Ghost bobcats

[Idcurs]

How many of you cat hunters have seen a bob then turned out the dogs and they don't have a clue that a cat was ever there ??????I have had this happen many times over the last 30 years.Now I have had just about every breed that has been and have caught cats with dogs of different lines and breeds.What is your thoughts about the cat that runs across the road and the dogs won't trail it?I have had many dogs guys have this same thing happen with the same results.I know that many times you can come back in 30 minutes and they will take the track just like any other?

[Dads dogboy]

IDcurs,

Simple answer to your Question is yes.

We along with any HONEST Bobcat Hunter will tell you Tales of seeing the Cat cross the road and Good Hounds not knowing a Cat was anywhere in the area.

The answer to the reason that the Hounds do not know where the Cat has gone or been is that the Hounds CAN NOT SMELL the Bobcat.

Now expanding the WHY of the above statement is what causes Houndsmen like my Dad to not have any hair. Several years ago we had this discussion here on BGH. Scenting Conditions were described and analyzed by Good Houndsmen from across the Country. It might be nice to see what the current crop of BGH Bobcat Hunters have to say about this.

By the way are you from Idaho, if so please add this to your Profile. Thanks!

[LarryBeggs]

I agree they are not smelling it. I think sometimes it is scenting conditions. But most of the times it is because the dogs aren't looking for it. They may look like they are looking for it. either in the road or on the box. But I don't think they are in the hunting mode. I can tell when I am boxing my dogs and I am not going to get a strike unless red hot. I usually have to swap them out for fresh dogs in the box or road them a while to wake them up. They are just going through the motions. Cat just don't leave a lot of scent and the dogs must be looking for them. Most of the time when I have seen this happen is when I am traveling and a cat jumps out in the road. I get the dogs out and they act like they don't smell anything. Usually walk them out in the brush a ways and they wake up and go out of there on it. I don't hold to the Idea that the cat did something to make this happen. But then again I have been wrong before. Take care, Larry

[Jeff Eberle]

Cal, I've seen the same thing with a gray fox one time , at first I thought maybe I had just been up to long and was seeing thing. Was told that is were the term pussy footing came from

[South Texan]

I think we have probably all seen this at sometime or other through our cat years, if you have hunted the bob cat for any length of time.

But...i do believe (just my experience) my success rate of getting one started after seeing a cat cross the road has gone up.

When I was younger and seen this happen I'd slam on the brakes run to the back of the truck & dump the box then run to the front of the truck where the cat had crossed the
road hissing the dogs. Now the dogs would all get excited running here & there and feeding off one another and all of them feeding off of me (my excitement).
I have learned to go to the back of the truck & let out "ONE" good start dog. Then walk the dog to where the cat crossed the road. If he doesn't smell the cat in the road i'll walk the dog out in the brush the direction the cat went. Most times "now" I will get the cat started, then I will turn the rest of the dog's in. I'm pretty sure this has helped me start a higher percentage in this situation. Hope it might help you next time.
Robbie

[dwalton]

If you hunt bobs enough you will see the cat you turn out on and the dogs act like there is nothing there. Usually you can walk them out a ways and they can start it but not always. I had one run across the road in 10 inches of great snow on a day that I had already caught three. I took them down the tracks for a hundred yards showing them the track in the snow. Not a dog opened or acted like they could smell a thing. To them their was no scent there. When you figure out what goes on for sure let me know. I have 47 years into bobcat hunting and still don't have a clue as to what goes on. Good hunting Dewey

[Jeff Eberle]

If you listen to all the story's were this has happen there is one part that is the same in all the story's . The hunter saw the cat so more then likely the cat knew you where there also. So do you believe that a cunning cat or fox can hold it's scent for a short time ?

[mike martell]

Jeff

I think there was an article written for full cry magazine some years ago and if memory serves me correct, it was by Steve Matthes from California. The article....Scent withholding cats? The theory went along the line of animals and survival, can and do withhold scent crossing roads or any place danger lurks.....This should get some theories flying!

[twist]

Like has been said anyone hunting hounds long enough has experienced this. As for the theory cats hold scent when scared I would have to say no as when a cat is jumped the hounds can sure move the track well and you would sure think if they couldhold their scent they would do it at this time. Here is wht I have learned to do drive past where the cat was seen come back in 15 minutes and turn loose,they will run it just fine, if you do this thg cat usually goes just a little ways once you see them cross the road and set down so there is no big rush to get the hounds out. Andy

[mike martell]

Andy

When you see this with your own eyes and try to understand what is happening, leads you to think about all possibilities....I don't buy into the ability of a cat to withhold scent....I suspect this is how this theory started many years ago. This happens with more than bobcats. I had some top rig dogs for bear and coon many years ago and while I was hunting bears, I watched three coon cross the road ahead of me and blew right past them with the same dogs that treed as many as many as three hundred coon per winter. My dogs were focused on bears and Like Larry Beggs stated, the dogs weren't looking for them or? I have no idea....

Mike

[Dads dogboy]

I have worked the Search engine over and have not yet found that good thread from several years ago on this Topic! When I find it I will get the Link up on here.

Cats withholding their Scent....put us in the Non Believer category!

Cats changing their Scent Signature for a short time due to an Adrenalin rush.....AHH now you have something that we can believe! CRA you have seen this working in the Prisons when an Inmate with any of several disorders is about to "Go Off" you can smell them from a ways off.

Keep those thoughts a coming Guys and Gals!

[al baldwin]

If you listen to all the story's were this has happen there is one part that is the same in all the story's . The hunter saw the cat so more then likely the cat knew you where there also. So do you believe that a cunning cat or fox can hold it's scent for a short time ?

Jeff I absolutely believe that, seen it to many times. No actually it/s just all those walkers, running or tree stock are not nosed. Get a good bluetick & that problem will be non existent . When the cat or fox remains calm that is when they have the scent holding ability. Jump one that gets excited, that is a different story. Believe me I spent enough summer afternoons trailing cats that I seen, the hounds could be so close & yet they trailed like the cat had a large lead. I have seen the same thing in the winter with idea trailing conditions, difference more of those winter trail jobs eventually wound up with a caught critter. Andy I assure you there are numerous old dry ground cat hunters in this area who have witnessed those type cats many times. Also am sure you know things about hunting cats in the snow that I do not. Al

[fallriverwalker1]

well mike i only have one word for you bonjore jim

[South Texan]

Al
You & I are on the same page with the cat being able to contain its scent. I've seen the dogs trailing like it was an old cold trail & the cat would be just right there tip toeing & slipping around in front of the dogs. As long as the cat is calm & not pressured he can contain his scent. Now if a dog will step on the cat & scare him or get the cat excited as you said the cat loses his cool & ability to contain his scent and the race is on. I have also been out there with the dogs in this situation & I have seen the cat & I have done the scaring of the cat & cause the race to be on. Just what I've seen.
Robbie

[mark]

I have read on here many times that out here in the northwest we have it easy because of the brush. And when a cat goes through that brush all the body scent gets raked off the cat making it easy for a dog to trail or stay tight on the cat. I dont know if thats true or not but if it is true is a cat able to hold all the scent that is in its hair also?

I have given up on trying to figure out what happens in the ghost cat scenario. I dont know what happens but sometimes it does and sometimes it doesnt.