Bobcat hunting

[HaMeR]

I've been looking around for Bobcat tips. My main concern is the wind. Do I need to play the wind with cats?? I'm thinking busy bird sounds & just let the e-caller run on 1/2 volume. Am I close on that one??

[ErictheRed]

I think the rabbit sounds work just as good.

[DirtyDog]

Be careful Glen......they are not legal in Ohio..............

[Carolina Coyote]

My experience on Bobcats in Georgia is more sucess when sitting in an elevated stand, the wind does not seem to be as big a factor as with calling Coyotes but I always Hunt with my back to the downwind side but also keeping an eye that way as I have friend that when leaving the stand he has spotted a Cat looking at him from the downwind side. Rabbit distress has worked well for us in Georgia. cc

[HaMeR]

Thanks for the help!! I'll be using the FP set out about 30yds. I need to be extra cautios about this as I'll be alone in very unfamiliar territory. No need to increase my chances of getting injured. I'll use rabbit sounds too then. 

Joe-- I'm trying to plan a 3 dayer in W Va next month.

[DirtyDog]

Well then........don't rule out using bird distress. I have a good freind that has taken lots of cats with bird distress.

[bigben]

hope you have better luck then I have had this season.  just got back from the north central part of the state and came up empty handed again.  hunted one spot that had cat tracks everwhere.  hunted three stands waiting for a hour each on each stand and nothing. 

[RShaw]

bigben...Here is my opinion of your trip.

Obviously you were hunting where there were cats because you saw lots of sign. I dont know the size of the area you hunted, but  3 stands is not nearly enough to cover an area unless it was about 80 acres. You need to go to the cats. I can spend an entire day hunting a section, if I am seeing sign. I will make over a dozen stands and zigzag my way through the whole thing.

Dont expect a cat to come bounding in from over a half mile away. Keep you stands about 450 yards apart and stay for 12 minutes . Then move. Make stands over the entire area with the idea that a cat is only going to respond from about 400 yards. The sounds you make are secondary. More important is the ability to recognize good cat country and then making several stands right there in his bedroom.

Randy

[bigben]

actually the pine stand we found sign in was not much more then 300 yds wide by 600 yds long. 

[bigben]

here is how we hunted it thre blue dots was setups.  went from the on on the top left to the top right then to the bottom one.  walked in on red line.  on the north side of the red line was mountian laurel and inside that triangle is pine trees.  visibility is no more then 25 yds.  on the east side to southern side is open hardwoods.  walked out on the white line back to the main road that is running the south western side of the pines.  I have called both power lines for coyotes and fox in the past.  did not think the big field would work good.  but it is about 600 yds to the big field located in the north eastern part of the pic.  any help would be appreciated.  I think we are going to be able to hit this area one more time this season.

[George Ackley]

Ben, I know we talk before about cats but i will be uo at my place witch is just min from trackers place and if you like i will be out the same time your up there so if you and your dad would like to get out at night with me i would be more then glad to take you out and concentrate on cats.. i don't have a tag but i would be more then happy to take you out were you can call or i will call what ever you like. i have many places we can call cat,, this area is my home bass to say

George

[HaMeR]

bigben-- Going in blind is gonna be the tough part. I figure one day to find some sign & then 2 days to try to make it all work. But I'll do my best to hunt hard & shoot straight!!   And take George up on his offer if you can!! Sounds like a good situation to be in.

Joe-- I was planning on using bird distress mostly but I will now mix it up some. I need to get a decoy too I think.

I'm not sure what to carry yet tho. It will be the 357 Marlin, 204Ruger, or maybe the 20ga with #4's & my turkey choke. I figured 1 hour stands will be long enough & I want to go when there is some snow on the ground. It should make spotting sign/cats easier & will help me keep track of where I'm at & to get back to the truck plus if I'm lucky a blood trail if something needs to be tracked.

I have maps coming from the WV DNR too. I checked on the liscense requirements today also.

If I'm missing anything just let me know. If it all works out this will be my 1st out of state hunting trip.  

Shots or not I'm just hoping to have a good time & get away from things here for a few days. Should be enjoyable!!

[RShaw]

While you are hunting, you need to think you are calling to a bedded cat.
In my area, here is what I look for.

patches of cedar. the thicker the better
dozer piles
brush piles
old houses with vines and brush around them
large areas of open timber are not good unless it has been logged and there are tree tops remaining on the ground
some crp. but it depends on the type of grasses
creek bottoms ...find the turkeys and you find the cats
and when hunting the creeks . If they are frozen with a little covering of snow or frost, you can make a stand right on the bank and call them to you on the ice.

Randy

[HaMeR]

Thanks a bunch Randy. This thread just keeps getting better!!

[wv_yoter]

HaMeR, the weather forecast shows some snow for Monday & Tuesday and if it does I will go check another area I have access too. This area has an old house and barn, a lot of thick brush and a creek.

[songdog]

            When hunting bobcats ive learned to turn the volume down and watch my downwind side. Their smell isnt as keen as a coyotes, but they can still smell you.. Keep it in the thicker terrain and turn the volume way down... The cats i hunt generally come in to volume i can hear, but barely hear if that makes sense. When i am hunting cats i can hear everything that goes on around me.. Make as many stealthy stands as you can if you know there are bobcats in the area.. Good luck, dave

[HaMeR]

That sounds like a winning combination to a new fella for sure Jason!! Thanks for helping me out. Like I said,, you ARE invited along wether it be on the WMA or your own land. 


Dave-- I hadn't thought about the volume a lot yet. Makes sense to me to keep it low especially when using bird distress. I think I know what you mean about the volume setting. If I can hear it plainly it's loud enough right??

I guess I should keep the e-caller within about 15yds of me then??

Cool bunch of info guys!! Keep it coming!!

[RShaw]

I almost always use an ecaller for cats and it is within 20 yards of my position. I want to see the speaker. I ususally go with medium volume for a few minutes and then silence. Then repeat again. This allows me to hear what is going on around me and also it allows a cat to get a line on the caller and start coming. By not having continuous sound, the cat may just walk right on in to your position while traveling the line to the caller. In other words, it does not allow the cat to immediately detect the source of the sound and sit down just out of your field of vision.

In my opinion, cats cant smell much better than I can.

Randy

[songdog]

                   I agree with Randy on the cats smelling sense... I dont think they can smell as good as i do.. As a matter of fact i have killed cats that are coming in with the wind..  From my experience they dont use the wind like a coyote does.. I think they will come in from any direction as long as they have cover. I think that is why the low volume works so well.. They have great high pitched hearing, and they get up on the call before they realize it.. I have turned around and seen them sitting there watching  where the sound is coming from..

[HaMeR]

Thanks guys!!

At this rate I'm gonna have to print this whole thread out & haul it with me!!   I was on the right track at least. But fine tuning what I thought will really help. Especially in unfamiliar territory.