Bobcat hunting

[Greenside]

Here's some facts from the  IA Bobcat survey.

Habitat Use
Not surprisingly, the radio-tracking data show that bobcats used forested habitat most often, although their home ranges encompassed all the other habitats in southern Iowa, including pastures and CRP grasslands. Radioed bobcats were rarely located in row crop fields although they must have crossed them frequently. A typical home range consisted of multiple patches of forest where the largest forest patch comprised about 8% of the home range. Forest patches were surrounded by grasslands and the largest row crop patch comprised less than 3% of the home range. Although home ranges were not necessarily shaped by stream corridors, the areas used contained significant amounts of streams. In the core area where the bobcats were located about 50% of time forest comprised about 20% and grasslands, including CRP comprised an additional 40%. The area of the home ranges that we estimated are slightly larger than previously reported in the adjacent states of Kansas, Illinois, and Wisconsin. The study supports the idea that larger home ranges are related to habitat fragmentation because suitable habitat areas on the landscape are more widely distributed. It also appears that home ranges are not packed as densely as they could be, resulting in a low population density at present where males and females have to travel farther to find mates.

Randy's  suggestions on habitat are probably spot on for most of the Midwest and I'm sure there is some  similarities in the East.  Brush piles in my area are a major draw and  in you find some that have some attachment to timber and brush, I'd be sure to call to them

Diet

We examined the stomach contents of 100 bobcat carcasses that were collected primarily during the fall and winter. We found remains of cottontail rabbits in 60% of the stomachs, mice and voles in about 20%, and fox squirrels in about 15% of stomachs. Juvenile bobcats ate proportionally more mice and voles than adults. Male and female bobcats generally ate the same prey. We found remains of deer in 12 stomachs of bobcats, primarily adult male bobcats, although the small volume of deer remains suggests that much of it was consumed as carrion. About 2% of the stomachs contained birds (one stomach with turkey, one with pheasant, and one with hawk feathers). We also found a few stomachs with remains of muskrat, beaver, and shrew.

The above was the determining factor on what sounds  I  used to call  in and get my bobcat  in Iowa's first bobcat season. IT might be different in the east.

[HaMeR]

I'm officially on information overload here guys!!

Thanks a bunch for all the info. I do appreciate the help & look forward to my chance at calling a cat to the gun.

Greenside-- Thanks for that report!! 

[HaMeR]

So here's where I'm at right now.

Rabbit distress on medium volume played intermittenly for 1 hour.

Set up on a brushy creek where there is sign & watch 270 degrees & listen to the other 90 degrees.

2nd choice would be to set up in thick stuff.

Make a move of approximately 400yds & start over.

I will carry my 204R with 40 gr Bergers & the 357Marlin with the 180gr HP's as a backup.

Mix some bird distress in now & again.

Be flexible on this hunt. I only have a couple days & want to increase my odds as much as possible. The WMA I'm going to is 10,000 acres so I have plenty of land. 

Sound good to everyone??

A nice Lieutenant from W V LE told me today I can use CF rifle & that Bobcat HUNTING season ends 1-31. Their TRAPPING  season ends on 2-29. Thats gonna hurt me!! :shck:

[Carolina Coyote]

The 357 with 180 grain hp will do a lot of damage to the hide, I think I would use the 204 primarily and the 357 as backup if you plan to have one mounted? cc

[HaMeR]

Thanks CC!! I was gonna get the hide tanned is all. Probably put it on a board & hang it on the wall. That should keep the Wife's cats off of it.

I guess I need to know how to care for a carcass in case I get lucky.

Do I just slit it up the belly ,, stopping at the sternum,, & empty it out like a deer then put it in a couple garbage bags with ice til I get it home?? Or should I just open the belly enough to clean it out & not cut that far up??   

It will be a 3hr drive home to where I can clean the burrs & stuff off & get it in the freezer til I find a taxidermist to take it to.

I really hate to sound this dumb but it's a trophy hunt for me. I hope all goes well but I don't think it will take much to ruin a hide.

[studabaka]

Cats seem to like decoys.....

[HaMeR]

Hi Stu!! Thanks for the tip. I'm  including that in my bag of tricks as well!!

[Smith]

Makes me want to go cat hunting now.


Great info .



Lucas

[wv_yoter]

A nice Lieutenant from W V LE told me today I can use CF rifle & that Bobcat HUNTING season ends 1-31. Their TRAPPING  season ends on 2-29. Thats gonna hurt me!! :shck:

That's right Glen I was thinking the end of Feb. but that's for trapping. If it hasn't changed the state record was taken here, I think it was forty seven pounds.

[HaMeR]

THATS a lotta cat right there!! :shck:   The 48lb'er better not show it's face while I'm there!!

I just lost 29 days so now I'm really hoping I can get to do this.

[Carolina Coyote]

Thanks CC!! I was gonna get the hide tanned is all. Probably put it on a board & hang it on the wall. That should keep the Wife's cats off of it.

I guess I need to know how to care for a carcass in case I get lucky.

Do I just slit it up the belly ,, stopping at the sternum,, & empty it out like a deer then put it in a couple garbage bags with ice til I get it home?? Or should I just open the belly enough to clean it out & not cut that far up??   

It will be a 3hr drive home to where I can clean the burrs & stuff off & get it in the freezer til I find a taxidermist to take it to.

I really hate to sound this dumb but it's a trophy hunt for me. I hope all goes well but I don't think it will take much to ruin a hide.

