BigGameHoundsmen.com

This is for the guys out west what elevation do you find the most bobcats at I have mostly hunted the desert and canyon land close to me and am going to hunt the higher elevation mountians sonot sure if they hang year round in same spot or migrate with snow I know rabbit stay so not sure any help would be great. thanks

Im not expert but it seems like around here its in the 2000-2500ft range, but thats our average elevation, they are lower and higher but I typically find them at that elevation

They will stay high if feed is there. Snow shoes mostly in the high country. I can show you pockets of cats 5000 to 7500 feet. Pretty hard to get there without snow machines. Dewey

Mr. Dewey, I know that this is a little off topic, but you mention "pockets" of cats. This is something that I see in the area that I hunt. Seems to me like there are a few cats in this area and a few in that area and none in this other area. Do you think they travel frequently from "pocket" to "pocket"? Over here it seems as though they stay fairly isolated judging from hair and confirmation differences. I don't seem to ever see tracks leading from one to another. Just trying to pick your brain a little.

Thanks,
Scott

They are at all elevations here but were the food supply is is were the majority of cats will be. In the mountain area here, seems cat stay in thier own areas for the most part, when breeding season starts (Feb) the toms have a tendancy to range out of thier so called pockets. Andy

I would agree with Mr Walton on elevation. But habitat has to be right also. By that I meen for prey and for the bobs own security. I've seen where timber is thin"d and the rabbits and bobs leave. Also all but the big bobs will stay clear of open flat ground where the coyotes get a crack at them.
They will use the rocky country if the prey base is there. It takes a pretty special dog to catch them in the rock.

R Severe wrote:They will use the rocky country if the prey base is there. It takes a pretty special dog to catch them in the rock.

I can run them into the rocks most every time!

twist wrote:In the mountain area here, seems cat stay in thier own areas for the most part, when breeding season starts (Feb) the toms have a tendancy to range out of thier so called pockets. Andy

This leads to another question....Bobcats only breed a certain time of year? I just assumed they were like house cats and lions and would breed anytime of year.

Scott

No bobcats breed once a year as far as I know, like Andy said in February, that's the time to get after them if you can, usually find 2 tracks together. I know not all bobbers eat yearlings but I have found several yearling whitetail and muley kills that were done by bobcats. Im not saying that it's one of their main sources of food but I think some people forget that they will eat deer as well. Ive also known them to eat roadkill deer as well. Not to mention they also eat squirrels and grouse/other birds. Bobcats arent quite the same as lynx in that they only follow the snowshoe rabbits although that's where you can usually find a cat hanging around. Im no expert but this is what I have noticed, at least in the area that I hunt

This leads to another question....Bobcats only breed a certain time of year? I just assumed they were like house cats and lions and would breed anytime of year.

Scott[/quote]


Two years ago around this time of the year my dogs treed two cats. One of which was about a 2 lb kitten that was on a branch just out of reach of the dogs and the mother ran to another tree about 70yds away. I have a picture somewhere and ill see if i can find it but i always thought they just breed during the spring until that happend.

I googled it and read a couple articles "online" for what its worth but they said the meadian / most common date for ovulation/heat was march 15th but certain cats could be in heat anytime of the year depending on hormones, also that they mite go thru 3 cycles a year if they dont get breed. Also the sperm count in the males was largest during feb-apl but never absent like an elk.

i hunt several different areas and they are at different elevations throughout. one area has almost no small prey base, but there is alot of deer. another has no deer and a butt load of squirrels.

these 2 areas/pockets alone hold several cats. the 1 with deer has several lion as well. i also frequent another area that i just happened across elk hunting. followed a single cat track at about 9000ft and there are always a couple around this area. i still can't figure out why? not reallly any prey base and the cover is nill. have not found a close place with these either. but the dogs sure has fun.

as to big toms in the open, it is surprising how mean these are to dogs, not much fear, but nice pelts.

this is why i hunt odd areas every once in awhile. i am usually pleasantly surprised at what we find.
mack

I may of miss led by saying cats can be found here at high elevation, they are at all elevation more lower. Habitat and food are the keys. At high elevations it is usually pockets that have snowshoes. I have seen sign high in the Bitterroot's around the Pikas. A lot of bobs go to the rocks in the winter snows, there is a lot of rodents there. Bobcat normally breed in the late winter or early spring. Just like deer the rut will vary from north to south. Bobcats will breed any time if they lose there litter at young age. I have seen three litters a year raised by taking the kittens away when they are born and hand raising them to tame them and the female will breed again. Dewey

The highest population of cats i know of is at 5,000 feet in eastern oregon!