Scouting trip

[MadCatter]

OK, I cheated and called this tom in with a predator call. But before I get lambasted for not using the hounds...

I knew this was some good stuff for bobs, but its tuff to get too (round-about trip with no direct route), one way in, one way out. So we went in and called it.

Killed this cat on the first set, within 15 minutes. No scale, but I'm guessing about 23-25 lbs. Sorry for the pics, no camera, all I had was the cell phone wiht me.

Driving to the next set, a huge bobcat walked across the two-track in front of us. Made this one look little! Drove on to the second set and called in another good cat. Lost him in the brush and he never gave us a good shot.

Saw three cats in two sets! I'm taking the girls (a.k.a. potlickers) back in there as soon as I get a chance!

Anyhow, now that gun deer season is over, it's time to run the dogs down this draw! I'll let you know if we have any luck.

PS - Please be nice to me for calling and not just running the dogs. I can't help it, it's how I grew up. LOL

Travis

[kbb]

nice cat....even if it was called in... now go after the others with the hounds....take care and good hunting...

[david]

I think everyone should try calling bobcat. That way, everyone will have a ton of appreciation for what you accomplished out there. Blink your eye at the wrong time and they are gone before you even knew they were there. Maybe you dont have so much brush, but still that is a great accomplishment! You have some pretty cats out there.

[MadCatter]

Thanks David. I've been fortunate to have called in quite a few over the years. But, you're right... blink and they are gone! I don't know how many times I've been calling and haven't seen a thing, then like magic I realize a cat is setting there looking at me. They seem to just materialize out of nowhere. I've had them show up at 30 yards in fairly open country and never saw them coming. Their like little ghost!

Now if I can just get my dogs to put one of those ghost up a tree!

Travis

[pat_kemp]

Nice cat congrats those are tricky bastards to call in nice job.

[Arkansas Frog]

if fur prices were normal that is a 600 dollar cat in Fallon

[MadCatter]

Akansas Frog, I wish fur prices were good! I could use the money to support my other bad habit... Chasing 'em with dogs! LOL

Travis

[jeff]

Thanks David. I've been fortunate to have called in quite a few over the years. But, you're right... blink and they are gone! I don't know how many times I've been calling and haven't seen a thing, then like magic I realize a cat is setting there looking at me. They seem to just materialize out of nowhere. I've had them show up at 30 yards in fairly open country and never saw them coming. Their like little ghost!

Now if I can just get my dogs to put one of those ghost up a tree!

Travis

Purdy cat MadCatter,congrats !!
Your above statements are exactley why I call them the swamp ghost here in michigan, I always wonder how long they have been sitting their looking at me before I noticed them, and wonder how many that I have not noticed that vanished into thin air, thats why anymore I take a loop around my set after I call to see if one slipped out on me, sometimes I wish I wouldnt do that cuz it is depressing if they showed tracks in the snow but I was not focusing on cat and day dreaming and such, our coyotes come pouncing in usually but the cats take vary thorough scanning looking for a piece of a cat at times just sitting their looking at you from around a cedar, JMO.

Thanks for sharing your hunt & pics

Jeff

[MadCatter]

Thanks Jeff. I had one come in last year at a trot across wide open ground. Got to about 80 yards when a coyote came in behind him (within 10 yards). That tom turned, puffed up and raised a clawed foot, preparing to fight the yote.

That coyote never stood a chance... when the 45 grains of copper coated lead hit him square in the chest! LOL

The bobcat just stood there for a minute trying to figure out how he scared that coyote to death. He finally trotted off to the right as a nother coyote was coming from about 400 yards out. I tried a poke at the second yote just as he disappeared.

I think he saw his cousin laying there and shagged ass.

My buddies that were with me couldn't believe I didn't shoot the bobcat. It was early in the season and they hadn't haired up good. Called that spot a month later and never saw him.

Maybe this year we'll meet again. I figure he owes me for saving his life... well, at least for preventing a fight. That big tom probably would have killed the yote.

Maybe I should have just sat and watched.

Take care,
Travis

[BlacktailStalker]

Thats pretty cool, real nice looking cat.
Did you use a mouth call or fox pro? What noise do you have the most success with if you don't mind sharing ?

[MadCatter]

Blacktail,

I use a varity of calls. Because bobcats can take a long time to respond (or at least a long time for me to see them), I use an electronic call. I hate being winded when they finally show.

Mine is a Johnny Stewart 612, cassett caller. As the cats get closer, I turn the volume down. Sometimes I finish the deal by lip squeaking.

I also use mouth calls, and about always have one on me (batteries die, tape gets screwed, fuse blows, etc.). I have about 15 different mouth calls, but use the jackrabbit call the most.

On the cassett caller, I have better luck with bird calls (yellow-headed woodpecker, meadow lark, etc.) for bobcat. I've also made a few for myself, mixing different sounds. These are still in "trial mode", but I have killed some coyotes off of them.

One of my favorites, or the "go to" cassett is called "Jackrabbits A' La Vitals". I think it's a Johnny Stewart made tape.

Hope that helps. Let me know if I can help further.

Travis

[BlacktailStalker]

Thanks for that.
Good luck on your future sets, you seem to have it dialed in

[MadCatter]

Like I said before, It's how I grew up. Now if I can just gets the dogs dialed in. I wanted to go today with the dogs, but those "honey-do's" keep getting in the way. Now I have to work tomorrow. Maybe I can go after work and get a couple of night sets in.

Travis

[Hipshooter]

When we go with the dogs we call up some times, usally about dark.
some times we will see one, but most of the time u don,t after while we thake 2 or three of the strike dogs I walk in a big circle around the calling area, If the cat has been there the dogs strike & the race is on, just turn out the other dogs. We have had good luck doing this, always a good hot race.

[MadCatter]

Hipshooter, dp you think those cats are trying to figure out how the hell those dogs sounded like a dying rabbit? LOL

Travis