Bobcat Traps

Trapping Bobcats

How to Trap a Bobcat with Live Traps

Using any trap requires patience and practice. It won’t matter how good your trap or camouflage is if you have not placed it properly. Bobcats do not deviate from their travel paths more than a few feet, but you can try to lure them by redirecting groundcover, make runways with sticks or logs, or use feathers, fur, or animals as bait.

• Bobcat live traps should be 15x15x40 or 24x24x48 in size
• Cover traps with brush and grass well, to create a natural looking recess. Cover bottom of traps with dirt.
• Placing near a travel way with rock outcroppings can be beneficial, since it will blend in better. Always look for brushy areas to place traps.
• You can bait these traps with freshly killed or live rabbits or poultry.
• Always check your local laws before attempting any bobcat trapping.

How to Catch a Bobcat

There are several methods to catch bobcats. You can employ fur trappers during the height of fur season if you wish, or you can attempt to catch bobcats yourself.

• If you just notice bobcats in your area you can attempt to remove their habitat. They like areas with abundant brush, timber, rocks, and other cover, and if you eliminate this, you can deter them from coming around your property.
• Woven wire fencing can be efficient exclusion if your area is small. Keep in mind, though, that bobcats can jump more than six feet high and are good climbers.
• Trapping bobcats can be accomplished with leg hold traps, body grabbing traps, snares, and cage traps (live traps). You will have to do research on each type of trap to determine which will suit your needs best. We sell cage traps, so that is what will be discussed.

Bobcat Identification

Bobcats are about twice to three times bigger than an average housecat. Their tracks resemble housecat tracks as well, with about a seven-inch stride. Their coat can vary in color but is usually some variation of brown with black spots. Depending on where the cat lives, the fur length can vary. Since bobcats are rarely seen, sometimes the only identification you can make is with tracks or with the style of killing prey.

Bobcat Behavior

Bobcats hunt a very wide variety of prey, everything from small rodents to deer. They most often hunt rabbits, squirrels, porcupines, gophers, and groundhogs, but also eat opossums, raccoons, and ground nesting birds. They feed mostly on what is available to them, so if your livestock is all that is in the vicinity, they will hunt them. Bobcats are protected in many states, including Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, and most of Kentucky. Western states are often exempt because of ranching, etc. Always check your local laws before attempting any bobcat control.