I have never tried to trap cats, but I have a friend that catches 5 or 6 a season so Im going to give it a try. In OK. we can use leg traps that are offset or cage traps. Which type do you guys recomend and what brand and size works for you. Thanks in advance for any help.

We can't keep them here in NY yet, but a 1.75 coil spring seem to work pretty good. They hold a coyote pretty well too if they happen to get into the set... I've never tried box traps. Might be good if you're trying to avoid coyotes.

I use #1.75 Victors for everything. I'm not trying for yotes at this time. I know a guy up near Witchita Falls, Tx. that does really good with cage traps.

If you must live trap then the biggest one you can find. As for bait my father and an old trapper friend both agree that beaver meat is excellent. The more castor smell the better.

I trap many bobcats a year here in AZ using both foothold and cage traps. I have used Bridger #2's and #3's and both have worked great. I also used cage traps. Someone mentioned the bigger the better but I disagree. Cats don't care what size of trap they walk into. As long as it's big enough for them to walk in they will go in. No need for some oversized cage. The bigger they are the more likely you're gonna get other animals you don't want like coyotes. But also there is a lot more to it than just finding some traps and throwing them out there with some meat and catching bobcats. There are many other supplies needed to successfully trap and put up fur after things have been caught. Not saying you are one of them but ever since bobcat prices have went up everybody and their dog thinks they can just run out and throw some traps in the ground and come back and have some cats waiting. Not gonna happen. Go to trapperman.com and look in the archives for information about traps and supplies. The best way to learn is from others that have done it before and also purchasing some videos. Good luck!

Any videos on cat trapping that you recommend?

I would like to catch one for a mount to go with my other animals and have a place that I can trap but was wondering where to set my cage at. Do they like edges, crossings? Guess I wish I knew more about their habits.

Look for Bob Wendt, on the cat line. Good info and he catches a lot of cats.

Check out Mercer Lawings Caging bobcats guaranteed success. It has all kinds of info that helped me and will help anyone. Go to cagingbobcats.com and check his stuff out. You can actually get the video cheaper if you google search and buy it off a trapping supply website. But as for what I know, they love edges. Edges of tree lines, edges of anything they can stay hidden in and still move fairly easy. Find an area that has some thick cover and walk around till you find some trails. Bobcats love thick or rocky areas that have trails running through them. Also, creek bottoms are pretty good places to set some cages if you can find a trail they have been walking down. Just make sure you set the cage on the side where the wind is going to blow the smell of your lure across the trail so anything going through there is gonna smell it and check out your cage.

I like a Bridger 4coil trap they really hold a cat good

Thanks...I'll check into these. We saw a nice cat the other day during deer season but can't start trapping them until Dec when the season starts.

A lot of the big # cat guys want a #3 size trap with as big a pan as possible. Some leave the pan exposed and use blocking so the pan presents as a natural stepping point.

I'm not a big # cat guy and mostly use #2's. I have caught a cat in a duke 1.5. However, on the rare occation I am setting specfically for cats, I will set a MB 650.

Bobcat aren't hard to catch but you need to be on location. They don't have the wariness of a canine and the same aversion to human scent. A canine can be brought in with scent from a distance, not so much with a cat. They do use their nose as I've got them in flat sets with nothing but lure but you need to be near their path. A lot of places say to use an eye attractant, I guess it works but frankly I've caught more without an eye attractant, just need to set where they travel. Those set location will be unique to your terrain, for me it is creek bottoms and swamps. Also caught them in trail sets. I like 1 3/4ish traps.

This one was taken in a very low key inconspicuous small dirt hole set, a little hole with no dirt pattern, mb450 trap.
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v67/tundragriz/videos/?action=view&current=bobcatrelease-1.mp4

This one was some bait at the base of the tree where the roots forked out, old northwoods 1 3/4 I think.
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v67/tundragriz/videos/?action=view&current=pabobcat-1a.mp4

They can be live trapped.

Use a trap with a false back that can hold a white live chicken.

Cover the entire trap with a little brush, so that his only choice is going down the tunnel for that tastey chicken.

cool videos! thx for sharing!

Well I built my own live traps 16" wide 20" tall and 40" long out of 1/4" hot roll and wrapped them with 1" wire. I made 4 of them to get started and in 45 days have 2 bobcats 8 coons and have caught countless skunks and opossums. The traps cost me 45 each to build and about two hours labor each. I wanted to say thanks for all the advice, it has been a learning process and I hope to build on that next year!!

It's been awhile since I've targeted bobcats but I would use 1.75 or 2's and double set the spot. Beaver works as its nearly impossible to freeze but I always had luck with a wing hung above the set or a flash attractant. A medium sized willow leaf on mono that you would use fishing works well. You will likely weed out a few coons this way as well because they love anything shiny but oh well.

I'm from New York and catch them every year in blind sets and yes we can keep as many as you can catch up here in ny