One of my goals this year to was try to get a shot at a bobcat.  I've only got one week left to try to get it done. I've called in four coyotes so far this year but got busted by them and haven't seen hide nor hair of a cat.  

I'm looking for any suggestions albeit calling tips, lures/bait, or other tactics.

Thanks,

Chris

Bob takes a little longer to come in and he will be sneakin when he does.Run wile-e off and wait for bob,Jesse.

Couldn't tell you, illegal to hunt here. Only seen two in my time.

No hands on experience only hear say from old trappers, but cats are very visual, and they say it doesn't take much..
Even a feather on a string blowing in the breeze can be an attractant.. Something in front of your set within shot distance might work to keep his attention.

QuoteBob takes a little longer to come in and he will be sneaking when he does

What he said. They are slow and deliberate once they get close to the origin of the sound. They come sneaking in hiding behind available cover. You really have to watch carefully for them.
And yes get something to keep the attention off you.

you might laugh; but take a frying pan and some chicken and a some vegetable oil. Let it fry while your occasionally calling. Works for cougars!

Stay at your call stand for a good hour. Call more often than you would for coyotes. Use the feather or chicken wing hanging and blowing in the breeze method. Cats can be tough to see, use your binos alot. Good luck to ya!

open up a can of sardines drain the oil around leave the can settin  make sure  just plain oil   hide good call and wait at least a hr and a half be a good idea put a feather or somthing else out for a attrractent    sardine smell like a hot female   brock

get a female cat in heat, put her in a cage, tie a string to her leg, pull it once in a while to make her yeowl...  

Hunt where they are. Creek bottoms, plenty of cottontails, quail etc, good cover. Concentrate on early mornings or late afternoon just before  sunset. Play the wind and be still. In Texas you will often times find them around feeders that are close to their preferred bedding sites. They seem to know that the feeder is a good source of food(birds, quail, rabbits etc.) Good luck and "Keep'um Sharp".

QuoteOriginally posted by Brian Krebs:
you might laugh; but take a frying pan and some chicken and a some vegetable oil. Let it fry while your occasionally calling. Works for cougars!

You're right, this made me laugh.    

Chris,

I'm sure one of the keys for you to have a successful hunt will be to stay out past noon on Sunday. If nothing else it will be a good time to fry some chicken, but we should probably drive separate because I don't want to be with you when you arrive home.   :eek:

call less, and with less volume after your initial series of calls or switch to a squeeker.

'Cats take longer to come in, and will just appear so make sure to limit your movement while calling.

A feather or flashy ribbon tied in a tree to distract their attention from you will help.

I have had good luck with a Primos squeaker. Called in 3 one year with it and ended up getting one. All of them came in between 10 and 12.

Will have to give the feather on a string a try this year.

Chris

the easiest squeeker is a old plastic dog toy that squeeks, cut out the squeeker, wash it...you can put it in your mouth and blow no movement. Plus they don't freeze up.

QuoteOriginally posted by Drew:
the easiest squeeker is a old plastic dog toy that squeeks, cut out the squeeker, wash it...you can put it in your mouth and blow no movement. Plus they don't freeze up.

Good idea.

Them cats are slow and careful, Shot one last week finally saw him after 45 min. of calling I just don,t have the patience to wait for bow range so he went down by the way of "ol hvy barrel" feather on a string will work good to distract. They are real hudinies, they are just there.

I often use a stuff Rabbit toy like you would buy for your kids from walmart.I put it where I would like the animal to stop and start calling. Cats are bad about getting about 50 yards out and then sitting down looking around for what they just heard. Last time out I had two owl's jump on my stuff rabbit it didn't taste good so they left.

Chris, the cats I've called in were near areas that had alot of thick brush, and now that I think about there was either a creek of river
nearby except on one of them.  Not disagreeing with them coming in slow, but all again except one came in really quick.   The one that came in slow and and not near water came in at ten yard increments and sit and look around til I would lip squeek then he'd move another ten yards.

Hang in there it takes time and the more you can get out the better the chance you have.

Kansas is about the best place that I have had with bobcats, but their non-res. furbearer license is a killer.  I've read somewhere that Kansas has the most cats per square mile.

Squeaked one in last Saturday. Very high strung male. Launched an arrow at 15 yards and he was 5 yards away by the time the arrow got to where he was standing!!

Have taken 4 so far, 25 yards and less. All were taken from a climber tree stand and up about 16 ft. or so. I hunt any fallen tree's that may be down. They love to check them out for rabbits. Also all were taken in the morning when they are returning to their den, never have gotten a shot off or have seen on in the afternoon.