Bobcat Set critique, thoughts?

Tennessee Deer Sporting & Deer Hunting Community Forum

Help Support TNDeer | Tennessee Deer:

S

Speedwell-Hunter

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 28, 2021
Messages
2,012
City & State/Province
East TN
Three pics here show my set , dirthole is circled in red; two trap set up, natural log on left to guide in. Three feathers attached by wire above with dunlap gland lure on it. critique?
 

Attachments

  • 76B0E1F5-E016-446C-8590-A9FED7C98B67.jpeg
    76B0E1F5-E016-446C-8590-A9FED7C98B67.jpeg
    342.8 KB
  • 6F4BA95F-AFC8-4177-B34D-4301AAFD4833.jpeg
    6F4BA95F-AFC8-4177-B34D-4301AAFD4833.jpeg
    335.3 KB
  • 77B506D2-1F95-4187-9D1B-664B5070EB53.jpeg
    77B506D2-1F95-4187-9D1B-664B5070EB53.jpeg
    297.9 KB
A cat will come in from the back side. I will always have backing (rock) with a dirt hole that they won't like reaching over. Also add guides such as sticks or rocks to either side. 10 to 15 yards away from set, hang your flag ( tinsel, wing feather,CD)
 

Attachments

  • D317F893-9181-41FA-837D-EF3E9029AA2F.jpeg
    D317F893-9181-41FA-837D-EF3E9029AA2F.jpeg
    613.5 KB
wildlifefarmer said:
A cat will come in from the back side. I will always have backing (rock) with a dirt hole that they won't like reaching over. Also add guides such as sticks or rocks to either side. 10 to 15 yards away from set, hang your flag ( tinsel, wing feather,CD)
Click to expand...
Even if it's a slant on hill there , they will come in from back ?
 
Just my thoughts on your set....... 1 trap is enough with cats, use the 2nd trap to make another set and up your odds. By leaving the set "unblended" you gave them a nice clean place to step, cats love that. 👍 I personally would add some larger sticks to the set in a V formation, dirt hole being in the point of the V. You can use guide sticks heavily around your trap just nothing large enough for them to step on. As WLF mentioned above, block the back side of the set. As far as visual attractors go, part of a wing suspended 4' - 5' above the set will grab their attention from a distance. Scatter feathers around the set as if a bird was caught, those inner down feathers have more movement and eye appeal than say wing feathers. Cats are simple to trap, you just need to be on location. For me personally, I wouldn't make a cat set without Dobbins' Purfect. Great Grey Fox lure too by the way.
 
As said in the above post guides and blocking make the cat step where you want him to . My experience's with cat you can't have enough guide's or blocking they will get around some really tight spaces.
 
Shanman said:
Just my thoughts on your set....... 1 trap is enough with cats, use the 2nd trap to make another set and up your odds. By leaving the set "unblended" you gave them a nice clean place to step, cats love that. 👍 I personally would add some larger sticks to the set in a V formation, dirt hole being in the point of the V. You can use guide sticks heavily around your trap just nothing large enough for them to step on. As WLF mentioned above, block the back side of the set. As far as visual attractors go, part of a wing suspended 4' - 5' above the set will grab their attention from a distance. Scatter feathers around the set as if a bird was caught, those inner down feathers have more movement and eye appeal than say wing feathers. Cats are simple to trap, you just need to be on location. For me personally, I wouldn't make a cat set without Dobbins' Purfect. Great Grey Fox lure too by the way.
Click to expand...


oops, I blended it by adding leaves. should I not?

and ye, I have two for each set, overkill?
 
You most definitely can blend with leaves, but they need to be broken down to crumbles. Cats don't like to step on anything unbalanced or noisy. Two traps isn't over kill if that's your preference, but two sets ups your odds versus one set. A cat is a cat, a lion does the same thing a house cat does, just one catches zebras and one mice. Lol Watch a barn cat and how he moves, where he places his feet, you'll learn a lot doing this.
 
Shanman said:
You most definitely can blend with leaves, but they need to be broken down to crumbles. Cats don't like to step on anything unbalanced or noisy. Two traps isn't over kill if that's your preference, but two sets ups your odds versus one set. A cat is a cat, a lion does the same thing a house cat does, just one catches zebras and one mice. Lol Watch a barn cat and how he moves, where he places his feet, you'll learn a lot doing this.
Click to expand...
I went back last night, added sticks to make more funneling. hoping that helps. thanks for the feedback and DVD link , just bought his DVD after watching him do a yote video on whitetail properties youtube i figure he explains things nicely. hoping.
 
Throw another set in there close , put a rub post set in with a good cat gland and some beaver castor on it around knee high . Majority of the cats I've caught in a rub post has been by the back foot where they had turned around to pee on the limb that I put in the ground . I've took a lot of Tom's this time of the year with that set they are starting to move around in search of females.
 
Shanman said:
Just my thoughts on your set....... 1 trap is enough with cats, use the 2nd trap to make another set and up your odds. By leaving the set "unblended" you gave them a nice clean place to step, cats love that. 👍 I personally would add some larger sticks to the set in a V formation, dirt hole being in the point of the V. You can use guide sticks heavily around your trap just nothing large enough for them to step on. As WLF mentioned above, block the back side of the set. As far as visual attractors go, part of a wing suspended 4' - 5' above the set will grab their attention from a distance. Scatter feathers around the set as if a bird was caught, those inner down feathers have more movement and eye appeal than say wing feathers. Cats are simple to trap, you just need to be on location. For me personally, I wouldn't make a cat set without Dobbins' Purfect. Great Grey Fox lure too by the way.
Click to expand...
I second scattering feathers all over the set.
 
