season.

Perrfect!

wws