This is a thread that I hope will turn out to be "all things 'cats!"
I see some post on here from time to time asking a few 'cat questions, about traps or best sets, but never really full detail into what it takes to really take good numbers of 'cats in all types of weather and geographic locations.
There are some really top notch 'cat trappers on here, occasinally I will see some post with some pictured, so I know they are out there and so is the fine detailed information.
The things I hope to dicuss with other trappers on here are:

Location within locations.
Lures, baits, call lures.
Urine usage.
Droppings, worth the trouble?
Flagging and/or sight attactors.
The No# 1 scent for attacting cats?
Targeting Toms only during breeding season.
Dealing with dumb coyotes that doesn't know what a 'cat set is.
Best traps for 'cats.( Should be a good topic.)
Drags vs staked sets vs cable tie offs.
'Cat migration, ( yes, it does happen when weather patterns (ie: deep snow) or a food sourse changes.)
The use of squeekers.
Cubbies-Kill traps vs footholds.
Snares.
Kill trap usage.
Calling ( anyone doing that on here?)
'Cat reaction to changing weather patterns.
Cage trap use.
Felines, fur & feathers.
Wind chimes, bells and whistles.
Exposed pan set, Who uses it?
Dispatch.
Sets
...and of course, a whole lot more.

I hope enough trappers will add to this thread to make it a wealth of knowledge for others who will be able to use the imformation on their trapline.

LT




I'll start with just a simple walk-through in a dry wash using natural material for blocking and guides.
Set can use one or two traps.
My preference in this type of enviroment, is two #4 modified ( step-in) Montomerys on a High Plains Plow w/ 8 ft of heavy chain.
Notice the 'suttle' blocking to the right...

wow got alota ground to cover here heh

first thing locations within locations .......in cat country where sighn is abudant i like to look at the landmarks in this country salt cedars deep washes gulleys etc ive found most toilets in these especialy on salt cedars as well as scratches......to me the best way to skin a cat is right on the pot the biggest thing taught to me and proven right 100% of the time is to set on sighn and not look for a place tht would make a good set theres no point makeing a set well out of any animals way the path of least resistance proves true i make a set in a location like toiles etc and the rocky cliffs ad bluffs, i set on the trails leading down to them as well and find locations where travel ways intersect
most of my sets are constructed sort of wide giveing room to turn around in but not to much i heavly guide cats on both sides useing rocks twigts stickts etc i like to use a flat rock for a rubbing post i smear a gland lure on the rock an a good amount of a gland lure last year i used dobbins Purrrfect and alot of wayne dericks lures.pecos valley cat call ,tombstone and a lure that a mentor of mine make but it do nt have much of a name......on te backig i wet it all down with cat urine and use quite a big i try to wet it all. when you want a cat to work a set you got two basic ideas.hunger and curiosity.....curiosity will always get theyre attention think about it if he just ate hes ganna walk right bye a cat has the attention spand of a two year old but a good gland lure that is a lil loud will get his attention..i also fill a pill bottle full of urine and stick cotton balls in it and add a lil catnip and leave it at the set as well as a desert works well for me.....flagging schrismas thistle and the fuzzy bals hanging from a branch do wonders as well as a lil hsheeps wool stuffed under the rock in a peep hole when i put bait down in the hole.......sardine can lids last year i used alot of the small utility flags but i tied a small peice of white ribbon to them if it s interesting enufff it can do wonders..............traps i used a modified #2 or #3 bridger even #2 montys most times..i like the dogless traps alnd always have use quite a few monty dogless ..last yea i started useing the kb.5.5s an i just loved em not one miss or a bad catch always hign on the foot.........in most the country i trap its perty rocky so i use a older and wide drag like the goverment guys used a t of heavy rebar with cotton pickers welded on each side ....and tie offs when im near a heavy backing...like mesquite salt cedar and small trees i tie righ toff to them i think the shiny cable adds more of an attractant to cats ........the drags i buary in the bedor throw them off in the brush ........cable stakes when i can i use dershires 15 inch cables and they work excellent...............cats and weather pattersns and time ....i give a singe cat 3 days to work his territory and t o come back and the rest sometimes for 2or 3 days straight ive had hits somedays it was 3 before any ...........high pressure systems i think we can all agree in cloud cover or befoe a storm they all move searching for grub etc before a storm hits or just enjoying the cloud cover as it seems to give a warming effect on the surface and a break from the cold wind i beleive these are good times t wend up with a cat mabe the best........all in all said i perty much find the sighn and set on it ..........the trail intersectins or singletrails leadig down to the draws washes or sany bottoms are deadly themselves for greys cats and even a few coons like last year personaly the toilets themselves.......set on sighn is the key in my opinion

Wow great post farrier. Any pics of some of your sets? Again great post guys

most of these pics everyone has seen im not good with cameras so i use my cell phone.......plus i dont have a camera heh the cat above was taken on a trail leading to a small pring salt cedars growing heavily around it. and heres some cat pics from last year note the toe catch was a 1.5 monty was a fox set and happend to get him...was a lucky catch lol cat set below








and here is a cat set.......note theres no trap was just kinda messin around with a new lure but heres an idea of how i do things .....each sitchation is different thew of course

Here are two seperate cats taken one day apart in the same 1 1/2 Mongomery set for coon in a dry wash nest to a dirt road.





