Been trapping coyotes to try to knock them back before fawns hit. Really not concerned with the few cats but knew it was going to happen at some point. Made my first release today.



Had visuals of a jet powered wildcat on top of my head. Couldnt help but be reminded of the Jerry Clower story as I put together a game plan. Cut a hole in one edge of the sheet metal to run his paw through. Being rear leg caught, he kept wanting to come around and hide on my side of the panel.



Lesson learned. Dont give them a nearby place to hide. Had to use the pole saw to knock him out from under there. Ran off injury free. It's impressive that those traps can hold so well and not even break a bone.



Anybody else trapping?

"Shoot up here amongst us, because one of us needs some relief!"

On the positive side, he didn't jump in the passenger seat.

Too bad you didn't get a story of the cat jumping in your truck with the door open.

You got off light, since you trapped a bobcat, not a lynx.

It was years before I figured out what brogan shoes was.

Speaking of, I think a monkey could've helped here.

What happens if that cat climbed inside the dashboard?

OB hall of fame story.

Matching the trap to the animal is key to avoiding animal damage. I let a badger go one time.

"Knock him out John"

Just trapping raccoons at the moment. Hoping to preserve what little fruit we may get off trees this year. Bobcats are neat creatures.

Side note: you were the one selling the mayhaw and other trees, right? That was my brother in the tan yj jeep that got some of the trees from you.

jeremy360 said:

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Just trapping raccoons at the moment. Hoping to preserve what little fruit we may get off trees this year. Bobcats are neat creatures.

Side note: you were the one selling the mayhaw and other trees, right? That was my brother in the tan yj jeep that got some of the trees from you.

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Yep, seemed like a real good guy. We've been staying in touch. I forget which trees he took but my mayhaws are popping out real nice so far.

Im hitting the coons hard too. Hoping the work during the breeding season might actually knock them back. We trapped coons for a few months during the summer and again since deer season. Stopped counting at 85 and now around 120. Seems every one you remove, two take it's place.

He really is. You wont meet a better guy to hunt and fish with. Me and him do tons of hunting and fishing together throughout the year. His dog Milo is dang good at blood trailing and a duck getting machine.

I think he got the oaks. I debated back and forth on the mayhaws cause I wasnt sure how they would do here. If you have luck with them, I might have to invest in a few.

Wodanaz said:

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Speaking of, I think a monkey could've helped here.

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Just don't lie to him. I hear they don't like that.

Poor Ol' June.

Lots of folks stop at the wildcat coon hunting story, but as a former competitive coon hunter before the internet, I got knowledge from anywhere I could; including from Uncle Jerry.

Made the mistake once of using a steel trap to try and catch armadillos that were tearing up my yard. Ended up with a stray house cat in it instead. That was one pissed off dude. We both escaped without serious injury but I learned two important lessons:

1. Don't use a steel trap when stray cats are a possibility. Use a live trap instead.

2. If you forget #1 and have to free a trapped cat, poke at him, scare him, etc to provoke a reaction (at a safe distance) and burn his energy. About 15 minutes later he will be exhausted and much easier to approach to free the trap.

Bobcats are hell on fawns as well. FYI

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/276266274_Coyote_and_Bobcat_Predation_on_White-tailed_Deer_Fawns_in_a_Longleaf_Pine_Ecosystem_in_Southwestern_Georgia

CAPORAL said:

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Bobcats are hell on fawns as well. FYI

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I run a lot of cameras and just don't see enough cats to think they're a problem. They also seem to be fairly small. Pretty sure a doe would stomp a hole in the one we caught.

The yotes had gotten to the point of being on camera every day and tracks literally everywhere you looked.

My logic was go after the yotes and leave the few cats to keep the rodents in check.

I own and operate a high fence. They are a problem.

Wodanaz said:

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Poor Ol' June.

Lots of folks stop at the wildcat coon hunting story, but as a former competitive coon hunter before the internet, I got knowledge from anywhere I could; including from Uncle Jerry.

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Use to listen to him on cassette and AM radio at night on the way back from the farm with my dad.

Best kind of memory.

The Coon Hunting Monkey and Uncle Versie's Mule are some of the most aburpt and hilarious stories in the collection.

CAPORAL said:

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I own and operate a high fence. They are a problem.

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I own and operate a low fence. Do as you feel best.

Bring back the fur industry and coons will be in short supply.

Earning his keep.

CAPORAL said:

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I own and operate a high fence. They are a problem.

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How do you operate a fence?

I have been doing a fair amount of trapping since September because I had not seen a fallow or blackbuck fawn in nearly a year. I have caught two times as many bobcats as coyotes.

CS78 said:

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Earning his keep.

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Why do people think Possums are a problem? I keep seeing people who kill possums but I can't figure out why.

I don't see them as a major issue. I don't go out of my way to worry about them. I know they eat ticks. Pretty sure they eat ground nesting bird eggs too.

Bless you brother

Don't they carry a disease that kills horses?