Cage traps for bobcats

Anybody here use them and any success with them? In the December issue of “The Trapper and Predator Caller”, Tom Beaudette in an article says he likes to use them for bobcats.

I hope so because in Colorado he has really no choice

Never had a lot of luck with them on cats but I don't put a lot of effort into setting them so that could be why.


Tiny cat never seen a cat so small in the fall that was a small cage to begin with.

They can catch cats if you do your part.

I bought three not knowing Maine restricts the opening size to thirteen inches in height. I cut the height down to thirteen inches and use them as fisher sets.

Nice I like the double Law Dog.

Monster Tom's, I notice you cut the legs short and leave the bottom jaw fur on some? What's up with that...? Pressed for time on the skinning?

I definitely had some trouble my first year, bad enough I gave up for two years and then catch one last year and it's an early season cat I was told by a friend. Last year it was 89° in December so I gave up... I am going to attempt it again here soon... 39° at 7:30 am. High of maybe 60° today... I am getting the itch

I skin and stretch everything to the toes on the back legs then trim up to make uniform before selling. bottom lip is usually cut off .

I’m just starting with cages... any preference on how the doors drop fellas? Straight drop or swing down?

Osky

Ok. I leave them on. I guess it's just the way I was taught many years ago.

Osky,
I have some older cages and one newer one. I have caught a cat in both styles, but I am new to the cage trapping thing.

Some people think using a live bobcat for is cheating!!

One club I never got to join was the double cat one.

Belong to about the every other double club, and caged coyote. But that one eludes me.

I like the swing down doors.

I live in deep snow country. So guillotine doors work great for me. It cuts through the snow, instead of gathering it on the swing. Nothing wrong with either one.

Swing door with being horizontal is harder for the human eye to see in some circumstances. Versus guillotine being vertical can be seen easily. Some things to ponder as well.

What is your guys secret to success in cage trapping cats?

We get the deep snow here many most years as well. I have the swinging doors, I wire spruce branches onto the door, carefully. Makes a bit more of a tunnel/ cave look. I also will stamp a couple trails to the traps door and pack either side the door just a bit. Sort of funneling the cats in.
My use is in stands of thick young spruce bordering lowlands or swamps.

Osky

Hard work and location. If something isn't working, don't just relure it and expect results. Definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and having the same result.

Things change, animals change. You just have to adapt to the changes.

I've been putting in the work and am trying to the best of my ability to be adaptable. Seems like I'm always one step behind the cats.

I think everyone who cages goes through the same turmoil. I know they do. They old saying of what is troubling you is troubling your competition as well.

I hate refusals more than anything in the world. But something happened to cause him to refuse it. The possibilitys are endless. Was the wind wrong, was I careless and got lure on the door frame, did he not like it all brushed in, did he not like it cause it wasn't brushed in, was it so cold he didn't smell the lure, was it overpowering , did he just come through this area once, did he get whacked someplace else.

Caging requires you to think outside the box. Change it up, is there a better location. I will go out of my way to look for those good necked down spots, instead of setting mediocre spots. Keep after it, when it all clicks it awesome, when it doesn't it can be the most frustrating thing in the world.

Do cats get trap shy if they've been previously caught?