Hunting Washington Forum

Other Activities => Trapping => Topic started by: TrapFarmer on June 28, 2013, 12:05:39 PM

Title: Bobcat sign
Post by: TrapFarmer on June 28, 2013, 12:05:39 PM: I am pretty new to the trapping game and would like to try trapping some bobcats. I live in Whatcom County and was wondering where to start looking for sign. I know they're around I just don't know where to look
Title: Re: Bobcat sign
Post by: Humptulips on June 28, 2013, 12:44:53 PM: Tough during the summer. You can look for toilet areas. I wish I had some pics but I don't. In my area it's usually a mossy open area under conifers. In the dry country it'll be just a lot of droppings in a small area. You can look for scratchings too.
OK, all those are going to be tough to find. Best way is to look for tracks when there is snow.
I mostly just set based on habitat and obvious travelways and rarely set on sign.
Title: Re: Bobcat sign
Post by: TrapFarmer on June 28, 2013, 02:54:04 PM: What kinda habitat should I be looking in? Right around here I have foothills and I also have river bottoms.
Title: Re: Bobcat sign
Post by: bowhunterwa87 on June 28, 2013, 03:07:14 PM: Just found some two days ago..was hiking near the Pacific creast trail and found fresh poo on a flat rock..examined it further and noticed there was more poo a lot older and hard and even more that was nearly gone from age..at further investigation I noticed a nearby tree about 3 feet away was scretched past the bark about groin height down. All was very fresh so I knew the cat often visited this site. Hope that helps
Title: Re: Bobcat sign
Post by: 3nails on June 28, 2013, 10:10:31 PM: How many and what type of traps do you have? I have trapped a few in your area.
Title: Re: Bobcat sign
Post by: Humptulips on June 28, 2013, 10:21:31 PM: Quote from: TrapFarmer on June 28, 2013, 02:54:04 PM
What kinda habitat should I be looking in? Right around here I have foothills and I also have river bottoms.

So what I look for is second growth from say 10 feet high to let's say 25 feet high. Variables to that depending on how thick it is. Think of it this way the bobcat are where small game is so you're looking for an area that has rabbit, mountain beaver, mice, voles and birds. To fresh of logging and it's not thick enough for good hunting for a cat, to old the small game drops off.
Now you have a place that meets the habitat criteria but where to set? Cats will walk roads but they prefer the less traveled roads so think about that old road going through that logging that is just about growed shut. Maybe still a good trail but not much vehicle traffic. Now you can start combining things. A crossroads, a road that goes out to a bench (cats like to walk along a rim to look down), maybe an intersection with a fire trail or a stream crossing. All these things give the cat some structure to follow so he's wandering hits the road or bench he will be apt to follow that structure.
So now you have habitat, structure for the cat to follow, maybe an intersection of multiple stuctures. The topper is if you have something there that a cat will remember and come back for. Things like a big brush pile (great place for rodents), a big stump or my favorite a colony of mountain beaver. Multiple reasons for a cat to show up.
So if you find all that stuff in a convergence that's great. Not going to find it all at one spot very often but those are things I look for.
Another place I like is that patch of second growth that is getting a little too growed up for small game but that old road let's in a little light creating a narrow strip of opener ground that is a draw for any small game left in the area. A cat comes through it is walking that road. It's the only place left that's good hunting.

One thing I would advise too is set a number of traps in a number of locations. Real easy to pick the wrong spot but the more traps you get out the better the odds are of connecting and once you find a good spot reset next year and eliminate the poor spots.
Title: Re: Bobcat sign
Post by: TrapFarmer on June 29, 2013, 07:41:44 AM: 3nails I am currently in the market for traps. Any suggestion? I have been looking into camtrip cages. I have also thought about making my own. I got the stuff to do it I just need some help with the mechanics
Title: Re: Bobcat sign
Post by: 3nails on June 29, 2013, 08:11:35 AM: I have a couple of those and like them. Bruce seems to really be nailing down the wetside cat trapping so listen carefully to what he has to say. I know I am!
Title: Re: Bobcat sign
Post by: Humptulips on June 29, 2013, 12:48:11 PM: If you can make it to our Rendezvous in Cashmere July 19,20,21 there will be a number of different style traps to look at plus some to buy. I'll be giving a talk on west side cat trapping Saturday morning.
Title: Re: Bobcat sign
Post by: TrapFarmer on June 29, 2013, 01:05:05 PM: O perfect. I was planning on making it there so I will definitely have to sit in on that.