I have look up some information on Bobcat Hunting and i couldn't find any reasonable info on it. Can you guys help me???? I haven't hunted much but i was seeing if i would get into hunting bobcat as well as other animals.
The only surefire way i know of is with dogs. I've never done it though...just been lucky enough to see one or two while hunting or driving down the hwy.
I've called in and taken 3 in the past with a Weems mouth blow predator call but have to admit a bow was not in the equation as I used a handgun.
For a bow and the movement required to pull off the shot, I would suggest a good electronic call with wireless remote in addition to a good long range mouth call... Set the electronic call down wind at a reasonable shooting distance with a piece of rabbit fur or something similar tied to a bush or tree and attach dacron momofilliment line going to your poistion.. Use the long range mouth call to get things started. When the action heats up, swith to the electronic call. Pull the string activiting some movement, with as little motion on your part as possible, and try keep his attention on the object and area the call is coming from..Don't over call as he comes in [ possibly switch to a "rodent call" if your electronic call has one programmed].
Besure you are in good camo and backed into or behind some cover. Give them plenty of time to respond as I found it takes aprox 30 min to finally bring them to call. You may easily bring in coyotes while waiting for a cat to respond..
Go give it a go and let us know how you do. :thumbsup:
Gene
Thank you much!!!
This should be a great start to get me on the right track.
Any more suggestions will be greatly appreciated.
you may want to make sure that eletronic calls are legel to use for Bobcats in your area before heading out.
L.E. is right on about the electronic call with remote,a whirling woodpecker decoy to go with it is also a good idea.Be very patient as most bobcats I have called in were slow coming to the call.
Thank you guys i will see if it is legal to use a electronic call in my area.
Is it true that bobcats use down wind to help them?
QuoteOriginally posted by HyruleSanders:
Thank you guys i will see if it is legal to use a electronic call in my area.
Is it true that bobcats use down wind to help them?
Yep.
What little I know about cats, I have learned from trappers, but there might be something to consider with hunting them.
When they travel they often use the same trail to the point of stepping in the same track.
They typically travel high ground with good visibility below them.
Here in Nebraska visual attractants are illegal over the sets, however at least one cat trapper I have visited with says his favorite attractant is a brightly covered bird on a stick like you get at the carnival.
Throw all of that in with a good blind, some calling and a lot of patience (They come in slower and quieter than coyotes) you have a starting place.
Where I live, Sierra foot hills, the bobcats like hilly, steep, rocky scrub oak thickets where there is s lot's of small rodents, rabbits and birds. Bobcats come in slow to the call unlike coyotes. Most I have called didn't show until 15-20 minutes into calling. If I don't see a coyote in five minutes, usually two minutes or less, he ain't coming. try baby jack rabbit calls, rabbit distress, woodpecker distress. Be patient and remember they are creeping in. Don't be surprised if you call bucks in the rut, hawks, owls, fox and bear if they are in your area. It's easier than you think.
Sounds like a few on here definitely know what there talking about.. Good stuff..
Around here it might be one of those much bigger cats with long tails that gets called in.
I hear what you are saying Scott.
http://theindependent.com/articles/2011/05/09/news/local/doc4dc7e9550c48e050660170.txt
40 miles west of me and the closest mountain is at least 6 hours
Calls are the only sure way to gettem close. I won't pull the trigger or drop the string on one just watchem don't know why. Had a female try and come in a bush blind once 'cause one of her kittens got behind me. She knew I was ther and was not happy. When I stood up and stompped she ran back and waited for her kitten to clear and then hurried her into the brush growling the whole time. Just one of the great memories in the field.
Thank you guys!
Please keep the info comeing.
Not to be a jerk, but why would you want to hunt bobcat? They are a pretty rare animal, at least in there parts. I don't know of an area overrun with them. Especially if you are a new hunter, why not try your hand at filling deer tags,rabbit and squirrels?
QuoteOriginally posted by paoloi:
Not to be a jerk, but why would you want to hunt bobcat? They are a pretty rare animal, at least in there parts. I don't know of an area overrun with them. Especially if you are a new hunter, why not try your hand at filling deer tags,rabbit and squirrels?
I suppose it depends on where a guy lives. They're thick here, but rarely seen b/c of their nocturnal ways. I'd definitely shoot one given the chance.
On the other hand, we don't have too many red fox in Texas. Plenty of greys, though. If I saw a grey, I'd shoot it. If I saw a red, I probably wouldn't. The only red I've ever seen was dead on the side of the road.
Every area has it's predators,here in alabama foxes are abundant both red and gray I've only seen a few bobcats,probabaly if I had the chance I'd just watch it and appreciate the opportunity.
We are Loaded up with them here if FLA...
Not sure of the regs in you area but hunting predetors at night is always fun...
We see them all the time when the water is high and it pushed them to the dry dikes. We can ride canals by the dikes via Airboat and spotlight them.... There has been nights were we have seen 20+
I would say get some information from your local DOW office....
