Texas, cats and snakes

TommyP

New member
Last month I did a week of calling in south Texas. Called in coyotes, bobcats and even killed some hogs.
I killed two bobcats, had to drive to San Antonio to get a CITES permit for both on my way home. After I was on the highway, working my way to Dallas/Ft.Worth, my friend calls me. It seems a house cat is missing. He has a cat that lives outside but likes to sleep in or on his pickup. He thought that maybe it had climbed in to the bed of my truck, under the tonneau cover and is a stow away. I pulled off the Interstate, opened the bed up, looked but found no cat. I continued my journey until the wife called and mentioned that cat could have crawled in to the cab and is hiding under the back seat.
I stop again, take everything out of the cab and still, no cat.
After a week, my friend texts me. The cat has come home. It has two puncture wounds on it's lower jaw and had been bitten by a snake, crawled off and slowly recovered. Mystery solved.
All you guys hunting south, they are coming out so watch out for snakes. There is another thread about snakes as well.
 
Yep a buddy of mine had a cat get bit once. Dogs are the worst about messing with them and getting hit. The snakes are out in full force no doubt.

I caught 25 rattlesnakes over the weekend.
 
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My first hunt in TX was Christmas '98. Not for sure what to expect, I asked the ranch owner about snakes. "No snakes out now" he said. "Don't worry, they are all denned up". Well this one must have missed the memo.

 
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Hunted (mostly south)Texas over 65 years and IMO it doesn't stay cold for long enough periods for snakes to "den up". They are less active on the colder days but let the sun come out, like it always does, for a couple of days and they begin to venture forth. (Texas is a BIG state, so this may not hold true in the panhandle.)

ETA: Sabinal climate not much different from S. Tx; in fact, while I would consider it to be in central Tx, many refer to San Antonio as being S. Tx.

Regards,
hm
 
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Quote:CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) is an international agreement between governments. Its aim is to ensure that international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival.

Read more here:
https://cites.org/eng/disc/what.php

Regards,
hm
 
I checked for the need of a CITES permit before leaving Texas. Here in Iowa one is needed for a bobcat. Texas requires them as well. Not sure if you stay in Texas with the bobcat a CITES permit is required as a local taxidermist in George West had not seen one and had many bobcats in his shop.As for me, I don't need any problems with wildlife violations. I like to hunt.
 
Thanks guys.... I suspect if you are from a state where the taking and possession of cats is legal you likely do not need said permit. Proof of a valid hunting license is probably enough. I have spent a ton of time in Texas and this is the first time I have heard of this being required in Texas.

That I know of the bobcat is not classified as endangered by USFWS..... thus my question about CITES...
 
Originally Posted By: huntschoolThanks guys.... I suspect if you are from a state where the taking and possession of cats is legal you likely do not need said permit. Proof of a valid hunting license is probably enough. I have spent a ton of time in Texas and this is the first time I have heard of this being required in Texas.

That I know of the bobcat is not classified as endangered by USFWS..... thus my question about CITES...

Taking bobcats is legal in Iowa and Texas and CITES permits are required, especially if taken back out of state. Mine will be attached to the mounts/hides.
 
Tommy:

If CITES paper work is, as you said, required in TX then why did the taxidermist in George West say he had never see any as you said in above post...... Quote:Not sure if you stay in Texas with the bobcat a CITES permit is required as a local taxidermist in George West had not seen one and had many bobcats in his shop.
 
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hm1996:

OK.... Now that makes sense to me.... It is really covering interstate ownership/transport and delivery. It becomes particularly pointed if you come from a state which does not allow the taking of or only the restricted taking of (in this case) bobcats.

Illinois is such a limited harvest, by drawn permit only, states.

Thanks for the info.....
 
I maintain that most people who don't hunt them have no idea how many bobcats we have. It's not unusual for me to call in more cats in a night than yotes. I called in 7 in 15 sets one night for a guy who said we didn't have many cats in this area.
 
Thats quite a few cats!

Was hunting out in deep West Texas recently and could have filled our truck with foxes, but the cats were only moving in the early morning hours.

Finally got the job done on a nice one, but had to work for it for sure. Cat couldn't resist bobcat in heat.
 
The fox numbers can be pretty crazy out there. I guess its cause of all the pressure guys maintain on the coyotes, but I'm not sure.
 
Originally Posted By: SymmRanchThats quite a few cats!

Was hunting out in deep West Texas recently and could have filled our truck with foxes, but the cats were only moving in the early morning hours.

Finally got the job done on a nice one, but had to work for it for sure. Cat couldn't resist bobcat in heat.

Was it a large male? I wondered if the bobcat in heat would draw in the larger males looking for a good time.
 
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