HaMeR,The Taxidermist that I use wants to do all the gutting and skinning, if you have a place to freeze the whole thing as soon as possible after killing and keep frozen until you take to Taxidermist. Avoid shooting in the head or neck . If you don't have a place to freeze right after shooting , I would just put in cooler and pack full of ice until I got home.cc

[Frogman]

HaMer,
      If you are planning on hunting the Hughes River WMA area that is right near w_v yoter and I.  I have hunted that area some.  I am by no means an expert on it as I have other places to hunt that I like better.  I  have a 1500 acre lease that had a lot of timbering done on it a few years ago.  There are lots of large wood piles and thickets left as a result of the timbering activity.  It is excellent bobcat and coyote habitat.   Some of these areas are quite remote.  If I can be of any assistance please let me know.

Jim  

[HaMeR]

Hi Jim-- Thats the one.    I figure from looking at the map I can find it easily enough without getting lost!! And it's right off I77 so I chose that one. Plus a fella on another Forum mentioned the Counties he Cats hunts in & the HR WMA is in two of them.  Guess it will be a good place to start!!

I told Jason he is Welcome to hunt with me if he likes. It would be cool to have a partner to hunt with down there. You are Welcome to hunt with me too. I'm not going to ask to hunt anybodies private land tho. You work too hard to get good private ground & I wouldn't want to ruin it for anybody. We can hunt WMA land & I'll be OK with that. This would be your decisions on your own. That 1500 acres of timbered land does sound like a good place to find em!!  Thanks!!

Thanks CC!! I'll remember that!! I sure don't want to ruin something nice like a Cat if I get lucky!! That was my biggest concern AFTER I made sure I had what I would need. An out of state hunting trip sure makes for a long list!! I hope I have everything I need!!  Thanks!!

[wv_yoter]

A nice Lieutenant from W V LE told me today I can use CF rifle & that Bobcat HUNTING season ends 1-31. Their TRAPPING  season ends on 2-29. Thats gonna hurt me!! :shck:

That's right Glen I was thinking the end of Feb. but that's for trapping.

I got my license today Glen and the regulations say that bobcat trapping and hunting both end February 29th. I thought it ended when the Lieutenant said, but they must have changed it. This should change this  :shck: to this

[HaMeR]

    I got a reply from them today as well!!

Dear Mr. Shaffer,

    The class H and class CS/LE licenses are all you need to hunt bobcats for 6 days in WV as a nonresident.  Any bobcats you harvest must be checked at an official game check station.  No other checking is necessary as long as you are not planning on selling the pelt.
    The season is open statewide until the end of February.  This includes public land.

Richard E. Rogers
Furbearer Program Coordinator
West Virginia Division of Natural Resources
1 Depot St.
Romney, WV  26757
(304)822-3551
richrogers@wvdnr.gov

That should make it easier for me as well!! I'm back to diggin it gain!!

Thanks for the heads up Jason!!

[Frogman]

HaMer,
     I just stopped in the Region 6 WVDNR office today.  They gave me some nice maps of the WMAs.  I got an extra one for the Hughes River WMA.  If you would like me to snail mail it to you PM me with your address.  wv_yoter and I actually went out there today (Thursday Jan. 10, 08) and scouted around some and did one stand calling for coyotes.  We saw a really big coyote track and some scat.  We also found some scat that appeared to be bobcat.   We got rained out about 4:00 PM and had to give it up.  This WMA is really broken up a lot with lots of private land interspersed with the public hunting land.  There are lots of recently cut areas and lots of slab piles.  Also some woods and thickets.  Some areas have pines 10 or 12 feet high so thick it would be impossible to hunt.  I would have no problem taking you to some private land I have access to.  I am fortunate to have lots of areas to hunt.  wv_yoter and I would probably bug you for some tips on helping us to be more successful with the coyotes!  We would not want to interfere with your hunt.  The WMA is so large that wv-yoter and I could coyote hunt one area while you get after the bobcats in another.  What ever works for you.  I cannot however guarentee a bobcat!  Or even a coyote. 

Jim

[HaMeR]

Thanks Jim!! I got a wee little map of Hughes today from the WV DNR. Just a regular size piece of paper is all it was. I wouldn't mind having a larger one to look at & I certainly do appreciate you offering it to me. I'll send a PM your way for it.

As far as interfering with my hunt goes I see it this way. If you fellas are gonna be nice enough to take me to your private land & already have an idea of where the Cats are/were/might be,, eliminating the need for a day of scouting,, it wouldn't be right of me to not do some coyote hunting with you guys while I'm there. As long as I get a couple days on the cats I'll be happy. I really want a cat but I'll take coyotes & comraderie as well. As fas as guarantees go,,, just guarantee me I'll enjoy the hunting experience in West Virginia so that I'll come back next year!! That's all I ask.

Well that & an Orange soda once in a while!!

BTW-- The Wonderful woman I call my Wife has said it's OK if I do this. 

[HaMeR]

I was thinking about 60 minute stands. Now I'm wondering if 30 minutes would be better. I can make more stands in a day but I'm not sure that's gonna help especially if I've found good sign in an area. I guess the terrain & overalll "general look" of the setup will dictate that huh??

[HaMeR]

Got the map & the Regs today Jim!!  Thanks a bunch & I will keep you fellas posted!!

[Frogman]

Great.  I hope that map was better than the other one you had.  I'm surprised DNR did not send that one to you in the first place.  wv_yoter and I are looking forward to your visit. 

Jim