I've called in a couple of cats too.
I called in both in areas that had a good cottontail population.
Used a rabbit squealer mouth call. Trad bows were not in the equation either.
Actually one of them got to live because I had my .243 looking for yotes and it's not a legal weapon in Ga to shoot a bobcat with.
I'd also try creek bottoms and drains. I see a lot of cats while deer hunting these areas too.
Both cats I've called in predator hunting were near thick clearcuts with water nearby.
paoloi - I can appreciate your question since my father is both eat up with trad hunting and trad archer and is a little reserved about harvesting one these wonderful creatures. He has hunted very hard and in many remote locations over the years, yet has seen only four.
KY's population is, however in ample numbers and are legal to trap. A wild kitty's fate would be a much greater preference to me to harvest with trad than to fall to a trap. I would be inclined to believe that yotes would be the most likely critter that would come in 1st to calling and I plan to take full advantage of this shot opportunity.
Bob cats, to me, are beautiful, exotic and elusive. I relish the opportunity to both hunt and harvest one. Even if I am fortunate to just see one, I will have been blessed with much success.
Please continue to provide me more bobcat hunting advice. I don't plan on tackling this endeavor alone since I am sharpening my BH's tp prod my father in motivating him to take me. I believe my success will be greatly enhanced if he sets his mind to it.
Much thanks!!!
QuoteOriginally posted by HyruleSanders:
paoloi - I can appreciate your question since my father is both eat up with trad hunting and trad archer and is a little reserved about harvesting one these wonderful creatures. He has hunted very hard and in many remote locations over the years, yet has seen only four.
KY's population is, however in ample numbers and are legal to trap. A wild kitty's fate would be a much greater preference to me to harvest with trad than to fall to a trap. I would be inclined to believe that yotes would be the most likely critter that would come in 1st to calling and I plan to take full advantage of this shot opportunity.
Bob cats, to me, are beautiful, exotic and elusive. I relish the opportunity to both hunt and harvest one. Even if I am fortunate to just see one, I will have been blessed with much success.
Please continue to provide me more bobcat hunting advice. I don't plan on tackling this endeavor alone since I am sharpening my BH's tp prod my father in motivating him to take me. I believe my success will be greatly enhanced if he sets his mind to it.
Much thanks!!!
Bobcats are beautiful animals. I'm very fortunate to hunt in areas with good populations of these felines.
I usually see anywhere from 2-4 a deer season.
Last year, I watched a momma bobcat bring a field rat to her half grown kitten in September while bowhunting. She dropped it down and the kitten came out of hiding in a dense blackberry thicket and played, played, played, with that field rat.
It was an awesome experience.
I've seen them run down rabbits while in the deer stand, walk by with birds, mice, and rabbits in their mouths, watched one cat try to put a stalk on a flock of turkeys, but he/she got busted, saw a mother bobcat trying to shake her pretty much grown kitten. She came under me looking at her back trail growling.. She left and 5 minutes later, I heard a cat meowing... Her young kitten came in meowing, frantically looking and sniffing the ground like a dog trying to find her. Most of the time I see them silently slipping along like ghost while scanning the woods for deer.
The two times I did call them up that I mentioned earlier, I was coyote hunting both times.
My buddy wanted one for the wall and he shot it with his 12ga with a 3.5" #2 load. The cat was 15ft from me belly crawling coming at me quick! It was an exciting hunt. He put her on the wall.
I've never shot a bobcat, but I will if I'm out predator hunting while the bobcat season is in.
Good Luck!
Patience is crucial when calling bobcats. They are often slow to respond and sneak in to survey the situation. I can't tell you how many times I've thought nothing responded only to see them bolt from a hiding place when I got up to leave the set. They do have weaknesses, they often won't circle to get your wind and if you use a visual lure, they get so focused on it you can get away with alot more than without it.
Thank you all. This information will help me so much when i go bobcat hunting when the season comes up.
Please keep the comments comeing.
HyruleSanders I live in Providence KY and i could give you some good tips and possibly a good place to hunt.i have killed 9 or 10 in the past.all with rifles and mouth calls.if you want to talk pm me.
FDR
PM sent
Heard two screaming and fighting in the dark real close on the way to my stand, was hair raising.
Only advice I have is that at dawn and dusk they seem to use the same paths to and from their hideaway.
Good luck.
After reaing most of the posts, I guess when hunting bocats, I'd call it the easy way!
(http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y91/Slivershooter/002-1.jpg)
cats are curious and us there eyes more then there nose. but that dosnt mean they dont use there nose. i would also say that hunting cats is a waiting game. they have nothing to do but eat sleep and breed so they take there sweet time when coming to a call. more times then not you will see them just setting looking your way just inside the tree line.
I would consider a trad bow bobcat a trophy animal that I would want a full-body mount of. I have been intrigued by them since I was a little boy. I have never seen one in the wild. The closest I ever saw was when a saw a lynx get hit by a car in Fairbanks, Alaska.