# Where will my cats be? Weigh in and follow along!



## El Gato Loco (Jan 15, 2010)

So attached is a google earth image of a reservoir that I have exclusive rights to trap. The big question is:

*WHERE WILL THE CATS BE?*

This is a really serious question because honestly, I don't know! Anyone care to give me some direction?

I will be setting 3 cages on this property and really need an idea of where I should put them. I have marked some of the key areas, what do you think?

Once I get some feedback, I will go place the cages on Thursday and will keep you all updated on the progress each day.

A few things worth noting.....

- On the dam side, the water quickly drops off into a pretty secluded canyon area with lots of cover.

- On the inlet side, it's fairly open and exposed but there are some TALL grasses (about 4 ft tall) there about 30 yards wide that I have called a coyote out of.

- The property is 408 acres in all

- Overall there is very little traffic around this property. If anything it will be 1 lady who will walk her dog from the wooded area, to the current water source in the AM sometime.... highly unlikely though.

- The yellow on the map shows the current water supply. This reservoir is feed by a creek that is active year-round.

- Wildlife activity around this property includes a LOT of different kinds of waterfowl, mule deer, an occasional coyote, possible lion and I am hoping some bobcats.

*That's about all I have! What do you think?*

*Click the photo below for a full size view....*

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## youngdon (Mar 10, 2010)

I'm guess ing down by the dam on the secluded side....is that a rocky hill top I see sticking up about half way down the water on the right ? But with a cats range being what it is he may not live to close...any other caves in the area ? old mines ?


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## showmeyote (Dec 12, 2010)

Far left, right were the road forks!!! Thats where id put'em lol.....


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## El Gato Loco (Jan 15, 2010)

youngdon said:


> I'm guess ing down by the dam on the secluded side....is that a rocky hill top I see sticking up about half way down the water on the right ? But with a cats range being what it is he may not live to close...any other caves in the area ? old mines ?


Yea that whole right side is pretty rocky. There are 2-3 houses up in those hills though - if it makes a difference.

The canyon that the dam dumps into (which always flows by the way) is very steep. I'd say it's 200ft up to the top of the mountain from down in that canyon. When me and ebbs were over calling this area, we pretty much avoided that side of the property, figuring that the big cats would likely be over there.

As for old caves / mines.... none that I know of on this property but I really haven't explored it in great depth.


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## El Gato Loco (Jan 15, 2010)

showmeyote said:


> Far left, right were the road forks!!! Thats where id put'em lol.....


For catching the neighbors housecats?







How about for bobcats?


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## showmeyote (Dec 12, 2010)

I dont catch cats Chris! I call'em..... Sorry bro cant help you there just giving you some crap.


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## El Gato Loco (Jan 15, 2010)

showmeyote said:


> I dont catch cats Chris! I call'em..... Sorry bro cant help you there just giving you some crap.


Hey man... you call em WELL! So if you setup in this area, where would you try to call them from?


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## showmeyote (Dec 12, 2010)

Im assuming you have scouted it out? Bottom right where it looks like a small cove comes into some timber. Looks like a low spot there to me. Of course living here in the mid west and never hunting the west. Im not sure what i would do. Here I hunt close quarter areas. I like using dry creek beds, with small ridges. I scout the deer trails around these areas and go hunting. 
The spot i hunted this morning was just that. The deer are using an old logging road, with a dry creek next to it. Full of ceders.


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## Ruger (Jan 22, 2011)

I agree with youngdon about the rocky hilltop. Is there any trees with their scat underneath them? When I was helping my dad with his legholds we did pretty well under trees with scat. Maybe you'll get a little snow and a cat or two will come thru and you can find out the areas they using. In my part of the state we have a lot of cliffs and little overhangs and those are the areas I have called most of my cats in.


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## hassell (Feb 9, 2010)

I would concentrate on the wooded side, any ridge lines going from high ground to low, any predators using these as the extra height helps for their visual, along any Well used game trails also through the wooded area; as pretty well all game uses these.


