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Post by shagnasty on Apr 24, 2007 11:03:57 GMT -6
i rarely catch a cat in a canine set. but i see enough tracks and scratch ups along roads, creeks, etc., to know there are a several around. i think only leaving fox traps a few days has a lot to do with the small number of cat incidentals.
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Post by mountainman on Apr 24, 2007 11:10:07 GMT -6
I agree, you would have caught em trappnman. Everything I have read about bobcat trapping in MN has told me its tough to find them there. I only made one yote set this last season to help a kid and his father. I looked at the location and told them a cat was a reasonable possibility. They got a female cat the second night in the #3 LS. Yotes rule the lower elevations and more open mountainsides here now. The mix changes more to cats as it gets higher up and into thick cover with sometimes numbers or 1 or more cats per square mile. One of the more recent cats that got in one of my mink sets was right behind the steakhouse and grocery store parking lot in town. Foxes are scattered or in pockets now where there were once almost unbelievably numerous before the 79 closure of the fox trapping season and disease quickly took them. I was told by an old trapper friend that he and a neighbor caught 70 foxes on one short ridge between their houses. If that Mexican study works out maybe we can get the cats unlisted from CITES. Its tough enough for the biologists to even get a count on otters in this mostly rough country.
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Post by robertw on Apr 25, 2007 7:33:36 GMT -6
Steve, Going to disagree with the others on this.
I'm not saying you have cats (because you may not) but, in our country you just aren't going to pick them up in coon sets unless you are using conibears or snares.
From the various pictures you have posted of your coyote catches and loocations...They all seem to be in the wide open away from ANY cover. It is possbile you are working right beside cats and do not now it.
It was a VERY rare thing for trappers in my area to catch bobcats until the season opened on them a couple of years ago. Then the trappers started targetting cat habitat and high creek bank trails and the bobcats were there in numbers.
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Post by rk660 on Apr 25, 2007 8:41:19 GMT -6
Steve, much of that river country around you looks like prime bobcat habitat. To the north or you you have a bobcat population in the northwoods. To the south of you, IA and MO both have bobcats in good numbers, even on the eastern borders. I would have to about guess you have al least a transeint population and more likely, scattered breeder population throughout the Miss drainage system. I dont see you have a overlee huge coyote population that would keep bobcats from establishing at least a small to moderate population.
First 2 cats I ever caught where in coon snares on river I had trapped for around 6 years prior. I though really something new, and figured I caught the first 2 in the county. I just blunderd into these on a high cliff river trail, which now days I'd never waste my time climbing for a couple coons, more ambistious/greedy for coons back then. In precededing years I come to find out some farmers had been seeing females with kittens like 4 years before I caught these 2, so I sure as heck never caught the first couple to show up by any means. Even with a moderate population they can go pretty much unseen-unnoticed, till like Robert says guys asctaully set for them. When population get high, is when bow hunters, turkey hunters, and callers start seeing them. You very well could have a small-moderate (in bobcat numbers) for quite a few years before anyone even notices.
Every time I trap cats, and after whatever number i caught, i always wonder how many I didnt catch.
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Post by trappnman on Apr 25, 2007 8:51:31 GMT -6
John Erb sees this country, and is baffled by why we don't have cats. But- I've never caught one, seen one (in over40 years) or know anyone that has seen, caught, shot one in this area since I've been herei n the early 80s.
I'll concede one probably passes through from time to time.
just about all of my dry land coon sets, are near bluffs and rocky country. I also snare several old quarries, which would seem to be perfect habitat, but have never seen tracks, scat or one hanging.
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Post by mountainman on Apr 25, 2007 11:18:26 GMT -6
In my area having water lines for coon and mink adds to my chances of catching cats with sets both on land and in water with some blind sets as well as various bait sets. The most notable of those two type sets being both crossing and parrallel log sets and floating rat on a rock bait sets. It isnt an everyday thing but it is fairly common to pick up some of the cats that are hunting along the brushy rivers and creeks. More are there than I accidentally catch because I mainly use blind sets for mink and purposefuly set to avoid larger land animals where necessary in this fairly heavily populated area with lots of free roaming pets and hunting dogs. Snares are only allowed for beaver here and 220s are used very cautiously where its legal to take coon. Incidental cats are just another good reason for me to have #1 1/2 or larger traps in or around the water.
