Special Techniques for Bobcat???

[atomicjoe23]

Any special techniques for bobcat that I should know of?

I think I may have found a spot that has one. . .I'm gonna go back later this week and give it a try. . .

. . .found some fresh (from today) scat when I was out looking for coyotes this morning and I don't think it was coyote scat. . .was a little smaller than what I'm used to seeing and there were no tracks nearby, I usually see coyote tracks when I see scat, but I didn't see any this time.

The are was pretty brushy and all I had was the .22-250 today so I didn't set up to call; I wanted to wait till I had the 870 so I could actually see and hit what came in and I didn't want to ruin my chances by calling when I wasn't ready. . .looked like an area a bobcat would like to me (what do I know though. . .). Like I said, pretty brushy, lots of trees, some water pretty nearby. . .just looked appealing to me for some reason. . .I didn't spend too long in the area, but I scouted at two places that I could set-up from. . .one is in really tight quarters and I thought I might try some rodent squeaks in there and the other gives me a little more room and I thought maybe some bird distress calls since there are so many birds in the area (I did find a big poof of feathers earlier on the trail in, but I can't say that was from whatever is in there and not from someone getting a grouse though. . .)

. . .anyway I appreciate any advice.

[Jburke]

Well, take this information for what it's worth.  I have never called in a bobcat, all of the time's I've seen them it has been by luck.  I know people who have and have talked to people that do it however. 
Now from what I have been told, a bobcat will generally require you to stay on stand longer than a coyote as they typically don't come charging in to your calls.  Also, tie a feather or something to a tree branch so that it will move in the wind and take the attention away from you or your caller.  And in regards to the area you are planning on hunting, I believe that cats generally try to bury their scat and dogs do not.  If it looks like there was an attempt to bury it, it was probably a cat, otherwise I would guess yote.  Not always necessarily true I guess, but I think that's typical.  But in all honesty, it sure can't hurt to try either way, just because you haven't seen sign of them, doesn't mean they aren't there.   
And on a side note, would a .22 be enough at close range for bobcat?  I have my AR set up for predator hunting so I was just curious if that would be a better close range option?

[rasbo]

22 will work well at close range..I head shoot them.I use a 22 mag.And a .243 depends on the areas Im hunting.creeks brush and reprod edges,put all those together, and dont plan on seeing one all the time.In fact they will spot you and leave without you knowing it.They will sit and search for you,leaving good shots if you spot them first

[FALFire]

May have been from Fox also, as jburke stated, "cats will bury their scat" unless the ground is frozen then they would try to cover it with whatever ground cover is available, it's just there nature.

[MADMAX]

AtomicJoe
I have called in 3 bobs and 1 cougar across Hood canal bridge, PM me for some tips or if you'd like to chat.

[rasbo]

If you find an area like this,very good...Potty dump.I don't find poop buried usually will have some scratching but no attempt to bury.these are their boundary markers

[atomicjoe23]

Hey thanks for the tips guys. . .greatly appreciated.

I knew about the wait longer and I should be used to not seeing anything by now (a little frustrating to say the least), but I hadn't thought about the feather idea. . .it's so simple and gives a little action. I should try that more often!

Thanks!

MadMax. . .PM sent.

[Machias]

If you have the gear to hunt at night your chances on bobcats goes up considerably.

[atomicjoe23]

I have a rechargeable spotlight that puts out a TON of light. . .and is actually a really good spotlight. . .the battery power will last for 6 hrs. before it starts to fade and that's in the cold snowy night air. . .I have a red lens cover for it also.

What else would I need. . .I think it would be nice to have one of the scope mounted Primos night spots so I  could have the spotlight on the gun and keep my hands free for the e-caller and the gun, but I don't have one. . .yet.

[Machias]

Your set, you just need to practice holding the light on their eyes and shooting.  Shotguns work great at night, 00 buck = very little pelt damage and you don't have to worry quite as much about what is downrange in the dark.  Keep the main beam above thier eyes, keep them in the halo part of the light.  Alot of guys mount their spotlights to a camera tripod to keep their hands free while they shoot.

[DOUBLELUNG]

A white wing (last two bones) from a domestic chicken or duck works great if there is no snow, use a dark wing if hunting over snow.  Strips of tanned rabbit hide are good too, you want it to catch the slightest breeze and move.  You can get tanned, bone-out whitetail deer tails from any fly tying shop, the colors are dandy.

Tie about 6' of fishing line to the lure, and tie a wire hook (baling wire, from a broken bungie, etc) to the other.  Put it in a gallon ziploc with some sagebrush twigs, fir twigs or whatever is aromatic brush in your area.  Wear rubber gloves, or use a stick to take it out and put it back in the bag so you don't scent it up.  Great movable setup that can be hung from any branch.  If you set up the hook like a slip bobber, or run the line under a tight rubber band around the shaft of the hook, you can instantly adjust length for optimum hanging, from just off the ground.  If you set it up close to the edge of the densest cover upwind, in range and within line of sight, your wait time can sometimes be less, and chances of spooking mr. kitty less, than if you set it up in the middle of the open.  Mr. kitty likes to stay close to cover.  

[atomicjoe23]

Excellent advice guys. . .I've got someone who raises chickens so I can get white and dark wings pretty much anytime! That tip sounds like dynamite and super low budget too!

I've got a stock pile of 00-buck from last winter when all I had was the 870 and I was doing some hunting in a firearms restricted area.

The area where I'm wanting to go try out is pretty dense, definitely not wide open. . .now I just need the rain to stop! and get a clear day/night. . .apparently the coyotes and bob's are pickier than I am about what type of weather they want to go cruisin' around in. . .funny I wouldn't have thought it mattered that much, but everyone says it's no good to try hunting in the rain. . .I would have thought that they needed to eat no matter what and a dinner bell nearby during the rain would be pretty tempting. . .like I said before though, what do I know.

[saylean]

If you find an area like this,very good...Potty dump.I don't find poop buried usually will have some scratching but no attempt to bury.these are their boundary markers

I found a spot like this up where I shot my deer this year...

[Kain]

I found a spot like that also.  I thought it was coyote.

[atomicjoe23]

I have yet to find a spot like that. . .

. . .heck this week was the first time I've heard any coyote vocalization while I've been out. . .and I KNOW there are coyotes out there. I see scat and tracks and people have told me they see them out there all the time. . .I just don't see them while I'm looking for them and ready to whack one!