Jasens first trapping season(name changed)

[Turner89]

  

[jasnt]

[jasnt]

Got a muskrat in my swim threw today and had another cougar about 20yards from my trap. On further inspection I found a cougar toilet near by

[UrbanTrapper]

Nice! Please post a picture of the cougar toilet and the surrounding area.  Were you able to guess why they might have chosen that location for their toilet?

[jasnt]

Nice! Please post a picture of the cougar toilet and the surrounding area.  Were you able to guess why they might have chosen that location for their toilet?

my guess is because it's a major intersection on the edge of a ledge that drops off.  A lot of trails intersect here and it has a great view of the valley and pond down below. With a thick nasty steep trail fallowing a creek down to the bottom.  It's like a major hub  and multiple natural boundaries in several directions.  I'll take some pics tomorrow to better explain

[billythekidrock]

If open, I would change gears and all my focus would be on that big kitty.

[jasnt]

If open, I would change gears and all my focus would be on that big kitty.

its 117. ;( closed.  I'm a die hard cat hunter but this year trapping has taken front seat.   
If you want to read about an exciting cougar hunt read this. It was my first cougar experience up close and personal so to speak
http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,136550.msg1820561.html#msg1820561

[Kit Carson]

Jasnt,
That's a hell of a Cat story!  good work!

[jasnt]

Jasnt,
That's a hell of a Cat story!  good work!

the adrenalin lasted days!  Thank you

[Eric M]

I love reading the updates! Hope you get a bobcat!

[jasnt]

I love reading the updates! Hope you get a bobcat!

thank you Eric

[jasnt]

Had my favorite trapping partner with me today

Beaver have been only working on the hut last few days




Here is one of the main intersections by the cat toilet


What you can't see in the pic with my daughter is the trails leading up and down the hill crossing just passed her.
Toilet is under this tree


Leaving the toilet


My set just below the toilet and beyond that a series of drop offs leading to the swamp




Forgot to get a pic of the cedar grove that fallows the creek down to the drainage

[Kit Carson]

Nice work finding a toilet. I've been searching for them. Any tips? And is it just lots of scat & piss?

[jasnt]

Nice work finding a toilet. I've been searching for them. Any tips? And is it just lots of scat & piss?

this area has 3 toilets that I've found in less than one square mile.  Yes a toilet is mostly scat either buried or not and often scrapes (scrape is literally just a lump of soil or debris scraped in a small pile. There will be no scat or urine under it. Simple scent mark with paw) some times a scrach (think scratching post)on the tree. I always find them at an intersection and often the inside edge of a intersection( like Y in the road or trail) always under a low hanging branches on a least semi flat ground. I notice they like cedar and white fir's.  Nothing beats boots on the ground.  If your looking for cougar your best bet is look for deer. Anywhere you find deer in high numbers you will find cats.  Check the edges of deer bedding areas and trails to and from beds to feed.  Especially in heavy cover. They like to approach from above so always climb that Hill and check those big trees on the edge of those intersections. Also remember once you find a toms core area it will almost always be a toms core even if you take a tom there every year a new one will take its place.

[jasnt]

Pretty uneventful day. Did get started on a floating muskrat colony trap. Just can't justify buying one just yet. 

The bobcat came back but still only peaking in my trap. Just won't go in the darn thing lol