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## Helmet_S (Mar 18, 2010)

Chris, I would stick with the bottom right on up through the middle right of the picture. With that said if there are some brush piles even on the left side of the picture check them out well. Around here I don't see cats in fields unless there is a nice place to hide if need be.

I find that dams are a perfect funnel for animals. They will walk up through that ravine and hit the dam. There is at least a 50/50 shot of getting it right as to which side they will come out on and in your case propably even better odds of them coming out on the right side due to the trees.

If the creek has any depth to it (like over 24") look for shallow spots in the creeks leading into and out of the lake. Shollow spots where animals can ambush fish and such are great spots for hunting/trapping.

In Missouri on one peice of ground that I hunt I find alot of bobcat sign just walking the waters edge (tall grass and cover) and going in/out of brush piles.

That is my .02


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## El Gato Loco (Jan 15, 2010)

Thanks guys.... I got a few sets in there now. I decided it wouldn't in my best interest to expose where the traps are being placed because of some "fans" I might have following me closely from another site. Maybe after the season I will go into greater detail.









Anyway.. here are a few sets.... sorry the pics aren't great.


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## showmeyote (Dec 12, 2010)

Looks good, hope you get a biggin!


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## showmeyote (Dec 12, 2010)

Intrested in your fan base too, lol gota love a hater!


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## catcapper (Feb 11, 2010)

I know the place your show'in---I built the bridge 7-8 years ago on Co.Rd.11 about a mile and a half south of Wrights thats goes over fourmile creek. I camped on the jobsite, so in the evening I'd go stomp around the Res.

Theres a small slip creek that runs a draw below the dam and east. There was good sign there back then. If you hoof it up through that drainage for about 1 1/2 mile, it brakes out into a few short parks---looked like a decent travelway.

About 1/3 of the way north of the dam on the east side theres a small wide valley that opens into some bunch grass---you have to go over there cause you can't see it from the west side at the lake.

I'd make a couple of gang sets up at the inlet on the grass where it starts to narrow. Set'em up on the west side (so the wind sends your lure scent towards the creek) about 20 yards before the ground heads up onto dryland.

Southwest side is a bit too open(past the lake trees)---I don't think there is much cat traffic over that way---Bobcats don't want to be caught out in the open by a bunch of Coyotes.

The best thing to do is to get out there and scout every inch of ground around the Res.

FIND SIGN---SET on SIGN.

You should take a few cats outta there.


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## El Gato Loco (Jan 15, 2010)

Thanks, Dave. I set directly off the east side of the dam coming out of that cut.... Only sign I've seen and it was just some tracks and an old goose kill. I've been all over the place with the 4 wheeler the last 3 days and even with snow on the ground I'm not even seeing tracks. I think its been too cold for things to want to move.

It's a challenging place to trap even with using the 4 wheeler. Especially the areas you mentioned which require some hiking to get to. I was trying to go pro and just drive down the road in my truck looking for downed doors. Is that not reality out this way?









I am not familar with a bridge running over 4 mile creek to the south on 11. After 11 makes that hard left at the church, 4 mile stays well to the left of the road and hooks thru lakemore subdivision over there. Maybe north of wrights there at 1 & 11 by the evergreen station?


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## showmeyote (Dec 12, 2010)

Do you think there is enough food there to hold them Chris? Im guessing if your not finding sign even being cold they might have moved elsewhere.


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## On a call (Mar 3, 2010)

If I were you and had not read the above posts I would be...

1) Looking for sign if they are not there no sense in seting.

2) I would start looking for sign near funnel, saddels, pinch points.

3) I know a guy who targets mink using muskrat for bait along creeks. He always takes at least 5 cats a year but has to release them due to Michigan laws. So...I would look for areas along water drainage into the pond area. Perhaps the creek leading into it from the water shed.

4) I would set more than just a few traps unless you are restricted.

5) Good luck


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## catcapper (Feb 11, 2010)

Quote--- "I think its been too cold for things to want to move."

