what to look for

[beaglewalkerhunter4]

Looking to get started in the bobcat game, I have a 3 year old bluetic (Upson) he's done a bang up job on coons but thats about all he's been run on. I've done a lot of reading particularly the "starting dogs on bobcat" thread and it gave me hope that it's possible to make a decent dog without the aid of other bobcat dogs, considering its mostly bear and coon here.
My question is I hear the term "catty area" and "think like a cat" but I'm not familiar with either. Where should I be looking tacks, sign ect. I live in the Appalachian mountains lots of steep draws and laurel thickets. Should I get up in the rocky areas, and walk creek beds? Also do yall mostly free-cast or do you find a track and turn out? I'm afraid freecasting would end in mostly bear races (and of course the occasional hooved critter ) any words of wisdom are appreciated.

[david]

Snow is your best hope. I know you don't get much of that where you live. One bare ground hunter said it is impossible to do without a cat dog to help you. My best advice is to get your dog flat broke off of everything except coon and wild barn (feral) cats. I mean get him BROKE. break him off bear. Take him to a coyote pen and break him off coyote. Get him broke off fox. Take him hunting in the middle of the day where you know it would be unlikely for him to start a coon or cat and break him off whatever it is he is fooling with.

Do some digging. Your state or university has studies done on bobcats there. Try to find one and maybe even find the person that wrote it. They know the areas where you are most likely to find bobcats.

I think your cats are thickest in the coastal swamp areas. Cats need food and shelter. Most areas rabbits are number one food. But they need places to take refuge also. Look for rabbits combined with rocks, brush piles or thick heavy brush.

A lot of cat hunters like to hunt the early morning for several reasons. I recommend this time for you so you can see what your dog is doing and have a better chance of getting to him quickly.

Once you get your dog broke you can freecast him. More bobcats are started off roads than any other place though. Teach h to run down dirt or remote gravel roads in front of your vehicle. Walk him down old roads that you can't drive on.

Coon will be your biggest problem. But if you can get him on a couple cats and he knows you like that, he will like it too. You will be able to run cats in between all the coon. If you really want to get serious about it, and you find a good cat population, break him off coon too.

[AK Zach]

Hey beaglewalker hunter, where are you from?? I am from a small town called candler at the foot of mount pisgah, born and raised. I might know a few spots for you, have a lot of friends there that still run dogs,maybe even a couple guys still running cats. I could get you hooked up. I personally haven't hunted there since 2008 though.

[beaglewalkerhunter4]

David, thank you for the insight, certainly sounds like I'm going to have my work cut out for me! He will be used on bear and coon as well, so I guess there will be some give and take if he starts a bear on me hunting in the early morning. I know of some areas that are rocky and thick with brush as you described and have seen good rabbit sign, so I'll focus my efforts to those areas. Still a month and half til training season here. I was thinking of trying the mike Leonard cat training model, to have more of controlled setting to start, but was curious how this has worked for others?
Also I actually attend the Western Carolina University so it shouldn't be too hard to dig up some books on them from the library.
AK zach, PM sent

[david]

Unless you find a real good pocket of cats, bear and coon will make it almost impossible for you to catch a bobcat. The very faint scent and erratic lines of a bobcat track will not probably hold the attention of a bear dog when the garbage truck strolls by. I can sometimes smell coon myself. The good news is these two become less active in mid winter (in locations I am familiar with). Your best chance at a cat will probably be at this time. Tell your boss ahead of time that you have a tremendous allergy to snow and will not be at work if it ever snows.

[easttntrapper]

I hunt in Madison county NC. If your gonna run bear and coon your best chance will be looking for tracks when it snows. I also run coon bear and bobcats. There are a lot of bear in western NC so free casting usually will end up in a bear race.

[john porter]

I hunt\ live in Western NC on the GA\TN line. We are loaded with bears here but come the second season they are scarse. I find most of my cats in old clear cuts or thick power lines.

[beaglewalkerhunter4]

Mr John, do yall just freecast into these clearcuts and powerlines, or do you look for a set of tracks to turn on? Also how do your dogs do switching from trailing bear to bobs, I assume it could be frustrating at first considering the amount of scent left behind. Also a lot of forest land here, but also a lot of locked gates. do you run into that problem around you, I'm more familiar with the Sylva area, rather than murphy

[john porter]

I do free cast my dogs in the clear cuts and also on those dreaded power lines. Around the dirt roads at this time of year ( been dry so it helps) I go looking for tracks, when found I use a trail cam to see if its an active travel way. My dogs are broke off all game but coons and cats, so bears aren't a problem. All my bear dogs are from culls that wouldn't run cats. Lots of locked gates here, but I walk them out during training season and see what it holds for game. Take one dog and just go for a slow walk and check it out. Good for you to get out walking and also you can work your dog on lead training. No law says, you cant walk a dog outside of training/chase season if on a lead.

[Gary Roberson]

The Upson dogs generally do well on bobcats. I have been breeding them for years and they seem to prefer bobcats or lions over coons but make good coon dogs as well.
Adios,
Gary