Be careful scattering too many feathers around. I've seen some accidentally catches of birds of prey that got too curious. Its no fun releasing a great horned owl when you have nothing but a jacket to subdue it.
 
Shanman said:
Just my thoughts on your set....... 1 trap is enough with cats, use the 2nd trap to make another set and up your odds. By leaving the set "unblended" you gave them a nice clean place to step, cats love that. 👍 I personally would add some larger sticks to the set in a V formation, dirt hole being in the point of the V. You can use guide sticks heavily around your trap just nothing large enough for them to step on. As WLF mentioned above, block the back side of the set. As far as visual attractors go, part of a wing suspended 4' - 5' above the set will grab their attention from a distance. Scatter feathers around the set as if a bird was caught, those inner down feathers have more movement and eye appeal than say wing feathers. Cats are simple to trap, you just need to be on location. For me personally, I wouldn't make a cat set without Dobbins' Purfect. Great Grey Fox lure too by the way.
Click to expand...
Shanman, was it 7 cats that you and Gene caught here in one check?
 
Farm manager said:
I second scattering feathers all over the set.
Click to expand...
heres my set updated,

ive got feathers and a nice wing in the air, picture attached:


red circle is dirt hole, arrow is showing trail going up a hill, out of the view of the photo. same picture, one with red circle and arrow, other is without. thanks for feedback
 

Attachments

  • 11E692EE-73A0-4922-93DC-E80D20F99943.jpeg
    11E692EE-73A0-4922-93DC-E80D20F99943.jpeg
    394.3 KB
  • Cat set 1-30-22.jpeg
    Cat set 1-30-22.jpeg
    244.5 KB
Shanman said:
Just my thoughts on your set....... 1 trap is enough with cats, use the 2nd trap to make another set and up your odds. By leaving the set "unblended" you gave them a nice clean place to step, cats love that. 👍 I personally would add some larger sticks to the set in a V formation, dirt hole being in the point of the V. You can use guide sticks heavily around your trap just nothing large enough for them to step on. As WLF mentioned above, block the back side of the set. As far as visual attractors go, part of a wing suspended 4' - 5' above the set will grab their attention from a distance. Scatter feathers around the set as if a bird was caught, those inner down feathers have more movement and eye appeal than say wing feathers. Cats are simple to trap, you just need to be on location. For me personally, I wouldn't make a cat set without Dobbins' Purfect. Great Grey Fox lure too by the way.
Click to expand...
set photos updated, last post, let me know what you thinK!
 
Blue - feathers
Purple- 4" hole on a 70% angle
Green - stepping sticks
Orange - rocks the size of a quarter to half dollar

I would shave the bank till it is a 90 degree and move the hole to the bottom of it( you want the hole on a real steep angle to get him close to look down in it ) . Then take the feathers and put the around the hole up on the bank make it look interesting to what ever is going to past by. I wouldn't completely cover the hole up something else to grab his attention . Put some grass in the hole then take what ever bait you are using and mix it with grass and make a ball then throw it in the hole . I would also put a good cat gland up on the bank around knee high for him to rub on and keep the trap tight to the hole .The more you can get him to move his feet the better odds you have him to step on the pan . I'm not a big fan of urine on a logging trail you will have a lot of tripped traps from deer in my experience . Hope this helps it's just one way to spruce up what you got there now . Good luck !
 

Attachments

  • D4EFEDB5-8CAD-4E3A-B3EF-C9AB1DFF71CC.jpeg
    D4EFEDB5-8CAD-4E3A-B3EF-C9AB1DFF71CC.jpeg
    170.2 KB
Speedwell-Hunter said:
set photos updated, last post, let me know what you thinK!
Click to expand...
Looking better.👍
Main thing i would have done different would be to add more backing above the hole, make it where they have to approach from the front. Next, less leafs up front, basically make a clean dirt path to the hole. Block around your trap like Trapper shows in the diagram, as you will find, cats can be blocked heavily and it doesn't bother them. Keep watching your video and try new sets, don't get hung up on one type set for cats.
 
Trapper said:
Blue - feathers
Purple- 4" hole on a 70% angle
Green - stepping sticks
Orange - rocks the size of a quarter to half dollar

I would shave the bank till it is a 90 degree and move the hole to the bottom of it( you want the hole on a real steep angle to get him close to look down in it ) . Then take the feathers and put the around the hole up on the bank make it look interesting to what ever is going to past by. I wouldn't completely cover the hole up something else to grab his attention . Put some grass in the hole then take what ever bait you are using and mix it with grass and make a ball then throw it in the hole . I would also put a good cat gland up on the bank around knee high for him to rub on and keep the trap tight to the hole .The more you can get him to move his feet the better odds you have him to step on the pan . I'm not a big fan of urine on a logging trail you will have a lot of tripped traps from deer in my experience . Hope this helps it's just one way to spruce up what you got there now . Good luck !
Click to expand...
This is so helpful, thank you!
 

Latest posts

Back
Top