Posted: 12/18/2024 12:23:18 PM EDT
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Our turkey population has gone to nearly nothing over the last few years, and I caught coyotes killing deer in my pasture behind the house twice this year. So I decided to try and help them out some and put a few traps out about a week ago. Attached File Attached File Attached File So far I've caught three bobcats, six coons, six possums, and a skunk. I had lots of bobcat pictures on my game cams, but didn't expect to catch three in just a few days time. One cat will be going to the taxidermist since I've been wanting to get one mounted for years, to go on the fireplace mantle with my gray fox. Hopefully I can help out the game animals by thinning the predators out some. Anyone else doing any trapping or predator hunting this winter? The live trap was actually set for coons, but rats kept stealing the bait and I had not rebaited it the day before. I guess he smelled where the rats had been and was checking it out. |
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Originally Posted By John-in-austin: I generally don't use live traps like yours, they tend to catch skunks.  Conibear 220's work well for coyotes and foxes, we don't really have a bobcat population to worry about. Bait it with rabbit urine and coyote scent. Conibear's are not legal here unless completely submerged in water. I use dog proofs, foothold and live traps. I've caught lots of coons in live traps, even had a sow and two youngsters at once last year. The skunks need thinned out too. Attached File |
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Originally Posted By manowar669: Never would have thought a bobcat would go into one of those live catch traps. Foxes here won't. I have them on my camera circling them, but that's it. A buddy of mine used to catch all his bobcats in live traps baited with live batam roosters in a small cage attached to the back of the trap. I wasn't expecting a cat in that one, and it was really to small. He barely fit. |
"SIG 226 - the choice of Seal Team 6
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Originally Posted By Johnny_Utah_88: too bad you didn't get more feral cats There's still a chance. There is a white cat that I see now and then. I think the one neighbor I had was feeding it, but he got sick and had to move rather suddenly. I'm not targeting it, but if it gets caught then it gets caught. |
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Nice kitties! I hope you got the pelts to someone that will prepare them? Hate to see them go to waste. Slightly off topic, but it’s slow here, so do ya’ll have any idea what nocturnal critter would want to eat softball size jack-fruit/osage-orange in the wood shed? I’m thinking coon or possum, maybe skunk? Always over-night. The squirrels are tiny, scarce, and of course work day shift. Pretty sure most squirrels don’t even eat jack fruit anyway? Could see it being a groundhog, we do have those, but again, nocturnal negates that critter. Finally setup a trail camera two days ago, but of course only picking up the dogs’ butts and the tiny squirrel (sans jack fruit) so far. Little bastard is making quite a mess when he stops by, don’t need that junk on my firewood. Put up some more firewood the day before, leaving a good backstop and a nice shelf to hopefully get it to sit on. Might be another day before it’s comfortable again. May have got eaten by coyotes already. |
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Originally Posted By EBR-Okie: Our turkey population has gone to nearly nothing over the last few years, and I caught coyotes killing deer in my pasture behind the house twice this year. So I decided to try and help them out some and put a few traps out about a week ago. https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/350389/1000003131_jpg-3410014.JPG https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/350389/1000003147_jpg-3410015.JPG https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/350389/1000003152_jpg-3410017.JPG So far I've caught three bobcats, six coons, six possums, and a skunk. I had lots of bobcat pictures on my game cams, but didn't expect to catch three in just a few days time. One cat will be going to the taxidermist since I've been wanting to get one mounted for years, to go on the fireplace mantle with my gray fox. Hopefully I can help out the game animals by thinning the predators out some. Anyone else doing any trapping or predator hunting this winter? The live trap was actually set for coons, but rats kept stealing the bait and I had not rebaited it the day before. I guess he smelled where the rats had been and was checking it out. Catching a bobcat in a live trap is impressive. |
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Bobcat number four this morning. Attached File Third cat in this set in two weeks. Had this one by the hind foot, which is kinda strange. |
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Number five this morning. Attached File Also have caught several more coons and possums. I set off all my traps over the last couple of days so I can take a break from it during this really cold weather coming in. As I've gotten older, I don't enjoy being out in single digit wind chill anymore. I might reset some after the weather gets back to more normal temps. I would think that what I have caught so far should help, plus I've been chasing pigs all week and killed two of them so far. |
"SIG 226 - the choice of Seal Team 6
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| I almost feel kinda bad, just because they are such beautiful animals. But, they have need to be controlled like everything else to keep things in balance. I'm really looking forward to getting the one back from the taxidermist so it can take its place on the mantle. |
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Originally Posted By manowar669: Never would have thought a bobcat would go into one of those live catch traps. Foxes here won't. I have them on my camera circling them, but that's it. This. A cubby set yes but a box cage, lol not in my expectations. Anyway, well done OP and keep up the good work. Hopefully you’re doing something with the furs. |
The only hyphenated names I like are cartridge names......30-06, 30-40, 38-55 etc.
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Originally Posted By Johnny_Utah_88: that really amazes me that there's that many bobcats on your property  This too. I only recently started seeing them during the deer season running my stone walls. I had them this year on game cameras but I had been hearing them on and off again during the breeding season. That will wake you up Lol. Coolest track I saw this deer season was a small bear track. It should have been denned up but there it was on the deer trail after Christmas. It probably chose a bad den site being a young bear. We had a lot of rain which melted our snow before it snowed again the night before I saw the track. If they find their den site is flooding then they have no choice but to move. |
The only hyphenated names I like are cartridge names......30-06, 30-40, 38-55 etc.
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Originally Posted By EBR-Okie: I almost feel kinda bad, just because they are such beautiful animals. But, they have need to be controlled like everything else to keep things in balance. I'm really looking forward to getting the one back from the taxidermist so it can take its place on the mantle. Heck you’re getting enough of them maybe you can trade the extra for the work on yours and be cash free on the mount. |
The only hyphenated names I like are cartridge names......30-06, 30-40, 38-55 etc.