Sitting out in fields. Tonight might be a cat night.
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That’s what I’m hoping for. You have several out for them?
Only about a dozen. I’m not real fired up this year, lazy.
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Clear and cold seems to always bring out the cats house and bob. From what i seen.
Colt
Any of you all ever seen a cat’s tracks (front foot) with nails showing majority of the time?
I have when the snow is deep
Yes in snow or mud sometimes. Usually just generally round tracks and round toes.
When I’ve seen cats nails showing, its been in mud and tracks were spaced further apart than normal. I always figured they were probably running and using their nails for traction.
I’ve seen them in deep snow and in sloppy mud on river banks. I figure it’s in effort to make there foot wider so they don’t sink as deep. More surface area so to speak.
I had one the other day I was sure was caught after daylight as cold as it was. That, combined with so many trail cam pics I see of daylight cats I don’t get in a hurry in the early morning to look at cat sets. Surprisingly, I’ve also had several warm, limber beaver way up in the mornings. I’ve wondered if they’ve smelled that lure a few times during the night and decided to finally check it out before turning in for the day.
Your theory must have been correct, I caught a cat last night!
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I’m glad it was for you. I had a possum and a peed on coon.
If its any consolation, I had a big possum too in a 220 coni box for cats.
That’s where mine was. I guess if it’s been zero and warms up to 19 they stir. A big red tail flew off the possum. Had been dining.
Can someone post pictures of there coni boxes so i know how to build them, also if by chance got a picture when it is set?
Never used them and want to try it.
If you Google 220 conibears box there will be a lot of stuff come up. I only used a few because it was so bitter cold to make sure at least a few traps were working. I was behind a locked gate, very remote and posted.
Go to you tube, look up chip Davis of expand-a-pan. Type in Bobcat cubby boxes and his video will come up. He gives dimensions on building bobcat boxes for use with a 220. A BIG FACTOR IN SUCCESS with them is to have a pan / treadle for the cat to step on. Either bend the trigger wires about 90 degrees and push on wire screen, plywood squares, or buy some of his pans to go on the trigger wires so that there is a big opening in the trap; and no trigger wires hanging down in a cats face!
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What type of bait do you use? I’m assuming something that would catch their eye?
I like to use beaver fleshings or deer scraps and yes, a handful of feathers thrown in there helps. I bet muskrat carcasses would work good. I used domestic rabbit fur too. I know someone that’s caught three this year on deer hide and meat. One problem I’ve had in the past is them reaching in instead of poking their heads in. I met a guy from Minnesota that put his bait maybe six inches back and he said they poke their heads in instead of reach. He caught a bunch up there in 160’s. I don’t use the set much. Only in very rough conditions or somewhere I’m quite certain no one will be in there.
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I’ve caught a few in the set. Mr. Leon has caught a lot in it. Another trapper I know near Somerset regularly catches his cats in it. A knowledgeable trapper can use it rather safely. I worry about kids, buckets, 220’s and just behind subdivisions a lot.