# Calling Bobcats



## Mark Steinmann (Jan 28, 2014)

I posted this on our Predator Beguiled page on Facebook and figured I'd do a thread here as well. Just what we've learned over the last few years when targeting Bobcats. Hope you enjoy the read!

We've gotten a lot of questions on how to call in Bobcats. We are looking into putting together a video for you all but until then here are some tips! We hope this helps you be more successful!

LOCATION?
You can't call in a cat if they aren't there! The picture below is of the exact stand where we killed this Bobcat. Fresh sign around and in the washes. I've included a picture with a Bobcat print on the right and Coyote on the left & center. Notice the differences of each print. Find large thickets with multiple washes and there are bound to be cats nearby. Other great locations are rocky hills at the base of mountains and near streambeds and water sources. Get out and look for sign!

SETUP, WHERE?
Our best setups are not in the thickets with the cats. They will spot you through brush before you have a chance 9 times out of 10! We like to be 100-200 yards away from the thicket out in the flats when possible. This makes the Bobcat either come to the edge of the thicket(rifle shot) or sneak, walk, run into the flats after the sound and present a shot. If calling from thick country near rocky hills then we will setup 50-100 yards away from the hills with shotguns and make sure each guy has good shooting lanes.

SETUP, HOW?
Whether hand calling or ecalling you can get that cat! If hand calling then it is best with 2 people and I'll explain why. With an ecaller you have the luxury of setting it out and watching its surrounding areas for movement. If you are hand calling with a partner we simply like to have the shooter sit back from the caller 20-50 yards depending on terrain, elevated if at all possible. The caller will usually run shotgun for hard chargers and the shooter doing the overwatch will be on rifle if elevated. If the surroundings are tight then both may be on shotgun. The key to seeing cats is to setup with different angles to the sound. A cat will almost always approach in a way that the prey(you on the call) will not see. With the second shooter positioned differently he has a much higher chance to see the approaching Bobcat. One huge help is setting the caller in a bowl shaped area. This makes the cat come to the edge to look for the sound. DO NOT MOVE AROUND while calling. If hand calling then keep your movements to an absolute minimum. If you need to move anything do so very slowly....nope, even slower than that! Lol. Seriously though that cat can pinpoint a finger moving at 100 yards easy.

DECOY OR NO DECOY?
Half our cats have been killed with no decoy and half with. If you have a setup like I mentioned above then one of you should see the approaching Bobcat before it has a chance to find the decoy. When using a decoy we hide it mostly and only make it easily visible to our side of a bush. This makes the cat go to one side or the other and present a shot. A simple few feathers on a string is all you need if there is a 4-10mph wind. We have also used the Mojo Critter with great success as well. The goal is to simply hold the cats attention long enough to swing on the cat and shoot. KEEP THE DECOY CLOSE TO TGE CALLER. You want your presentation to look natural.

CALLS, SOUNDS, STAND DURATION?
We find that any busy rodent, bird, and rabbit distress works well. The key is keeping their interest. We will generally start out low and spend the next 5 minutes getting louder on one call, then work it lower again. We like to switch sounds every 7 or 8 minutes and keep doing so until the end of the stand. Our Bobcat stands rarely go longer than 25 minutes. We find that how we setup in the area it only takes a cat a max of 20 minutes to work in. After you are done calling look around really well, then stand up and walk 5-10 yards and look around again. A few times those Bobcats have worked into range and we haven't seen them. You may be lucky and see it exiting your stand.

PREFFERED RIFLE & SHOTGUN AMMO?
For rifles we use a couple calibers and projectiles. Tim worked up a load for his 223 that works wonders on putting predatorss down and 99% of the time doesn't damage fur. 40gr Nosler Varmageddon is the bullet of his choice. Mark and Nathan run a Hornady 55gr SP bullet. It exits most of the time but the exit hole is only the size of a quarter most of the time. For shotgunning we all run Winchester Varmint X copper plated BB. It has an excellent pattern with the .670 chokes and is lethal out to 70 yards or so.

TAKING THE SHOT:
If you've done the hard part and have a cat coming in then take a moment to relax. Watch the body language. Is that tail flipping around? Is the Bobcat focused on the decoy or caller? If a Bobcat sits down by a Bush or is crouched in a wash edge usually they won't come much closer, it's time for the shot but don't rush it! If you are armed with a shotgun and it is well within range simply make one solid motion quickly and shoot as you bring your gun up on it, just as you would a dove. If you have a rifle and need to move your shooting sticks to get on the cat then wait for it to look away. Just give it time, it will surely see a bird, butterfly, or whatever and take a glance. That's when you move to get on target. If a cat spooks get back on the call right away and it should stop to look back.

If you took the time to read this we appreciate it. Leave us a comment or ask a question and we'd be happy to help out!

Happy Hunting and God Bless!
- Mark























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## hassell (Feb 9, 2010)

Great write-up, thanks for sharing.


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## kiyote (Jun 15, 2014)

good stuff . thanks for the write up


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## SWAMPBUCK10PT (Apr 5, 2010)

*YUP!!! Thanks for sharing the Info---Great Tips*


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## youngdon (Mar 10, 2010)

Nice of you to share in great detail Mark.


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## Mark Steinmann (Jan 28, 2014)

Thanks guys. A lot of you helped me early on in my calling career with all your posts here so just trying to give back some!

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