Both were caught on a chunk of carp, using a dirt hole set. Releasing them was a lot of fun since I did not have my cat equipment with me...now I carry a notched board all the time.

Here is the catch and remake...A scratch up set. Using a home made concoction that works for me. The only other commercial stuff I use now is Asa Lennons Bobcat Super All-Call.











Here is the cat taken two days after the remake.

wow...very nice posts!

Down here where I get to do my cat trapping its all planted pine plantations stuff and from the looks of the pics posted so far it a good bit thicker anyway I like to go down the fire lanes and Ill try and find a place with a limb hanging out approximately half way across the lane and 5 r 6 feet off the ground then Ill hang a large piece of flagging(about 4 ft long) from the limb and then make a flashy dirt hole under the flaggin. we can use feathers and animal parts for lure and eye appeal down here so I use then also. As for lure I usually hang a cotton ball with something skunky on it high up then some type of castor bait and gland lure down the dirt hole

2 days later


i always set the high bank and the low trail along a creek if i pick up cat tracks...

I do alot of the same and my best year was 16 cats. All but one were caught in footholds and by hanging squirrels about 4 feet from the ground,Asa's lure in the hole and cat pee on the backing.All traps were staked with 15 inch cable stakes. Set on sign is the biggest part of the puzzle as cats are easy to catch. I think the reason so many trappers are discouraged is becasue they find a likely looking spot and set on it but come up empty handed. Find the turds or the tracks and the rest is easy.As far as using 220's and buckets, I have found you will miss alot more cats with this method but it does work. Cats seem funny at times as some years a person can catch 15 or so in coni's and then the next year only caught a hand full. Bobcats and house cats are very similar in their ways. They hug the edges of their surrounding,are curious critters,etc. I have walked in on a property 2 different times and had bobcats jumping out of trees. Once was a tree hanging over a creek where there are beaver and the other was a family of cats that were high in a tree over the creek. Set high for cats or low? I set up high in and around cedars,large brush piles,etc. Bob Wendt sets in Kansas around packrat houses and says you will find the cats there. I have not noticed this to any extent here in eastern Kansas. More likely where there are beaver and muskrat, there will be cats.I give a cat 5 days to come back around instead of 3 days. Once you find an area with cats,it is likely that it will produce in the years to come. Here is a big secret that I have that I will share,which maybe some know and some don't. Sand bars! If you trap river systems or wide creeks, if there is a large sand bar,you are likely to find cats here. Everything runs the sand bars. I could talk cats for hours but it is getting lete for this trapper. More to come.

I drew a bobcat tag for here in PA and know pretty much nothing about cats, so what is the smallest traps you guys would go with for cats? I really don't feel like spending $150 for equipment and traps that I'm only going to use one time.

A 1.75 with offset jaws and 4 coiled will work well is that is what I caught all my cats in with a perfect pad catch resulting in no damage.I can block in around the trap and it makes a nice sized target for them to place their foot. With all of the heavy guiding, I seldom have to worry about a coyote messing with it but have and taken those coyotes also. If tageting coyotes, I step up to a bigger trap.

I use 1.75 offsets when I canine trap but the spring pins have been cut off so I can't add any more coils. Do I need the 4 coils? Would offset laminated 1.75 be better or worse?

I used 1.75 Victors but can't offer any help or advice on your question as I never used 2 coiled traps because of our freezing,wet,damp conditions at the time.

Another question to be answered is no pan tension versus light pan tension for cats. Cats are light steppers as they don't leave alot of heavy tracks for sign.

tbn,
i used to nightlatch all my 1.75s for cats... i now run 3 montanas and monties... i don't mess with these pans at all....

i shortlatch all of mine......kinda hairy trigger was the way i learned and it works for me ive perty much gone to the kbs now days thew

Yeh, all mine are night latched also. I am now a Bridger and MB 550 man. I just know there is a difference in opinion on pan tension.I know a guy that runs zero pan tension for cats but I prefer slight tension to get a higher pad catch versus zero with toe catches. If they are committed to stepping where you want,over the top of the guiding and straight down on the pan, they are already committed to putting their foot down on the pan so I don't feel slight pan tension is going to cost you a miss.

K miller, you run 220's at all for cats? Try rubbing some good lure on the trigger for them to come up and rub on. Set off the ground at eye level.

no tbn,
i do not set 220s on land....

snares and footholds only... what about 160s????

I caught a kitten once in a 160 that was set for coon.I understand your views with 220's, I think. I am very wise where I set 220's and they are far away from any houses.