Bobcats up north? Where to look?

MTmud

New member
The posts on bobs are full of info, but I can't relate to the geography very well.
In Montana we have a few, but I've never seen one, and only rarely seen sign.
What kind of cover/habitat do they prefer up here?

Dennis
 
Okay, I'll go out on a limb and take a guess. I know what bobcat cover looks like in California, Baja California, Sonora, New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado, Wyoming, Texas, Utah, Nevada, Washington, (eastern) Oregon, (eastern) and Idaho....and brief sojourns in a couple others....not Montana.

I suspect you have more cats than you are aware of. I can't think of a good reason why they wouldn't be in the same places in Montana as in (basically) every other western state? The best hint I could give you is that bobcats like elevation, but not always. Look up in the rimrock, canyons, foothills, whatever you call them locally. They don't spend a lot of time in the flats, but every once in a while, they do; usually in summer.

If you know what to look for, they are relativly easy to locate. An experienced (cat) hunter could find (at least a few) bobcat in your area in about two days.

Good hunting. LB
 
I'm not an accomplished bobcat hunter by any means. Usually they come unexpectedly for me. I know where they are at but I'm usually calling with coyotes in mind or specifically for bear or cougar. (still waiting for a big cat) I'll give you a trappers viewpoint though. Leonard gave great advice. I can't really add much. My best spots for trapping bobcats are mostly located along the top of river gorges or canyon tops. Most of the spots I pick to trap were places I scouted in the winter when tracking was easy in the snow. I trap cats quite a bit on old logging roads too, simply because the scouting is easy. Sign is easier to read than off road in the woods. The bobcat track I cut on logging roads usually come out of the woods, and meander down the road a ways, then disappear into the woods again. It is usually just a matter of walking down one of these roads after a light fresh snow and in cat country, you will usually cut some tracks. Around here the cats frequent the same area, year after year. Take a few, and more fill in. Most of the cats I have called have been at night though.

Good luck
 
MT mud, I am familiar with the area you describe. You know all those rock outcroppings that you can see around Billings, those are cat rocks.

Around Helena, look for the big granite boulders or other rock outcroppings. Those rocky areas surrounded with brush and juniper trees are even better.

Around Helena, wherever you find the cover (timber and brush), the rocks and the bunnys, you will probably find the bobcats. Especially where you find the bunnys. Don't over look those high sagy creeks out in the flats too. There is bunnys there too. You usually have to have bunnys to support many cats.

Bobcats and bunnys are not tied quite as tightly as the Canadian Lynx and snowshoe hare but pretty darn close.

Wiley E
 
MT mud, I am familiar with the area you describe. You know all those rock outcroppings that you can see around Billings, those are cat rocks.

Around Helena, look for the big granite boulders or other rock outcroppings. Those rocky areas surrounded with brush and juniper trees are even better.

Around Helena, wherever you find the cover (timber and brush), the rocks and the bunnys, you will probably find the bobcats. Especially where you find the bunnys. Don't over look those high sagy creeks out in the flats too. There is bunnys there too. You usually have to have bunnys to support many cats.

Bobcats and bunnys are not tied quite as tightly as the Canadian Lynx and snowshoe hare but pretty darn close.

Look for tracks at the base of those large outcroppings and any saddles between seperate outcroppings.

Wiley E
 
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