Author Topic: Anyone livetrap Bobcats? (Read 435 times)

huntingfool · « **on:** December 12, 2003, 01:36:19 PM »

Last week, I saw three bobcats at the back of my semi-rural property at about 10am. Last night, I shined two at the back of my 5 acres. I can't shoot anything bigger than a .22 because I'm in the city limits and there are houses not to far off.
Does anyone know how to use a live trap to catch one of these cats. I don't want to use a regular trap because: 1: I don't know how 2: My black lab would end up in it.
Can anyone give me any advice on how to livetrap? What size, what to use; bait or scent, etc?
I am located in Edmond, Oklahoma.
Thanks.

jim-NE · « **Reply #1 on:** December 14, 2003, 04:51:59 AM »

I've heard of people accomplishing this feat (getting one to go into a cage trap) but I've not had much luck with it. I have a hard enough time getting them to step into a "forced" area around my foothold trap, let alone squeezing one into a small, confined opening.
However, there are several trappers in this area that have done well on them in bucket sets with #220s using beaver meat for bait. From what I'm told they find secluded brush piles, areas with no dog activity, etc. and have fairly decent success getting them to stick their heads into that little opening between the jaws. Based on that concept, I don't see why a decent-sized cage trap wouldn't work on cats. Give it a try.

Creek · « **Reply #2 on:** December 14, 2003, 09:44:21 AM »

I have caught many bobcats in a live trap. But these live traps were made special. They were about 6 foot long, 18 inches wide, and 2 foot tall. They had a door at both ends with a middle compartment for live bait which was a guine bird. They worked excellent when the weather got real nasty and cold for a couple of weeks. If it was nice weather the cats would just walk around the trap and not go in. The guine bird worked the best for bait, they would never shut up. One big draw back was you had to feed and water the bird every day. These traps were also killers on coon. Once caught 4 coons in the same trap at the same time. Only problem with the coons was that sometimes they would pull the guine threw the compartment and only thing left was feathers. The compartment the guine was in was made of expanded metal and had a lid at the top. I caught 9 cats one winter with 5 traps all within a mile of each other.

jim-NE · « **Reply #3 on:** December 20, 2003, 03:08:08 AM »

there is an article in this month's Trapper & Predator caller on live trapping cats and grey fox in California area. Has some pics and tips in that article, too.

shb · « **Reply #4 on:** December 22, 2003, 03:18:05 PM »

The summer issue of the FTA Magazine has an article from some fellows in california, or arizona about their experiences with cage traps, they really seemed to be on the cutting edge. Looks like it would be well worth reading for folks interested in cage trapping.