Bobcat cage size; discussion.

[jackmaster]

that is awesome, that was animal i loved to trap back in the day was bobcats, i surly miss the sound of sneaking up on a set and hearing the chain rattling and seeing a cat in there.....so humptulips when you suggested that they reclassify cougars did you get flamed for it or did the wdfw just think you were insane

Pretty much thought I was insane. Thing is it makes sence to me. They are not reacing their quotas on cougar. The deer and elk are taking a beating and they say their hands are tied by the law against hound hunting and they can't get a repeal passed. They could reclassify cougars without going to the Legislature.  Probably would bring in some money too as their would be non-trappers interested just to take a cougar. Couldn't claim inhumane. It would have  to be in box traps and you could turn one loose if the department wanted to limit the take of say females.
Texas is the only state that allows trapping of cougar so maybe they would even sell some out of state licenses.
Pretty clear they thought it was all crazy talk.

i take it you told them that and they still thought you were nuts.....? typical wdfw b.s i think it is a great idea, they havent came up with a way to keep the cat numbers down and the deer especially are getting hammered especially in the mashel unit, i know live trappn big cats wouldnt put a big hurtn on them, hell still probably wouldnt be able to reach the qoutas but it sure would help and definatly would put more coin in their pockets......so here is an idea, whats to stop a big ole cougar from going in your real big bobcat trap?

[SunnySlopes]

MtnMuley, My experience has been that a cat doesn't bump anything he doesn't want to bump. I still shake my head when I recall the times on fresh snow seeing how a tom oozed completly through a 8" snare loop back when.
If I had a josled trap and cat hair I would consider that cat was in the trap and perhaps the door lock failed.
I use many different cat traps. My favorite door size on a cage would be 10'-12" x 18". My narrowist doors are 9". These traps see alot of use (even though they are my least favorite.) as their footprint is smaller and easier to bed stable in steep and/or rocky country.
My favorite size is the size that Fatslinger uses on beaver. But it goes out the least as it's usually difficult for me to find a big enough flat spot for it.
Have two different sizes of camtrip. Well made trap. Many movable parts that need to be protected and weatherproofed. Freeze/thaw is a big concern with these. Even though I wrap my cat cages in plastic. Mercers you can't wrap the lock lever or it will not lockup. Vasoline and protect from above.
At times have purposely taken cats in 10"x12"x32" cages. When I do this I set them up differently, which I will not go into here. But you can stuff a lot of cat in this cage.
So in summation Bruce, Id just layout your trap to use your sheet of plywood economically and don't look back.
 

[UrbanTrapper]

 Last week I trapped a 20 lb female in a simple Chinese 14" x 14" x 42" Humane Way that I got for $30.  I got my 30lb tom in a 15 x 22 x 42 Vanguard.  Beartrap usually traps about 30 cats a year in his 12 x 14 x 36 inch traps he makes himself.  So smaller traps definitely work.  I'd ask Beartrap if he thinks he catches a 'normal' amount of big toms in his traps or if he thinks he could get more big toms in a bigger trap. 

[MtnMuley]

MtnMuley, My experience has been that a cat doesn't bump anything he doesn't want to bump. I still shake my head when I recall the times on fresh snow seeing how a tom oozed completly through a 8" snare loop back when.
If I had a josled trap and cat hair I would consider that cat was in the trap and perhaps the door lock failed.
I use many different cat traps. My favorite door size on a cage would be 10'-12" x 18". My narrowist doors are 9". These traps see alot of use (even though they are my least favorite.) as their footprint is smaller and easier to bed stable in steep and/or rocky country.
My favorite size is the size that Fatslinger uses on beaver. But it goes out the least as it's usually difficult for me to find a big enough flat spot for it.
Have two different sizes of camtrip. Well made trap. Many movable parts that need to be protected and weatherproofed. Freeze/thaw is a big concern with these. Even though I wrap my cat cages in plastic. Mercers you can't wrap the lock lever or it will not lockup. Vasoline and protect from above.
At times have purposely taken cats in 10"x12"x32" cages. When I do this I set them up differently, which I will not go into here. But you can stuff a lot of cat in this cage.
So in summation Bruce, Id just layout your trap to use your sheet of plywood economically and don't look back.

10-12'x18" is the perfect size for me as well.  I strictly use swing doors only, and have several complaints with drop doors.  Most of mine have a dual locking system with washers and and a spring pin assembly down below.  I'm very sure the doors didn't malfunction.  Good, solid info you stated as well.  Very true.

