bobcat

[kingkobbla]

found a cat trail in the woods by my bow stand, set up trail cam they are bobcats, bought my first ever trapping license, borrowing 4 traps from my buddy, i set them out tomorrow morning, wish me luck

[shortfatguy]

Cats are very curious by nature. One method I have heard of for catching them is to hang something from a branch over a trap. The trapper who told me about it catches a lot of bob cat. He said a cd or a feather are the best lures.

[kingkobbla]

yes i will be using grouse and mallard wings and i will spread some feathers out over the trap. hopefully if i get some geese tomorrow i could one of those wings too. my uncle told me to put saran wrap over the trap so it doesnt freeze. anyone ever heard of that?

[Grayfox]

kingkobbla,

Hey, just curious and don't want to see you get in trouble but I thought all first time trappers had to take the trapper education course before you could get a trapping license? I know you do over here in Wisconsin and I thought Minnesota was the same.

I've also heard of the saran wrap trick. I've done it before but haven't had any luck with it. Hardest part I find is trying to bed the trap solid in the frozen or soon to be frozen ground. Also, to cover your trap with snow, throw it up in the air and let it drift down over your trap. By letting it fall from a distance it won't harden up or crust over. Let us know how you do. I drew a bobcat tag this year too and can't start until the end of December. I plan on trying to call it in but might throw out a few traps and cable restraints if I stay up North though.

Rob

[RangerJack]

kingkobbla,

Hey, just curious and don't want to see you get in trouble but I thought all first time trappers had to take the trapper education course before you could get a trapping license? I know you do over here in Wisconsin and I thought Minnesota was the same.

I've also heard of the saran wrap trick. I've done it before but haven't had any luck with it. Hardest part I find is trying to bed the trap solid in the frozen or soon to be frozen ground. Also, to cover your trap with snow, throw it up in the air and let it drift down over your trap. By letting it fall from a distance it won't harden up or crust over. Let us know how you do. I drew a bobcat tag this year too and can't start until the end of December. I plan on trying to call it in but might throw out a few traps and cable restraints if I stay up North though.

Rob

"In accordance with State law:

Persons born after December 31, 1989 who have not been issued a trapping license in a previous license year may not obtain a trapping license without a trapper education certificate. The Minnesota Trappers Association will conduct trapper education courses statewide, free of charge to the participants and issue certificates that satisfy this new trapping license requirement."

That's the law. I wonder if the date will change every year? Next year will be December 31, 1990, and the year after would be December 31, 1991?

[Random guy]

Up here in Northern MN the Bobcats cannot stay off of ditch ice or dried ditch/creek bottoms. Not sure why they like the bottoms but they are always tracked up. I have had good luck placing cable restraints under overhanging logs and brush clumps or where the ditch/creek narrows down. I simply put grouse feathers on a string so they just tick the ground and a little Terminator scent for cats and enclose the area with restraints. They work the area and eventuality stick their head into the wrong spot. Nice thing about this set is coyote and fox also fall for it big time.

As for the saran wrap trick I do that but use Baggies instead. They are the perfect size for a #2. Trick is to get the baggie tight over the jaws so it will support a small amount of dirt or snow out of a sifter shaker. It's a pain in the butt but it does work. You have to bed the trap so that is perfect then lift the trap and tuck the baggie under as you re-bed it. It’s tricky learning to do it without setting off the trap and getting a face full of dirt when the jaws go or snapping your fingers trying to tuck saran wrap. I good twig to poke baggie under the jaws goes a long ways. I am going to try the bedding tools or the foam pads for under the pans next year.

[JBar]

This time of year its harder to make but try waxed dirt works well the past couple of day's even with the freezing rain the traps were not frozen in. I also think that a good bedding tool would be usefull I have a home made one out of a tuna can and a wooden dowel not pretty but gets the job done I guess.

[Grayfox]

Thanks Jack,

I thought there was something similiar to Wisconsin. Ours is worded that all first time trappers must complete the course except people who've bought a license before 5-12-1992

or are actively engaged in farming in Wisconsin? Not quite sure how they came up with that one. Maybe a farmer was on the committee when that one came up for the vote.

JonnyP,

Thanks for the tip. I'll start looking for tracks on those ditches, if we ever get some snow and hopefully get a few spots picked out before my season starts. I don't think I have any bait or lure for bobcats laying around. Most of my stuff is for fox and coyote.

Thanks for the tips. I'd like to fill my one tag that's taken me 7 years to draw.

Rob

[Random guy]

If you have any Gusto, Terminator or grouse scent for dog training the cats come into it. I know the old timers always saved there rabbit guts for cat trapping. Trouble is you have to eat the rabbit meat to get the guts.

[harvey lee]

Nothing wrong with eating the bunny Jonny.