Black Bobcat!!

[51 pointer]

I have a house in Oxford MS on the square I use when down there on business. My friend who I share the house with swears up and down he saw a melanistic bobcat in the back yard, he says there is a big hole/ possible den back there and I want to catch it. Any ideas? I don't want to hurt any neighborhood dogs or cats.....I have none of my gear with me to shoot it so I though I may catch it with a snare or something......thoughts? btw my friend said it was as tall as a small laborador, black, bobtail and came out of a tree that leaned on the roof of our house.....said there was poop on our roof with reddish seeds in it......obviously persimmon seeds of which we see in coyote poop and such.....any ideas?

 

[TN RDG RNR]

Maybe its a baby panther.

 

[TheLBLman]

I'd just set up some camera traps. :)
Be really cool to get some great pics of a black bobcat.

.....I have none of my gear with me to shoot it so I though I may catch it with a snare or something......thoughts?

No idea what the law is in Mississippi, but that would be illegal now in Tennessee.

 

[51 pointer]

I'd just set up some camera traps. :)
Be really cool to get some great pics of a black bobcat.

.....I have none of my gear with me to shoot it so I though I may catch it with a snare or something......thoughts?

No idea what the law is in Mississippi, but that would be illegal now in Tennessee.

So snares are illegal in TN now.....I've never used one but knew a guy years ago that trapped lots of coyotes with them

 

[Plateau Hunter]

Don't know why you would want to 'catch it'. I wouldn't bother it in an urban setting but would try to get some decent photographs like Wes said. About 2 years ago in late summer I saw a melanistic bobcat cross the road in front of my truck. This was on a country lane where I was driving slowly and I was able to see the cat well. It was black but not jet black; I could see spots and barring in the overall black color.

 

[scn]

I'd just set up some camera traps. :)
Be really cool to get some great pics of a black bobcat.

.....I have none of my gear with me to shoot it so I though I may catch it with a snare or something......thoughts?

No idea what the law is in Mississippi, but that would be illegal now in Tennessee.

Snares are not illegal during trapping season in TN, but the trapping season is not open right now in TN. Nor is the hunting season for bobcats.

You probably need to check the MS regs, because if you take it illegally and bring it back to TN you will be violating the federal Lacey Act as well as the MS regulations.

So snares are illegal in TN now.....I've never used one but knew a guy years ago that trapped lots of coyotes with them

 

[Wildcat]

You don't want to hurt any neighbor dogs or cats, right? A snare WILL kill them as quick as a bobcat if your going for the neck.

If your trying to snare a bobcat by the foot then you will have a major problem on your hands if you want to keep it alive. If you catch a dog or cat in a foot hold snare you will have a major job trying to release them without getting hurt.

 

[51 pointer]

Have been thinking live trap, what type of bait? Raw chicken?

 

[redblood]

sardines or tuna. something with strong scent

 

[CATCHDAWG]

Trapping season does not open in MS until Nov 1. Pretty sure that is all the information you need to know for now...

 

[51 pointer]

Trapping season does not open in MS until Nov 1. Pretty sure that is all the information you need to know for now...

Thanks for the info

 

[SES]

Could it possibly be just a big manx cat?

 

[doubledownranch]

Go to walmart and buy a trail camera. Set out some raw meat...

If there is a cat there, you'll get it on camera. Once you have photos and see what exactly it is, then you should start thinking about trapping or what you want to do with it. I'd wait til season opens, trap it and mount the thing.

 

[51 pointer]

It had a bob tail so who knows, I'm going back down soon and will take a camera and see what happens, wait til Nov. and set a trap, would be an awesome mount too

 

[doubledownranch]

It had a bob tail so who knows, I'm going back down soon and will take a camera and see what happens, wait til Nov. and set a trap, would be an awesome mount too

Several breeds of domestic cats have bob tails...

 

[TheLBLman]

You probably need to check the MS regs, because [color:#FF0000]if you take it illegally and bring it back to TN you will be violating the federal Lacey Act [/color]as well as the MS regulations.

Deep Doo-Doo There, Buddy. You don't want to step in this. Just set a camera trap.

 

[51 pointer]

You probably need to check the MS regs, because [color:#FF0000]if you take it illegally and bring it back to TN you will be violating the federal Lacey Act [/color]as well as the MS regulations.

Deep Doo-Doo There, Buddy. You don't want to step in this. Just set a camera trap.

Lord knows I ain't breaking no rules......I'll check everything out if I try to catch it etc.

 

[zatoan]

Don't know why you would want to 'catch it'. I wouldn't bother it in an urban setting but would try to get some decent photographs like Wes said. About 2 years ago in late summer I saw a melanistic bobcat cross the road in front of my truck. This was on a country lane where I was driving slowly and I was able to see the cat well. It was black but not jet black; I could see spots and barring in the overall black color. That's what I want to say!

