Cage Trapping Bobcats tips

I also don't recall ever getting a game camera picture of a bobcat drinking at any of the water sources i have camera on. just about everything else.
 
When I am doing my ADC work in Apr-June, I spend alot of time around the water holes looking for coyote sign, I always see cat tracks at these, so I know they drink maybe not as often as a coyote which does alot, but enough that if I don't want to catch that cat I do not set there, as as most know they are a pain to release from a foot holds which we can use on our 30 day permits.

During bow season for elk I hunt the same places I trap
cats in during the winter, it never fails that I see numerous cat tracks at the water holes if not the cat!

So for my money I will keep working the water early, and move out as the snow comes, has worked for me.
 
would it be possible that the cats you're catching 25 miles from the water "you know about" could be getting it from somewhere that you don't? not trying to be argumentative, but they are mammals, right????
 
10-4 it is possible in some areas.

After 100 plus years of cattle ranching and hunting/trapping I would say that most permanent water holes are known and have been found. There exists many ephemeral water sources but those can be dry for many years during drought cycles. The cattlemen have developed the majority of the permanent waters out here and we all know where those are.

I have had this conversation with a few of the old timers from the NV association as well as a thread or two on sites. They pretty much feel the same way I do.

Don't get me wrong- I target areas/canyons,washes with permanent water holes but that is because of the life (feed) it sustains and the predators who frequent it for that reason not to get a drink.

Again- I have hard drives full of pictures from the bighorn sheep guys and consistantly there are very few pictures of bobcats (relative to the large numbers we catch)on the water in the summer and far less in the winter.

Realize there are no creeks, ponds, lakes stuff that most folks take for granted. Dirt tanks can be dry for several months to a few years.

ML
 
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you have really got me to thinking about the cats and water now... if they don't drink, how are they getting the amount of water needed by a mammal to keep from dehydrating? Bobcats have no special adaptation for fluid storage that I am aware of.... quite an interesting discussion!
 
This might explain why I see so many cat tracks around the watering hole I made for deer it has water in it 24 7 . There is very few places around here that hold water when there is water it don't last very long. Maybe its time to invest in another trail cam.
 
If bobcats are like house cats they have to have water. Bobcats move very slowly so water can last them for a few days but they still have to go to water.
 
ridgerunner,

them there puddy cats sure seem to hunt slow. i love watching them stalk there prey.....
but i have a couple pairs of carhart bibs that remind me to watch myself when checking trap line.
had one last year break choke pole and run up my arm and work over my carhart sleeve. good thing my brother inlaw was there to help me. or else i might of been first victim of bobcat in US History....
he is now a rug on my wall.

I also have a steel choke pole now.... no more hand made PVC...
 
Yep things get interesting when those cats want a piece of you, have had a couple knock down drag out in my time too shepperd, so far I have come out on the winning side BUT the odds are in their favor most the time I think.

Fond memories!!
 
Im a cage trapper and builder. I live in Dallas,Tx. and it hasnt been cold enough to freeze up my traps. If you or anyone you know is interested in buying any of my traps please let me know. I can be reached at texashunter00@yahoo.com or you can check out my traps on Facebook at Texas Traps
 
Looks like all shapes and sizes texas.

We can't use any live birds here. Against the law to cage any bird without providing it care. We could walk the line and put food and water in there but can you imagine the headlines in states like CA, CO, WA and AZ if one of these dirt worshipers found a trap with live bird as bait/lure?

ML
 
I guess I just thought that cats drank weekly or biweekly but yall have got me thinking on this. I caught cats last year that were about 10 miles from the closest water source. I wounder if they just do as some animals and just tank up on water when they can, even though that can be a few weeks or even months in AZ CA or NV
 
This is a interesting subject, cats and the need for water, it really got me thinking of what I had seen in 35 years of trapping the buggers.
In my early years I never paid much attention to all this business, back foot holding I would throw a set in give it time and come get the kitty.
Now since I can only use boxes, I spend way more time studying what the cats were doing, since I can only run about 30 boxes, I wanted the best most productive sets, plus I spent a ton more hours out in the field as it became my job to take care of the killers on a ranch far removed from people.
I have seen where cats have watered at a couple springs close to my sets in the middle of winter!! the tracks don't lie.
I don't know why other than they just wanted a drink, I always assumed they ate snow in the winter but I see that if given the chance they do want just water.
Just observations from one person to others.
 
Another idea why they dont need to drink as often as we think.

Desert Carnivores
Carnivores are predators and chiefly eat meat, although some will consume plants. They will drink water when it is available, but are not dependent on it since the moisture-rich flesh of their prey satisfies their water needs. This group includes such well known members as the coyote, kit fox, gray fox, bobcat and mountain lion.
http://digital-desert.com/wildlife/carnivore.html
 
OK guys- you may need your dictionary for this but here is the response I received from a Wildlife Scientist friend of mine referencing the water needs of bobcats:


I did my master’s thesis field work in the Carrizo plain working with the endangered giant kangaroo rat and to my knowledge, this clade of desert-adapted rodents (Family- Heteromyidae, including genus Dipodomys and Chaetodipus) are the only mammals in the world that can truly, technically survive (their whole life) without ever drinking liquid water. They get water from green vegetation and seeds…

That said, mammals have an amazing range of renal function that allows for survival in a spectrum of habitats from very wet (dolphins, manatees) to very dry (kangaroo rats, some bobcats). The bobcat has pretty sophisticated kidneys that can continue to remove salt from its blood serum even when the salinity of the blood becomes very high. This allows the bobcat to survive for long periods of time taking in only fluids from prey items that it consumes even though the blood of prey is more saline than water.

So your observation is accurate but not absolute. The cats in the Mojave must be aware of a local water source (although potentially far away) that they visit periodically to drink and renew the osmotic balance of their body fluids yet they are likely capable of maintaining very long intervals between these drinks. How long on the upper end of the range, I am not sure- You might be able to wager a better estimate than me based on your knowledge of the landscape and your observations of the behavior of cats but I’m sure that for bobcats in general, the Mojave represents the most extreme arid environment that they operate in and therefore, those cats are probably existing at the limits of what they are capable of with respect to minimal visits to water sources.

I think you’re right that most people have a poor understanding of the extreme conditions that exist in the desert and unfortunately, the Mojave and the desert southwest is the greatest hotspot in all of north America (and probably high on a world-wide level) for risk of species extinction in the coming years due to climate-induced effects. In this case, extremely high maximum daily temperatures which are expected to climb disproportionately higher with respect to the average than anywhere else.

Bobcats are highly adaptable though and I’m not surprised that they exist in areas that seem devoid of liquid water but I am fascinated by it!
 
mercer. now i know why when a big ole tom backs his rump up to door and sprays me why it stinks so much.

great read...
december is not coming around fast enough.
 
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