Trapping Guide

[dan11011]

I have trapped for the past couple of winters and have had some success. I’ve caught some skunk and raccoon, but like most people on here, I want to trap the almighty bobcat.

I had a cage out with visual bait, scent bait, and food bait for about 35 days in total last year with no luck. I moved it around a couple times. I understand that I need to put my set where bobcats are and maybe I’m just not doing a good enough job of that. At this point, I’d pay a bobcat trapper to go out with them for the day and learn a few tricks and tips.

I feel like I’m doing almost everything right, but I’m obviously not. I trapped over near Newport, WA. Perhaps I need to set up West of Spokane in the sage brush?

Any help is appreciated!

[JakeLand]

Over there I’d be setting up on washes and a cage on top edge and at the bottom of cliffs , find cat tracks or crap and set on them

[Humptulips]

I'm not an eastside trapper but I know a few and my impression is you want to keep to the trees and rocks and stay out of the sage brush.
If I were in your shoes, when you have snow, I would spend some time looking around for tracks. That will teach you where the cats frequent, and you can set right on sign.

[OltHunter]

What kind of trap are you using?

Finding them is key. Finding tracks, especially in fresh snow will help. Hang a bunch of trail cams to try to get one on cam.

Maybe dedicate this season to getting them on trail cams.

Make sure the entire floor of the trap is covered with debris/dirt. I also spend the time to completely cover the top and make it look like a little fort to check out.

I've had success with some hung CD's near the trap, mink urine, and some commercial bobcat scents which seems heavily like skunk. Also baiting with legal meat is helpful too.

Having cell service and a wifi cam is a valuable tool if you don't have quick access to your trap line to check everyday. The regs state you must remove the animal within 24 hours. Doesn't say you have to actually check them in person every 24 hours. If you're worried about the cam failing, put it on field scan mode every 4 hours or something and if the cam doesn't check in, go out and check it yourself.

Their range in my experience is huge and not very patternable. I had one on camera that would come back every 3 weeks or so. Had my trap and meat in there the whole time for 3 weeks before it came back and investigated and got trapped.

Here's that bobcat and how my trap looked. It was on the edge of an agg field in the timber.

[lewy]

Hike your areas after a snow and you will learn more than anyone can tell you

[Not selected]

To kinda piggy back off the op, what would you successful trappers think an acceptable number of cats per trap for say a month be? One cat every two traps a month? One cat every 10 traps a month? Thanks

[Machias]

To kinda piggy back off the op, what would you successful trappers think an acceptable number of cats per trap for say a month be? One cat every two traps a month? One cat every 10 traps a month? Thanks

It's hard to make a blanket statement, all depends on the cat population and distribution for your area.  It can vary widely.

[dan11011]

Appreciate the insight all. Sorry I never replied. I made another set kind of near Cusick. Wasn’t able to locate tracks but set in what felt like a good areas. It’s been there just about a month. All that has come by is a couple snow shoe hairs. Feeling like it’s time to move the trap again.

I set up in some thick brush facing an old logging opening. Had solid lure, meat bait, urine etc. seems like there must just not be a cat in the area. Perhaps just pick up and set up mile or two away?

Kind of curious about heading down towards the snake river since I’ve heard there are lots of cats there. Sounds like a long drive though.

[JakeLand]

If I dont have physical evidence there’s a cat around I won’t waste my time , but on a side note in December before I start trapping I go and hang baits with cameras on them and everywhere a bait gets hit by a cat I’ll set a cage and/or I find tracks I’ll set a cage in January. If a cat doesn’t come by in 15 days I move on

[dan11011]

JakeLand this is great advice. I really appreciate it! Both the pre-season baiting and the 15 days and move. I guess I more often see cougar tracks than bobcat tracks and so I’ve just banked on “good habitat” but it clearly sounds like that’s not enough. I’ll do what you suggested! Thanks!

[3nails]

If I dont have physical evidence there’s a cat around I won’t waste my time , but on a side note in December before I start trapping I go and hang baits with cameras on them and everywhere a bait gets hit by a cat I’ll set a cage and/or I find tracks I’ll set a cage in January. If a cat doesn’t come by in 15 days I move on