 

[fishboy1]

Black bobcat will have little traditional fur value. The bright white belly with dark spots are bringing the bucks, though the prices have seriously dropped from the highs of 2 years ago.

Fur will not be prime until winter (Dec-Feb) so if you want the pelt, I wouldn't bother until then.

No matter what, wait until season opens and follow ALL regs.
You will need a CITES tag to sell it, and most tanners or taxidermists want to see a CITES tag as well.

In an urban setting a live trap is the way to go. Too many cats and pups running around.

 

[MRUTVOL]

Don't know why you would want to 'catch it'. I wouldn't bother it in an urban setting but would try to get some decent photographs like Wes said. About 2 years ago in late summer I saw a melanistic bobcat cross the road in front of my truck. This was on a country lane where I was driving slowly and I was able to see the cat well. It was black but not jet black; I could see spots and barring in the overall black color. That's what I want to say!

If it is a black bobcat then that is a very rare coloration for a Bobcat. That would be the reason I would want to catch it and mount it up for others to see such a unique creature. If it dies a natural death, say of old age or disease, then it would be like it never existed and its beauty wasted IMO. Been around taxidermy for 44 years and only seen one true black bobcat. I have 2 mounted bobcats that are unique in a different way and when people see them they are just in awe of their size. One weighed 72lbs and the other 53lbs. Without them being mounted up to see nobody would have believed they were real or get that big. Hope you catch it ...Good Luck !

 

[waltny]

I'd just set up some camera traps. :)
Be really cool to get some great pics of a black bobcat.

.....I have none of my gear with me to shoot it so I though I may catch it with a snare or something......thoughts?

No idea what the law is in Mississippi, but that would be illegal now in Tennessee.

Im not sure if it would be illegal unless out of season and not to the specifications set forth. I often read things like this and it turns my blood cold thinking Im about to (or past tense/current tense) break the law.


This is the current reg on that page 14

Steel cable snares having a minimum cable
diameter of 5/64 inch and a maximum cable
diameter of 3/32 inch are legal for all legal furbearer species during the legal trapping
season. Spring activated snares other than
Collarum snares prohibited

Also from page 14
4. Furbearers are defined as beaver, bobcat, coyote, fox, groundhog, mink, muskrat, opossum, river otter, raccoon, skunk and weasel.

 

[cbhunter]

Don't know why you would want to 'catch it'. I wouldn't bother it in an urban setting but would try to get some decent photographs like Wes said. About 2 years ago in late summer I saw a melanistic bobcat cross the road in front of my truck. This was on a country lane where I was driving slowly and I was able to see the cat well. It was black but not jet black; I could see spots and barring in the overall black color. That's what I want to say!

If it is a black bobcat then that is a very rare coloration for a Bobcat. That would be the reason I would want to catch it and mount it up for others to see such a unique creature. If it dies a natural death, say of old age or disease, then it would be like it never existed and its beauty wasted IMO. Been around taxidermy for 44 years and only seen one true black bobcat. I have 2 mounted bobcats that are unique in a different way and when people see them they are just in awe of their size. One weighed 72lbs and the other 53lbs. Without them being mounted up to see nobody would have believed they were real or get that big. Hope you catch it ...Good Luck !

WOW that is amazing, can you post a pic of the cats?

 

[Clint.C]

you can trap bobcats within the season in TN, or snare. Completely legal

 

[Rackseeker]

Don't know why you would want to 'catch it'. I wouldn't bother it in an urban setting but would try to get some decent photographs like Wes said. About 2 years ago in late summer I saw a melanistic bobcat cross the road in front of my truck. This was on a country lane where I was driving slowly and I was able to see the cat well. It was black but not jet black; I could see spots and barring in the overall black color. That's what I want to say!

If it is a black bobcat then that is a very rare coloration for a Bobcat. That would be the reason I would want to catch it and mount it up for others to see such a unique creature. If it dies a natural death, say of old age or disease, then it would be like it never existed and its beauty wasted IMO. Been around taxidermy for 44 years and only seen one true black bobcat. I have 2 mounted bobcats that are unique in a different way and when people see them they are just in awe of their size. One weighed 72lbs and the other 53lbs. Without them being mounted up to see nobody would have believed they were real or get that big. Hope you catch it ...Good Luck !

Dang a 72 lb bobcat, post a pic of that dude.

 

[Hunt 365]

I "winged" an almost-all black cat this year. Too bad he head for the briars and I lost blood. I scoped him out well before my shot. He was definitely almost black, but had a little silver mottling on his sides. He caught movement at the end and I had to take a rushed shot. Not true melanistic, but blackest bob I've ever seen. Mad at myself on the shot, because you hate it and would've been an awesome mount

 

[TheRealSpurhunter]

Any update on this story?