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Post by FWS on Apr 25, 2007 15:23:00 GMT -6
You most likely did have cats in the past, but they were extirpated and you don't have a 'refugia' from which they can disperse and repopulate.
Be interesting to look at the land use changes over the past 150 years in your area to see the corridors that used to exist that no longer do.
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Post by coontrapperd on May 17, 2007 20:38:48 GMT -6
OK well guys i planning on trying to cat trap next year. I think I am going to have a hard time finding them though. The area that I will be trapping as very large. It's in central Nebraska so we don't be hills and we don't have and cliffs and stuff like that. The area I am trapping is though has certain areas with heavy pine trees (like 3 feet apart) and then if has wide open 1,000 yrd. clearings. This area also has an old stream that used to run along through here that has a sandy bottom (located just behind the thick pines). The small stream is only maybe 20-30 yards wide. In this area there are also tons of deer and turkeys. I know the two main areas that the turkeys tree at night. Should I look there? Trails are almost impossible until it snows because there are SOO many deer trails I don't know how to pick them apart. Also does someone have a picture of cat scat? Where should I begin to look for these cats? Sorry for all the questions but thank you in advance.-CoonD
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Post by GUTPYLZ on May 17, 2007 21:07:35 GMT -6
I would set all trails and and high banks. They are a lot like us when they hunt, they like high advantage points whether it is high or not. If, you have trail that are used to much you might want to consider a cubby set just to the side with an attractor that is legal in your state.
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Post by flatlander (Jeff Yancy) on May 17, 2007 21:14:41 GMT -6
I think I want to take lessons from Troy!
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Post by GUTPYLZ on May 17, 2007 21:45:26 GMT -6
You have to be female for the lessons that I give!
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Post by thunderbolt on May 17, 2007 22:26:01 GMT -6
Thats not what C.J. told me.
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Post by GUTPYLZ on May 17, 2007 22:34:34 GMT -6
Ya, he says you two are tight, real tight! lol
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Post by Furhvstr on May 18, 2007 12:40:33 GMT -6
With regard to cage trapping. I have always set right on the toilet, like within 20 feet when possible. Seems to work fine but I haven't trapped a whole lot. Any need to get a little further from the actual toilet? Yancy's - any opinion? You guys know a little about my neck of the woods.
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Post by hotandry on May 18, 2007 14:44:32 GMT -6
Some of these toilets are not worth a darn as locations. Until late Jan.
My experience anyway.
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Post by GUTPYLZ on May 18, 2007 14:50:41 GMT -6
I have to agree hotandry. I just missed them at that picture. I was only able to trap that area for a week and a half until lthe end of the season. Caught 3 Greys, but that was it.
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Post by Yancy on May 18, 2007 15:56:56 GMT -6
Mercer I have found that staying away from the toilet seems to help a lot, Especially if more than one cat is using it, I think they wanna get the job done and not be hemmed in, and may get caught in the act of not being able to see at all angles, Might not be a fact but it's my way of thinking. Get back to where he can see the Cage from the toilet if possible 20-50 at least, and where the approach can be seen from 2-3 angles. and I am a dang long ways from be a expert Cager. ;D Yancy
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Post by flatlander (Jeff Yancy) on May 18, 2007 16:10:37 GMT -6
HMMM! You guys are getting way to critical with location. I'd say with the right lure, anything is possible, but maybe thats just my tweaked mind!
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Post by sixbits on May 18, 2007 16:35:33 GMT -6
Flatlander ,please let us know what lure to use .Nothing in my little black box works to call the kittys to my cages.
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Post by sixbits on May 18, 2007 17:51:11 GMT -6
How much does it cost?
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