Hunting cats in USA and Canada

[dchum]

My last bobcat was a chance of opportunity while aoudad hunting in The trans Pecos region of far west Texas. This was on a ranch in Marfa, TX. They get a little bigger in west Texas and she had a nice summer coat.

But the “golden triangle” region know for big whitetail Webb county particularly being Laredo to eagle pass on the border.

The “brush country” is FULL of bobcats. So many cotton tail rabbits leads to plenty of food to keep many cats per acre. I would contact a deer operation near Laredo and ask about sitting for bobcats. Get a pocket Prey electronic call and they will come.

 

[buck wild]

We call in 5-10 bobcats per year only trying 1-2 nights on my Texas property. I got this 28 lb tom (I’m on the right) in January. I saw a lynx once in Colorado in 2000 while sitting over a waterhole elk hunting. They were protected in CO and it had a radio collar. I will do mnt lion one day!

 

[HankBuck]

We call in 5-10 bobcats per year only trying 1-2 nights on my Texas property. I got this 28 lb tom (I’m on the right) in January. I saw a lynx once in Colorado in 2000 while sitting over a waterhole elk hunting. They were protected in CO and it had a radio collar. I will do mnt lion one day!

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@buck wild - that’s a fine Texas cat, and your success rate is outstanding. I’ve only gotten to hunt predators in Texas once and we spent 5 days & nights “calling“ with a local guy on his properties. We went early Feb. and the area was about 75 miles West of San Antonio. Our friend predator hunts 50+ days/nights a year on 1000s of private acres (mostly used for deer “day leases”…. He said he calls in grey fox almost every evening and coyotes also are frequent but said he only kills 2-5 bobcat a year and never got one over 25 lbs. I know lots of guys claim to kill 35lb.+ bobcats but the Texas Taxidermist that took care of mine said it was the largest he’s had in many years, it only scaled 28lbs but was “guessed” at 40 lbs…..which shows how far “off” estimates are.
We had a slow 5 days and in total only called in 3 grey fox (killed 2), 1 coyote/killed, 1 Bobcat/Tom 28lbs killed at dusk ….but your Cat looks ”fatter”. I really enjoyed hunting Texas and although we did’t have great luck by “Texas standards” —- it was 10x better then any predator hunting I’ve done in NY, NJ, PA, or VA. My Bobcat is one of my all time favorite trophies. You are clearly in a good area and enjoy some great predator hunting…Good Luck calling this year !!

 

[buck wild]

@buck wild - that’s a fine Texas cat, and your success rate is outstanding. I’ve only gotten to hunt predators in Texas once and we spent 5 days & nights “calling“ with a local guy on his properties. We went early Feb. and the area was about 75 miles West of San Antonio. Our friend predator hunts 50+ days/nights a year on 1000s of private acres (mostly used for deer “day leases”…. He said he calls in grey fox almost every evening and coyotes also are frequent but said he only kills 2-5 bobcat a year and never got one over 25 lbs. I know lots of guys claim to kill 35lb.+ bobcats but the Texas Taxidermist that took care of mine said it was the largest he’s had in many years, it only scaled 28lbs but was “guessed” at 40 lbs…..which shows how far “off” estimates are.
We had a slow 5 days and in total only called in 3 grey fox (killed 2), 1 coyote/killed, 1 Bobcat/Tom 28lbs killed at dusk ….but your Cat looks ”fatter”. I really enjoyed hunting Texas and although we did’t have great luck by “Texas standards” —- it was 10x better then any predator hunting I’ve done in NY, NJ, PA, or VA. My Bobcat is one of my all time favorite trophies. You are clearly in a good area and enjoy some great predator hunting…Good Luck calling this year !!

Our place only gets calling pressure on those couple nights, we have 14 miles of river bottom and an in-check coyote population. All those things lead to our high success I guess. We do have a few grey fox also.
Yeah, I agree about the over-estimation of most animals whether it be hogs, predators, deer scores . That's why I weighed that last one on a postal scale. I think it's close to my biggest. I killed another large BC in the 90's but didn't weigh it.

 

[HankBuck]

Our place only gets calling pressure on those couple nights, we have 14 miles of river bottom and an in-check coyote population. All those things lead to our high success I guess. We do have a few grey fox also.
Yeah, I agree about the over-estimation of most animals whether it be hogs, predators, deer scores . That's why I weighed that last one on a postal scale. I think it's close to my biggest. I killed another large BC in the 90's but didn't weigh it.

@buck wild - sounds like you have a dream set up for predator hunting and especially Cats….how do you “resist” calling more then just 1-2 times a year? (I’d be going ast it a few times a week). That one Hunt I made in Texas (w/my Son) we cut cat tracks daily on dry creek beds and the banks were also thick with rabbits (cottontails & jacks) So we expected to see a cat on every set —- didn’t work out that way. I use to think I was just Not very good at calling predators, based on my very low success rates in NJ, NY, and VA——but then went calling in Wyoming and suddenly I was a “genius”!! Called in Coyote on 4 of 6 sets and killed 3 - was thinking I should start up my own TV show! Texas also made me think I might be “decent”…but once back in the NE —- my same Low success rates returned. For me, a typical season in NE consists of 12-15 days/evenings “calling” (and only when snow is on the ground) - getting a response 2-3 times a season is a Good Year and if I kill 1or 2 red fox It’s been a “Banner Year”!!

 

[Green Chile]

I heard back from PLO. They don't do predator hunts anymore. Still looking for options...sent a few more emails to operators advertising bobcat success.

 

[Skshyk]

I got my mountain lion this year and would be very interested in a bobcat hunt my self. I do have a list of a few outfitters I found, I’ll will look up and send over.