What's the Proper Way

to release a bobcat, considering the health and welfare of both the cat and the trapper?

Isn't just one by my standards and anyone who says there's only one is confusing what is comfortable and convenient for them as proper.

I wonder if a catch pole release does damage that is often fatal? Most the places I trap with cats are deer leases and it's a kill em' all deal. I do have some places I could "manage" the cat population if that is truly possible.

You can put them in a catch pole without choking them.

I use a big plastic container with a long piece of PVC for a handle. Put it over the cat, pull his foot out, release his foot, and let him go.

Any bases for your thought on the catch pole? The ones I release are all with a catch pole and are all very much alive when they leave. I would have no idea what kind of damage u could do with a catch pole that would kill them later. If you choked them too hard or where real slow any damage would be immediate and would not get worse later after release

I've seen a few people in person choked unconscious and they come back a bit slow sometimes but no measurable damage

Yes sir just a thought since they fight a pole so much. Fatal not the right word but wondering if it does damage to the carotid artery. The goal is to release the cat unharmed while keeping myself unharmed. Lol. I've never released one because of the kill em' all rule on these deer leases. That's the reason for the question.
Canebrake, the plastic container seems like a nifty trick.

https://youtu.be/ULNkh61PgjE?si=2Rnok0PDPkiLxRYQ

These are a little bigger but choking them clean out they come back thru. A lot of people told me you couldn’t choke lions out but it does work. A bobcat you do need to be a little more careful with, they go down so fast.

Western Wildlife Services

For me the proper way is this.
Buy the best choke pole you can afford, at least 4' long. I prefer the Spring assisted release models.
Tighten the loop around the neck enough to hold them, then push them away from the trap anchoring point. When they settle down a LITTLE ? take the trap off, be careful.
When the trap is off. I will drag the animal away about 10 yards from the trap or traps. Then I will stand between the animal and the traps because those bobcats want to return to the spot they were caught. Now Release the animal and remake the set.

I use a piece of plywood for all my releases- tried other methods, you need to get a front foot in with a catch pole.

I use a good size plastic tote with one of the top corners cut out. Release a few this way.

6 foot Ketch All pole

4x4 piece of haf inch plywood with a trap/leg slot in bottom..center. Put some handles on back up near top for you to hold onto...and a block at the bottom to put toe of boot on.

Walk in to cat using plywood as a shield. Line up slot with trap/foot. Release and continue using as a shield to keep cat off of you.

I've only caught a few that needed to be released. Used a homemade catch pole.
Nowadays, I'd want something more reliable.

In 2019 I had a cat come back to life in the backseat of my truck, I was pulling traps and had a cat in a set. Put it down pulled trap moved on. About an hour later heading down the highway I looked in the review mirror to see the cat sitting up looking at me. It was a little rodeo trying to get it back to dead, once the pole was back on I decided to just pull off highway and skin it out. Problem solved!

Western Wildlife Services.

This works very well to turn all sorts of things loose, including critters much bigger than bobcats. But you pretty much need a truck handy to carry it. I've used a catch pole, but I don't choke them down, just snug it up enough they can't slip it, stretch them out and take off the trap. I've used a forked stick when I didn't have anything else handy, just pin the cat down with it at the end of the trap chain, brace the other end of the stick against my hip and reach down and take the trap off. I don't necessarily recommend that method to others though.

Reese Mason of Idaho makes a dandy release pole that you can reach out and release the trap from a distance with. A little spendy, but it sure gets rid of a lot of hassle.

I wouldn't recommend choking a cat or lion clear down like wws shows, they won't all come back. No real need to choke a critter the size of a bobcat down though.

Here ya go. Skye is one of our trapper ed instructors here in Wisconsin. She's disabled linking it but if you go to You Tube and google the following you'll find it.

Bobcat Released Unharmed from Hollow Log Fisher Set using humane foothold trap

Basically like this although for bobcats I might use a little bigger piece of plywood.

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/1OqEvU92TGY?feature=share

Once took half a plastic drum with a notch for just it's foot sticking out.. Cat calmed right down inside the drum pretty quick..

Had to ride by with the wheeler and kick the drum over to get the cat to leave.. I've let more go with just a release pole and have had no problem

I have used the plastic tub- like livestock mineral comes in- for a few years now, like it better then catch pole or 4x4 plywood.
My carcasses are put in the tubs to dispose of, so I have it on the atv.
Not as convenient as a catch pole to haul around but better then plywood.
Once cat is under tub I pull foot and trap out lay across tub to hold down and release.

That link doesn't work.

This guy releases a few and at the 29 minute mark he shows you what not to do after a cat is released.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3LqyJVlIGd8

A few years ago our chapter had a biologist give a demo for our spring meeting. He talked about his experience dealing with trapping and radio collaring bobcats. He said one of the first cats he used a catch pole on and collared only travelled a few yards from the catch site and died within 24 hours. Another cat had a small abrasion on its foot and died of an infection about six weeks later.

His message to us was , bobcats are delicate. He still uses a catch pole but makes sure to get one leg or shoulder in the loop and don’t pull too tight.

I’d be more interested in hearing about collaring a live healthy bobcat in a trap, than releasing it with a catch pole afterwards, lol.

He only used the catch pole to hold the cat long enough to give it a shot of sleepy medicine. Lol putting a collar on one that’s not sleeping would be something to see .

Been there, done that. Been a lot of years though. Pinned it down with a couple of two by fours, one on the hind quarters and one on the front legs and head, stood on the two by fours and buckled a collar on it.

Yeah, I was about twenty and it seemed like a good idea at the time. managed it without getting scratched or bit, but would probably come up with a better system nowadays.