A friend whose land we hunt in MN has multiple bobcat in the area according to our trail cams, We were wondering what is the most effective trap to use on them? I have trapped a little years ago and have never trapped bobcat.
Any tips would be appreciated.
Thank you, Dan

My brother gets them in a large boxtrap, with a live pigeon in a bait box in the back of the trap.
And he gets some in leg holds, usually a dirt hole type of set with a visual attractor, like some rabbit fur, or a feather hung on a string.

The ones I've caught, I've got in dirt hole sets for fox.

I have seen sets like mentioned above; rabbit fur, feather or a calves head hung from a branch with traps gang-set around it.

I use dirt holes with a big pine for backing (a bank or log would work too but the pine helps keep the snow off).
Put a cotton ball with lure on it in the hole (I like Hawbackers) and spray Cat or Fox pee on the backing.
Set the trap about 8" from the hole and use guide stix......don't be stingy with em...really choke em down.

I've had a fair bit of success with this method.



Don't be surprised if you catch other critters too.

What size and make of trap do you use FieldGrade?

Use #3 Bridgers or Minnesota Brand MB 550
You can also use 220 Conibears In cubby sets.

And if you already have older traps, the #3 and #4 Victor jump traps are also very good, as is the Victor #14 jump trap. same sizes in Blake and Lamb are good too.

MB 550's

I use Victor 1 3\4 for everything. My Tx. cats only go 20-30 lbs.

Nice pelts. Can you recall the weights of your larger cats?

The biggest cat I ever caught was 38#.......they probably average about 30#.

People tend to grossly over estimate Cat's (and Coyotes) weight.

Here's a pic of that 38 pounder.

I caught one as a kid by hanging a duck wing with some lure on it on a fishing line over a trail. My dad had seen a cat there earlier. I placed 2 #2 double longsprings on opposite sides of the trail. It is illegal here to use animal parts for bait. It wasn't then.

I've never trapped bobcats, but the Victor #3 soft catch is my favourite lynx trap. I use baited brush cubbies or blind sets.

Look up YouTube videos from Wolfer Nation. Clint Locklear is a trapper here in TN. He has a video of a seminar he did at Bass Pro Shops specifically about trapping Bobcats. He does a good job of explaining his tactics.

Very nice cat.

I usually see two or three while deer hunting. A couple years ago, I seen a male and female together, I tried to get a picture, but the male busted me.It's been awhile since I've set a trap, but my oldest son and Dad are trapping this season.

I'll have to call my Dad, he caught a BIG female cat back in the early 80's. I'll post her weight and a picture later.

I'm not a trapper as far as doing it to make money goes, but I pretty much trap year round for varmints here on the farm. I have caught a few bobcats in live traps, using a box trap that I made. I have used a lot of stuff for bait.....everything from road killed rabbits to table scraps, and have caught a lot of possums and coons, as well, as the bobcats.

An old fellow who hunts and traps them around here says if you'll go out in heavy cover where they use, and make a sand box like the one kids play in, you'll attract cats. He catches and kills his limit every year, so he may be on to something. He also said to dump the used litter out of a cat box in it, and it help the bobcats to use it quicker.

We are planning to go out next weekend.
A coyote or fox would be good bonuses also.

Talked to Dad yesterday, he said the biggest cat he ever caught was a 28lb female. Haven't made it to his place yet to get the photo, but she was a big cat. I can't imagine one 10lbs heavier.

I'm fortunate enough to live in an area with a lot of big northern Cats.

Unfortunately they don't have the bellies that the big Mt or NV cats do so they don't fetch as much money.

The most I've ever sold one for is $750 and that was a few years ago when a lot of those big wide bellied Cats were fetching $1,000+.

FYI.... the cat pictured stretched 42". As you may know 36" is XL and the prices go up fast after that. I've caught a few 40"+ but that was the biggest.....not the prettiest but the biggest.

A couple more 40 inchers....

He's wet and dirty in the pic but this was a really nice cat.


This one wanted to eat my ass......the pic is from a short clip of him snarling and growling at me but I don't know how to get it to play.

I called in and shot a bobcat this week, a mature male that weighed 22 pounds. The largest one I've ever killed here was 24 pounds. The hides from Kentucky cats are not worth fooling with. I envy you Western boys with your nice fur.

Nice...very nice.

It's not all roses and rainbows......the only Cat I caught last year was so pitiful my fur buyer wouldn't take it.

I ended up sending it to Jim Conrad so he and his boys to try their hand at tanning so it ended as well as it could.

Several years ago, I sold a couple of cats to a local fur buyer for $50, that was for cats that I'd put in the freezer after I shot them. The rest I've given to my taxidermist to do with as he wanted to, and in turn he has mounted a deer for me. Our cats here just don't compare to Western or Northern ones.

In MN the only reasonable approach with the check laws unless you have lots of time is 220 in a box with set back depending on where in the state you are. The 24 hour check law on everything else makes highly time intensive. If I had time to check footholds and fight the usual snow and frozen ground it would be a big jaw spread 4 coiled trapped.

I have had good luck using cage traps. Our season starts at the end of Dec. and snow and freezing rain make foot holds hard to keep working. I do use some 220's but find the cage traps work well on cats an give me more options. This is all on private land so I don't have any problems with theft.

Buddy currantly living in North eastern wash has some box traps he made. Well he's learning how to make his own anyway. Got two bob kittys last week. One he took and it damn near broke out the next one [bleep] up his cage pretty good and got away.

FieldGrade, I'm gonna take the next trapping class i can. Idaho general. Missed the one DEC 8th in Kamiah due to a vacant wt muzzy tag. Looking forward to that beer. I had to go on the road for 7 months last year.. Nice cats man! IS one of your dogs half Olde English bulldogge. Great pics thanks for sharing!