Bobcat Hunting Facts Mostly Accurate
“BOBCAT Range: Most of the continental U.S. Common across the South. You won't see 'em much, but they're out there. Habitat: Thick timber, swamps, brushy areas, rocky terrain. They like cover and they like bein' left alone. Diet: Rabbits, squirrels, mice, birds, and whatever small game they can ambush. They're patient hunters and they don't miss much. Average Size: 15 to 35 pounds. Season: Fur season in the fall and winter. Varies by state. Method: Foothold traps with a visual attractor like a feather or a piece of foil. Bobcats are curious. You hang somethin' that moves in the wind near a set and they can't help but come look.”
Summary
Bobcats occupy most of the continental United States, especially the South, and thrive in varied habitats such as dense timber, swamps, brushy and rocky areas. Their diet consists mainly of rabbits, squirrels, mice, birds and other small game, and adults typically weigh between 15 and 35 pounds. Fur‑hunting seasons are generally set for fall and winter and differ by state, and foothold traps baited with visual lures like feathers are an accepted method for capturing them.
Sources 60 searched
- SCDNR - Mammal - Species - Bobcat
Bobcats are found throughout the lower 48 states, but are rare in many upper midwestern states. They are found throughout South Carolina, being most abundant in the Coastal Plain, but apparently increasing in the Piedmont.
- Fish and Wildlife: Bobcats
Bobcats have been reported from almost every Indiana county but are most common in southern and west-central Indiana. A study conducted by the DNR in south-central Indiana revealed that bobcats are capable of dispersing up to 100 miles from ...
- Bobcat
Range: The bobcat’s range has historically extended throughout the lower 48 United States into southern Canada and south to central Mexico. This range has remained largely intact due to the species’ adaptability to various habitats and human ...
- Bobcat | State of New Hampshire Fish and Game
Habits and Habitat: Bobcats live in scrubby or broken forests (hardwood, coniferous, or mixed), swamps, farmland, semi-deserts, scrubland, and rocky or bushy arid lands. Their home ranges vary in size depending on sex, season and prey distribution ...
- Bobcat - California Department of Fish and Wildlife
The Department of Fish and Wildlife manages California's diverse fish, wildlife, and plant resources, and the habitats upon which they depend, for their ecological values and for their use and enjoyment by the public.
- Learn about bobcats | Mass.gov
Although some young fall prey to owls, coyotes, and adult male bobcats, food abundance is the primary factor affecting the survival of both kittens and juvenile bobcats. Bobcats are an important natural resource in Massachusetts. They are classified as a furbearer species, for which a management program and regulated hunting and trapping seasons have been established.
- The Art of Catching a Bobcat – State of the Planet
This was Scott’s third year of trapping. Earlier when we were driving out, I had asked Scott, “So, how many bobcats have you caught overall?” Scott’s reply was terse and unapologetic: “Two.” · It is not uncommon for ecologists, especially those studying elusive animals, to spend months, potentially years, without ever encountering their focus species first-hand. Not for a second would Scott or I begrudge plucking feathers from dead pigeons or being splattered with bobcat urine.
- Bobcat Damage Management – Wildlife Damage Management
Scattered bits of fur and feathers work well. Bobcats can be drawn to traps by “flags” hung from trees or rocks located near trap sets (Fig. 4). Suspend flags about 4 feet (1.3 m) above the ground with fine wire or string. A combination of stiff wire with string attached to its end prevents ...
- bobcat lures | Predator Masters
I will eat the rabbits I use unless they are road kill. I will have to change my method of take from a head shot with a 223 to a shot from a 22 LR but Other than that, I think a feather might be more convenient and as effective, especially to bring the cats to the lure in the trap.
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