Cat bait-how ripe is too ripe?

[Bullytrout]

I have 4 areas set for cats now and some traps have been soaking for almost 3 weeks.  I have read here that people are moving locations every 10-14 days.  It seems reasonable that if you are moving traps you will also rebait.  I have decided to keep at it on these spots.  (I know there is or was cats on these locations due to pre-baiting and I don’t have time for daily checks anywhere else )

With the warm weather this year and how long my sets are sitting without catching I was wondering how ripe is too rank for bobcats.  How often do you change your bait with weather conditions like we have been having?  How do you decide it is time to freshen up your sets?

[JakeLand]

Some people like them ripe and I've caught some with " stinky " bait but with warm weather like this I change bait about every 5-6 days with fresh bait and every 3-4 with lure I prefer FRESH bait my
Jake

[Bullytrout]

Thanks for the input.  Last year i had cats work some pretty old bait but it was significantly cooler out than it is now and I would like to maximize the potential of the traps I am able to run.

This caging thing is interesting and frustrating at the same time. I trapped through the 90’s mostly with snares and body grippers.  Last year was my first year of trapping under our current regulations.  With just 4 swim through traps from ouch Foss and some colony traps I cleaned up!  This year I have almost 30 swim through traps and a handful of bobcat cages and I am not at the number of critters as I was last yea ( I still haven’t set all of my traps at the same time).

 Chalk it up to beginners luck!

[JakeLand]

Jesse makes good traps I've got a bunch from him ! It's been a different year for cats for sure and I'm getting a little anxious to put out some cat traps but I'm waiting for lots of snow first

[Bullytrout]

I am trapping super low elevation virtually in the suburbs, but there are plenty of  bobcat. I wish I could find the time to get to some elevation.  Jesse’s traps were good, and made a great template.  I upgraded the wire to 1x1 (which I think he has as well) on the 25 I made along with a few other minor modifications. 

From your comments am I to understand that you prefer lots of snow/cold for cats?  Do you think that those conditions make them hungry and easier to catch?

[JakeLand]

Yes snow !!! And colder temperatures
Cats will stay up in the deeper snow and it forces most of the coyotes down and out so I catch cats and my cages don't get messed up by yotes plus the bait doesn't rot

[Bullytrout]

My bait rots but the only thing that seems to mess  with my traps are grinners  I bet they don’t crawl around much in the snow.

[Humptulips]

It kind of depends on what kind of bait you are using. Something like muskrat I am not in love with after a couple weeks. A good beaver drumstick though even in pretty warm weather should be good for a month IMO. A large piece of meat like that will get to looking pretty bad but still be red inside and I have had cats hit very old baits. Not so much with small baits or cut up meat where it rots through and through.

We are just coming into cat catching time, breeding season starts soon. Best time of the year for cats IMO.

[Bullytrout]

Thank you both for your responses.  Do you think you can tell anything about the condition of your bait by the presence of possums in your sets?  Or will possums be attracted to bait no matter what the condition with it so warm out?

[Humptulips]

I think possums are going to get in your set no matter what if they are around.

[Bullytrout]

I figured as much.  At least I don’t have skunks in my neighborhood!

[AL WORRELLS KID]

Some people like them ripe and I've caught some with " stinky " bait but with warm weather like this I change bait about every 5-6 days with fresh bait and every 3-4 with lure I prefer FRESH bait my
Jake

Back in the 60's, Mike Thorniley with the Washington State Department Of Game came to one of our Washington State Trappers Rendezvous. His team was just finishing their study on Coyote Population Control and he agreed to share the results with the Trappers.
He said their bait of choice was Carp, buried in a 55 Gallon Drum the year before. The honor of scooping out the drum into jars was given to the lowest warden on the totem pole.....He said "boy did it stink, but it sure brought in the Coyotes".
The results of the study..... if you caught the majority of the Coyotes in one area, the remaining Coyotes would repopulate the area in no time just by having bigger litters. 
 Doug