Flagging for Bobcats

Good afternoon everyone. This season coming up will only be my second season trapping and I’m literally restless at night thinking of where to, what to, what if, and what then. I’ve been preparing for November first since August first and it couldn’t get here quick enough. I have been fiddling around with making some flagging out of feathers and I’d like to know what y’all think? I caught three bobcats last January at the same dirt hole set although that was not my intended target I was ecstatic and that’s all I want to catch now!

Looks good to me! I'd set 3 sets at your honey hole. Bobcat doubles do happen!

I’ve had a trail camera out for about three months or longer and I’ve got pictures of what I believe is at least two maybe three different cats. Ive been counting the days!

Most anything that flutters in a breeze will do. In many ares bird feathers are not allowed. In those situations I would suggest using a piece of cardboard white on one side and brown on the other. When fluttering in a breeze it flashes like a neon sign.

X2 bc,
Christmas tinsel also works.

Yup. Bird ribbon, cd’s, old tuna clones work really well.

Those are good looking feathers.



Owl

We are allowed to use feathers here but that’s a great idea if I’m ever running low on feathers. Thanks!

Thanks man! I made several but these are the only ones that have turkey feathers. The rest are just made from quail feathers. I almost wonder of some white Malibu feathers might work?

Flaggibg is a great tool and I use it but I think you will pay yourself dividends if you figure out why that location worked so well and replicate it over and over.

Also, cats can be slow to prime up. Targeting them in Jan is a good plan if you ask me

I got started in mid to late December last year was the main reason for the late catches on the cats but I have no doubt your right.

Old fashion kids pin wheels work wonders---at least on my trial camera line for the last few years......jk

I like ketchen kitties.

The first bobcat I ever caught I was so excited that I took like 6 pictures of it and barely got it in the frame of one photo and it was so blurry it was almost unrecognizable. I had to hurry up and dispatch it because I only had it caught by two toes and was so worried it was going to get away.

Few things make a morning as complete as finding a spotted up cat or too!

This is 100% accurate in my opinion! I’ve yet to double on anything other than coons and opossums but I’m hoping the more I learn that I can change that. I pulled up on this cat in the dark the morning after catching a female here and almost lost my mind!!! I had never gotten buck/strut fever that bad!

VHS ribbon is what I use flashes great with little to no light.

Flags are over rated

So are truck driver but we get the job done!

Glad someone said it!!

That is a nice cat 828!

Thanks man! 19 lb Tom cat which isn’t too shabby for Western NC in my opinion

One inch strip of old bed linen some where near the set. Dip the ends in lure (Derrick's)

Trap828, Check out this thread in the archives.
A treasure chest of info

https://trapperman.com/forum/ubbthr...cat-sets-and-locations-vol-2#Post4759431

Lazarus has made up some neat cat catching items. He also has some neat vids.

That is a good one Adam. I have probably read that thread a dozen times and will no doubt do it again

True. I have bought some.

Yea it is.
Same here and still learn from it.
I wish I saved Vol 1

Wonder if it's a saved item here., archives?

Flagging seems to be the great debate

I've taken both bobcats and lynx with flagged sets. I've also taken bobcats in flat sets, dirt holes and trash mound sets. I prefer to add feathers for flagging if allowed by state law. What sold me on flagging was following a fresh set of bobcat tracks after a decent snowstorm. There was maybe a foot of the white stuff, and the wind was howling. I wasn't able to drive into the set area, so I took off on foot. While walking to one of my sets, I cut a smoking hot cat track that was headed towards my sets. My flagging feathers are all situated right above the trap itself if at all possible and about three feet off the ground. To make a long story short, the cat investigated the feathers allowing him to sink down deep enough in the fresh snow and get caught. That cat was definitely a gift. After that catch I always try to incorporate feather flagging into at least one set per stop.
Setting more than one trap per location has also accounted for multiple cat doubles over the years. Those cat doubles have included Toms, females and toms and females with offspring.

The question for me is even if they are over rated do they still help.

I believe so. Just another tool in the shed.
But then again, what the heck do I know.

On public land , flagging works better for humans than it does bobcats

Something to consider.