[SunnySlopes]

I know the lock you mean. Yea it's positive. I don't like gillotine doors either.

[Humptulips]

that is awesome, that was animal i loved to trap back in the day was bobcats, i surly miss the sound of sneaking up on a set and hearing the chain rattling and seeing a cat in there.....so humptulips when you suggested that they reclassify cougars did you get flamed for it or did the wdfw just think you were insane

Pretty much thought I was insane. Thing is it makes sence to me. They are not reacing their quotas on cougar. The deer and elk are taking a beating and they say their hands are tied by the law against hound hunting and they can't get a repeal passed. They could reclassify cougars without going to the Legislature.  Probably would bring in some money too as their would be non-trappers interested just to take a cougar. Couldn't claim inhumane. It would have  to be in box traps and you could turn one loose if the department wanted to limit the take of say females.
Texas is the only state that allows trapping of cougar so maybe they would even sell some out of state licenses.
Pretty clear they thought it was all crazy talk.

i take it you told them that and they still thought you were nuts.....? typical wdfw b.s i think it is a great idea, they havent came up with a way to keep the cat numbers down and the deer especially are getting hammered especially in the mashel unit, i know live trappn big cats wouldnt put a big hurtn on them, hell still probably wouldnt be able to reach the qoutas but it sure would help and definatly would put more coin in their pockets......so here is an idea, whats to stop a big ole cougar from going in your real big bobcat trap?

Nothing illegal about catching a cougar in a legally set trap. You only break the law when you don't release it. Not much point in catching one if you can't keep it.

[onetrapper]

More than once I have had my drop down door..the type with rings that drop to lock the door.... set off with nothing inside.  Mine are 36" by 18" high by 18" wide.   One was set off today after a windy night.  Off course it could be birds. I bought some Mercers but havn't used them yet. Perhaps civits can fit through the door bars.

[pnwmtnmn]

Here's my thoughts on a "natural" wood box trap. Why not use local timber, build it like a small log cabin to appropriate size. Build it solid using spike or deck screws. Build it in place at a toilet or some similar place where cats are drawn to. leave it there yearly make the door frame removeable 6 or 8 screws holding the frame to the body of the trap. The frame, door and pan goes in the back of your truck when you are down in that spot. All that is left in the woods is a box of small logs.

What I am talking about isn't a moveable trap per sae, it is more of a permanent wood cubby with removeable door and frame. use year after year. and if someone steals it or destroys it, it won't be a big monetary loss.

[TheNoob]

Just wondering how many cats will you find in an area?

[Chesapeake]

Back quite a few years I used to do something similar to what is being talked about. I would use a chainsaw and or shovel to dig and cut cubbies into logs, stumps, dirt banks, ect..... Mine were for 120 conibears and maybe 330's, but the same principal.

I'm thinking a summer day or two with a chainsaw could yeild several nice cages ready for doors and pans to be quickly screwed on.

I drew up a modified sketch of what I used to do with logs for conibears. Real easy to do on site with a saw and a screw gun. Assume it could be adapted to a cage door and pan.

[onetrapper]

Seems like you could build a portion of it out of plywood with the door mechanism and attach it to a stump and cover....then leave it from yr to yr with out the door  the floor would be wire

[Beartrap]

My thoughts are to keep it simple. I have used 24x18x48 the cats do not like them very well. The 10x14x36 catch a few but the 12x14x36 works very well. I like to use an old stump for a back stop. Put a 14x48 1/2" plywood on top to keep snow out of cage, then I cover sides with boughs or brush or bark if  it's handy. I feel the dark hole is the attraction.

[Humptulips]

Just wondering how many cats will you find in an area?

That would depend on the habitat. One year in OR I caught 25 in a line about 20 miles long over a period of a little over two weeks. There was a lot of land that could not be accessed on either side of this road that was pretty good habitat for cats to filter in from. I thought that was about the thickest you could ever expect. I have to admit though I over trapped that line because next year there weren't many cats there.
On the low end I trapped another area in the snow in OR so tracks were visible. I caught one cat in a triangle about 10 miles on a side. That was the only track I saw.

[Humptulips]

My thoughts are to keep it simple. I have used 24x18x48 the cats do not like them very well. The 10x14x36 catch a few but the 12x14x36 works very well. I like to use an old stump for a back stop. Put a 14x48 1/2" plywood on top to keep snow out of cage, then I cover sides with boughs or brush or bark if  it's handy. I feel the dark hole is the attraction.

Now that fits in with my thinking.

[TeacherMan]

Crazy that the 18x24x48 don't work great? I always thought that would be a perfect size?