Opinion on this. Caught this very young cat this fall. Debated on whether or not to turn it loose. Finally rationalized it may have a frozen foot and kept it. Stretched 28 inches so definately small. Smallest cat we've ever kept. However it sold for $375. I'm still a little torn on whether we made the right choice. Would I do it again? Would you?

caught one in my long life with a front paw gone I doubt they make it especially a young one maybe still with mom? I have caught all kinds of other critters beaver, rats mink fox coyote and coon with all kinds of foot damage.

Back foot hard to say but probably would have rereleased it. Never know until you’re put in the moment.

375$..heck yes I'd keep it again.

With the limit you have Id have rolled the dice that early that you would catch a mature better cat.

Seen one this year missing half a leg, healed up, that a houndman treed. Only one in my life I've known of with a missing foot. I used to tree several in an area of an old trapper that didn't check his traps as regularly as he should that were missing one or two toes, but cats with a crippling injury are a real rarity compared to other animals. I caught one years ago that had survived some very bad injuries, one front shoulder crippled and flail chest with several ribs broken, obviously a years old injury that was healed and gristled over on a very old tom that was going downhill, he only had one rotted canine left. A couple missing eyes and a missing ear (looked like a birth defect, ear canal was there and looked functional but no external ear and no scarring), and one missing most of his tail, and one that had been caught and badly chewed up by wolves, his injuries were infected and I don't know if he would have made it. But crippling injuries are exceedingly rare. I don't think most make it, cats are more fragile than most animals.

Yeah, I'm thinking, barring some major damage, let it go next time. Even at $375 it was not near the average of the other cats we sold.

Are you only allowed a certain number to keep or sell?? Never understood the releasing of critters, lol. Or are you thinking next year it’ll be bigger and you’ll catch it again and bring more money?

I'm guessing and only guessing that that the number of cats taken by hunting/trapping is not a limiting factor in population. Competition from other cats and coyotes likely plays the largest factor in cat numbers. At $376 keep stretching them. If I've leaned one thing about the fur market it's that it's fickle, next years average may be $200, get it while you can provided the resource can withstand the pressure.

That one should have been easy to catch.

I never release cats because I feel they never will make it from the damage that the trap causes. I am religious on checking my sets every 48 hours. Knowing that bobcats use their eyes and feet/claws to survive I just don’t think many survive with damage to their legs. I think you did the right thing and harvested that cat.

If a cats foot is damaged very much at all it will get infection and die. Once I a while they may live but it's rare. Personally I don't take a chance and release them if I think they may die a miserable death

so foot damage is the major concern with people who i have dealt with (antis and people that just heard stories)so i have never caught a cat but with my experience with coyotes and fox and the live market here are some tips if you are thinking of or going to be releasing animals use smaller traps that are offset and laminated or rubber jawed,lots of swivels minimum 3 maybe with shock springs also and try checking early in the morning also try to stay away from freezing conditions i know thats hard when trapping for prime fur and releasing smaller animals that may not fit your in quota

To me it is the trapper that catches whatever critter that ends up in his trap to make the call Keep it or release it However in my mind I am assuming a lot of variables that may or may not happen if I decide to let it go Like the decision a trophy deer hunter passes on a truly large buck with the idea that it will be even bigger in another year If you have some thing that has some value leaving it go hoping you catch it again most cases is a very long shot at best Predator both large and small spoil that opportunity in a heartbeat Rabies or the mange will make the pelt worthless or cause the animal to die Other trappers may catch it The animal might also disperse from the area Most trappers are optimists They believe things work out to their advantage But in the world of Mother Nature generally what happens is that it happens at random

if weather isnt super cold and the foot is in good shape on little females or kittens I do release them. have caught the same cat later in season an foot was fine. have to use your best judgment on releasing

Years back I caught and released a small bobcat similar to that. It's foot looked fine and I thought I could do better. (I had released a number of others in years prior.) About 10 days later and half mile away I saw magpies fly off a roadkill deer out in a flat. I looked with binoculars and saw a bobcat peeking over the deer at me. I shot it. It was the same cat. It had lost it's foot from the pad down and the ends of the bones were sicking out half inch from the skin.

I feel horrible for what I put that cat through and it is the last one I released (other than a couple in coyote sets prior to the season.) I believe if the nighttime temperature after the cat is caught is much below freezing there is too much chance the tissue below the trap will be frozen. It's uncomfortable to talk about it, but anyone considering releasing them in very cold weather should be aware of the risk of putting the released animal through heck.

You did right