Thats pretty much the way it is up here. After this storm leaves and the temps come back up they'll be up and mov'in. I've seen cold spells where you couldn't find a track for 20 days---they hole up and save their energy. If a furbearer (dryland) gets caught out in one of these snow squalls that come in quick and gets wet, they are pretty much done for in the low temps. Their fur won't dry out quickly like the hair on a deer or an elk.

Theres plenty of food (buffers) in the area to carry them through the winter. Deep snow (3+ feet) is the only thing I've seen push them out of that area. When they do leave---one of their migration routes is down Fourmile Creek drainage to the north Canon City area and I love it---thats one of the places I trap.lol.

Chris---I might head down your way next weekend if your gonna be around and this cold weather brakes outta here.

That bridge is about 200 yds. north of the Y intersection your side of the church---I must have done such a good job on it that you didn't even know you were cross'in one.lol. I bid the hwy. 1 & 11 job but got beat out on that one.

What lure are you using in your cages? I think I have some of my gland lure left you could try out.


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## On a call (Mar 3, 2010)

You might look for litter boxes too. That or food dishes always a good place.


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## El Gato Loco (Jan 15, 2010)

Hey Dave,

I am using Lenon's Bobcat Super All Call & Kaatz Bros. Spot Shot curiosity lure both with a little glycerine at the moment. I thought about adding in a food based lure to the mix too. What do you think? I've also got some skunk essence coming and thought i'd play around with some of that to bring a little more smell to my sets?

Here is how I set that secondary creek feeding the main one. I am up on the high ground - one right on a path next to a high wall, and another right next to a nice brush pile with a lot of rabbit action and a nice trail running past it.

(Click on these to see them bigger)

















I'm doing all I can to keep these cages running. Had some help putting some petroleum jelly on them today....









And they helped me set these 2 today near that feeder creek....









I'll be around next weekend. Heck, i'll be around until the season is over. I am determined to get this stuff figured out this year.


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## El Gato Loco (Jan 15, 2010)

On a call said:


> You might look for litter boxes too. That or food dishes always a good place.


I might have to start keeping a closer eye out for these, because toilets and tracks are non existant right now.


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## hassell (Feb 9, 2010)

Catnip,anise oil or even sneak some of the wife's perfume will work also.


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## catcapper (Feb 11, 2010)

I just love it---the only way I can tell your pro trapper helpers apart all bundled up like that is the color of their fancy neckties.lol. Looks like they know where to lube up those cam-trips.

You should do O.K. with Lenon's but I would forget about any food base---were talk'in cats here.

Skunk essence lives at all my sets but you must be real careful not to over do it.

Cat urine??????

Your gonna catch cats in that draw for sure---but I think your wast'in some travel area and an attractant 3 or 4 hundred yards to the east. I'll have to be on site (ground) to explain the travel corridor---but the attractant is that house. I don't recall it be'in there when I was roam'in that country. Thats just what I'm see'in from a picture taken 200,000 feet up in the air. (whatever.lol.)

Your cage set isn't bad---it will catch cats---but heres a couple ideas that would help you and the other folks on PT that are stuck using cages. Just an old trapper talk'in---I would brush in the cage with green pine branches to make more of a cubbie set---a place where a rabbit or some other buffer would want to hide. You've already set a cage by a brush pile with rabbit sign (a good location) so why not make a little brush pile to attract the cat. Feathers, feathers, feathers. Feathers all around in front of the cage. Make him think theres an easy meal (parts of one). All those feathers attract a cat---cats use their eyes. Catch his attention go'in or com'in---lures only work downwind.

I could go on and on but this old trapper is gonna hit the rack---you'll start hitt'in the fur as soon as this weather brakes.


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## catcapper (Feb 11, 2010)

Hey Rick---don't be tell'in everybody about the perfume secret.lol.lol.


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## HowlinRed (Feb 3, 2011)

I'm not a trapper, but I can see how this info. can help me when I set up to call for cats.

Good stuff, thanks guys.


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