Trapping Thread 2024/2025
- Thread starter bobcat_trapper
- Start date
Well, my trapping trip drew to an end today as I pulled my traps. It was a slow last few days of the trip with a small beaver in one of my otter sets yesterday.
As I was going from set to set today, I basically put myself into autopilot with my body doing the work and my brain taking in the complete stillness of the snow-covered northern MN woods. As I neared one of my last sets I noticed something was off. There were no springs sticking out the sides of my cubby box. Obviously a squirrel or bird must have set it off so I kicked around the snow in front of the trap. I couldn’t find cable, trap, or anything. Getting confused I turned around to find a gorgeous tom laying about 20’ away. He managed to disconnect the clip that attached the cable to the trap.
I was completely shocked. It hadn’t even crossed my mind that I might actually catch a cat. The shakes set in, reminiscent of a 12 year old me with his first case of buck fever. I immediately called my wife and kids to tell them.
So now I have a big taxidermy bill coming up. Beautiful 30 pound tom with very nice spots for a MN cat. I’ve never smiled more driving home through the cities. My kids were super excited to see the cat when I pulled in. What a way to end an awesome adventure!
As I was going from set to set today, I basically put myself into autopilot with my body doing the work and my brain taking in the complete stillness of the snow-covered northern MN woods. As I neared one of my last sets I noticed something was off. There were no springs sticking out the sides of my cubby box. Obviously a squirrel or bird must have set it off so I kicked around the snow in front of the trap. I couldn’t find cable, trap, or anything. Getting confused I turned around to find a gorgeous tom laying about 20’ away. He managed to disconnect the clip that attached the cable to the trap.
I was completely shocked. It hadn’t even crossed my mind that I might actually catch a cat. The shakes set in, reminiscent of a 12 year old me with his first case of buck fever. I immediately called my wife and kids to tell them.
So now I have a big taxidermy bill coming up. Beautiful 30 pound tom with very nice spots for a MN cat. I’ve never smiled more driving home through the cities. My kids were super excited to see the cat when I pulled in. What a way to end an awesome adventure!
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sccritterkiller
Well-known member
This is my 1st season every trapping...farmer wanted me to try to knock down the yote population as part of my access agreement I do chores now trap..so I got a dozen traps studied the youtube...got 10 sets.l
I have gotten 3 Bobcats since the 8th...its about a 800 acre farm is that normal? Just using dirt hole sets...still learning. Got 4 yotes too..
I have gotten 3 Bobcats since the 8th...its about a 800 acre farm is that normal? Just using dirt hole sets...still learning. Got 4 yotes too..
jpc01101
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jan 14, 2021
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- 547
Depending on the terrain I'd say that's normal. I caught 3 last year off of a 255 acre piece in Eastern KY. Good job on the 4 yotes, those things are skiddish, hard for me to catch. I got 2 last year.
Super cool trip, and congrats on the cat!
Thanks! I’m starting to reconsider the wisdom in spending so much time and money applying to hunt out west for hunts I never draw when I can spend a week doing this for a $30.00 trapping license.
I took trappers ed during Covid with hope of doing the exact type of trip you did when kids are out/ I retire.
Sounds so cool.
I look forward to it every year more and more simply for being out there by myself. There’s a lot more solitude than hunting season. Nice catches!
I couldn’t let you guys have all the fun. I threw out three 220 boxes today for racoons. Most of my trapping supplies are in various states of storage so I set as many traps as I had rebar stakes for. Might have to weld a few more up and get more traps out.
A trip like this has been on my radar for a while. The stars kind of aligned for it to work this year, and trapping laws likely aren’t going to be getting any friendlier for us, so I decided to just do it. I learned so much now that I really want to get back up there and do it again. I think I can pull off an otter limit next time.
Next year will be a shorter marten trip with the whole family. Maybe the year after that I can make a trip like this work again.
