Author Topic: Asa, lynx/cat, cat ?s  (Read 386 times)

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Offline steven49er

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Asa, lynx/cat, cat ?s
« on: June 26, 2004, 02:24:26 PM »
Asa, I seen where you said that a big scent post set is your favorite for deep snow cat trapping.  I was wondering if you could elaborate on this set a bit more.  How do you bed the trap?  Do you use a combination of lures?  Would it be beneficial to use cat urine if cats are the primary,  or do you use fox pee?  Do you guide heavily or subtly?  

Lynx, any suggestions for a good walk through type set for snow to deep snow conditions.  Keep in mind no rimrock or wind swept areas around here.  I am thinking of maybe hiding a chunk of beaver, using some good cat lure in the back, and forcing the cat to "walk through" my trap to investigate the scene.

In the past I have always used conibear bucket cubbies for cats due to being able to run extended checks.  But I have not been satisfied with the results.  I have seen way too many cats walk on by paying little attention to the bucket.  Time for something different and I think I will have time to run daily checks this year.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Oh yeah will my #2 bridgers be sufficient for a trap or is it entirely necessary to go bigger.

Offline Asa Lenon

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Asa, lynx/cat, cat ?s
« Reply #1 on: June 26, 2004, 04:03:27 PM »
I  have never made sets specifically for bobcat.  Because coyote, fox and bobcat all inhabit the same areas in the Winter where rabbits, grouse and deer are abundant as a food supply and coyotes are the predominant species in my locality, I make all sets using the necessary precautions and specifications  as though all sets were made for coyote. One of my favorite deep snow sets is the scent post set.  Visibility is the most important factor when constructing post sets.  I take a good sized bundle of marsh grass or weeds, tie them together with a brown cord and firmly plant them in open, highly visible areas along animal travelways.   The trap is placed on the side of the grass/weed bundle where I anticipate the animal approaching, judging by the previous tracks or trails in the snow.  My Nature's Call Coyote or fox gland/passion/curiosity lure or plain coyote, fox or bobcat urine is sprinkled on the top of the post so the odor can catch in the air current.  A gob of one of my paste coyote, fox or bobcat lures is placed on a stick and tucked right inside the bundle  about 6" above snow level on the trap side of the bundle.  This ensures the animal comes around to the trap side. Trap is set about 9" out from the bundle where the animal will be stepping around while investigating the odor emitting from the grass or weed bundle.  Subtle guiding is sometimes used, such as a couple of natural looking dead sticks up along each side of the jaws.  These sticks must look completely natural as though they are growing there or I would sooner go with no guiding other than the lure tucked into the bundle which will generally cause enough tracking around to ensure a foot/trap pan connection.  Anyway, trappers do not generally think of bobcats as territorial marking animals but they definitely are and do readilly respond to these scent posts.  Again, visibility is the key factor that attracts canines and cats.  The type of lure used whether it be canine or bobcat lure or urine will attract all three species of animal. However, if there was only one animal species present in the area, then I would use lure made specifically for that species. Like any type of set, once the animal has investigated a good lure is what keeps them there longer ensuring a maximum harvesting.  I do not recall in all my years ever seeing where a bobcat has passed one of these post sets without further investigation.  Also, I have caught scores of bobcats at scent post sets made for coyotes in Summer and Fall trapping.  I have also caught scores of bobcat at blind scent sets where there is absolutely no set visibility, only the lure attracting the bobcats to the set.  This proves that bobcats are attracted to glands, musks and curiosity  odors in a big way and that these odors will enhance any set regardless of the visibility factor.  Bobcat can smell way better than trappers generally give them credit for.  For example, i've seen tracks in the snow where a bobcat made an abrupt turn at 100 feet from the set and go directly to a blind scent set where  a small smear of lure was the only possible attractor.  Ace :-)