Bobcat Down!

[wankerjake]

This morning my daughter and I were up early before school. I had the day off so I asked her if she wanted to have some daddy-daughter time this afternoon and do some calling. She agreed so I picked her up from Kindergarten and we headed out. I had snacks and all the gear ready. Last month I brought my girls out calling for the first time and we got a fox Story here:
Fox Hunt

I had a spot picked out I wanted to try. We got settled on our chairs and I wrapped her up in the camo blanket I got her for her birthday for this purpose. Called for just over 20 minutes and was just about to pack it up when I saw something coming. It was heading for cover behind the call and it was fairly thick so instead of really identifying what it was I signaled to my daughter where to look and then got ready. I saw the animal (I was at first thinking fox) thru some thick stuff and then disappeared behind a big pine tree. When it didn't pop right out from the other side I realized that it may very well be a cat. The longer it didn't pop out the more I expected a cat face to appear. Sure enough after at least a minute is slowly walked out and stopped and my suspicion was confirmed. I slowly raised up the shotgun and flattened it, 15-20 yards max.

We were both very excited, bobcats are always a very welcome surprise!

Our chair and blanket setup:


Underneath attire:


She's not a bad little photographer either:




My youngest was excited too:

 

[Fremmer]

That's a big bobcat. a lot bigger than the bobcats I've seen in Nebraska.

 

[gonefishin1]

very nice! I can't wait to be able to take my daughter hunting like that.

 

[akarguy]

Congrats on introducing your daughter to the sport. But a bobcat? Why? Aren't they beneficial for keeping rodents and rabbits at bay which can help manage presence of real nuisances like coyotes?

 

[wankerjake]

Aren't they beneficial for keeping rodents and rabbits at bay

Considering they have the same diet as coyotes, namely rabbits and rodents, how is it that coyotes are "real nuisances" and bobcats aren't?

 

[mquail]

It's great to get the kids out. She'll probably remember that for the rest of her life.

 

[chas08]

Awesome! Nothing like a little quality Father/Daughter time. Great idea with the camo blanket. I did a similar thing with a camo pancho liner when my girls were small.

 

[Birdman253]

Congrats on introducing your daughter to the sport. But a bobcat? Why? Aren't they beneficial for keeping rodents and rabbits at bay which can help manage presence of real nuisances like coyotes?

I don't know if it is true in your area, but in south Texas, bobcats are supposedly the #1 predator of deer fawns. We shoot on sight.

 

[wankerjake]

This was a pretty good sized cat, no doubt it could take down a deer or antelope fawn. In a tussle I bet it would ruin a coyote's day as well. In AZ lions no doubt account for most predation on big game but these guys contribute once in awhile I'm sure. For me though, with bobcats, it's more about fun, fur and food (they are good eating) than predator control. Great pelt, can't wait to get this one back.

 

[MCgunner]

I've seen bigger, but not much bigger. Nice.

 

[murf]

nice shootin wankerjake. i see you and the kids are enjoying our nice spring weather in the best way possible. that is a beautiful cat.

murf

 

[LeonCarr]

What ammo were you shooting in your 870 when you introduced it to that kitty?

Just my .02,
LeonCarr

 

[wankerjake]

I was using Estate #4 buckshot, 2 3/4" load. Cabelas is the only place I've seen it, patterns well for me.

 

[H&Hhunter]

Nice looking cat! I called in and finished a couple of bobcats when I lived in Prescott, AZ. Man do I ever miss calling in the high desert region of a Northern AZ.

 

[MtnCreek]

they are good eating

Sweet & Sour Cat or Kitty Lo Mein?

 

[H&Hhunter]

Sweet & Sour Cat or Kitty Lo Mein?

They actually taste like a very mild pork. Mt Lion are also very good to eat. And as with all meat eating animals make sure and fully cook to avoid trichinosis infection.

 

[wankerjake]

Yep, similar in look and texture to pork as well. Very mild, I think it is also similar to rabbit in flavor.

Unlike elk though, I make sure it's VERY done!

Yeah H&H, I do love calling in AZ. A lot of diverse country and it all holds a lot of predators.

 

[H&Hhunter]

I was averaging 5 coyotes a week when I was getting after it when i lived in AZ. I killed several Bobcats off the call, in a two year period I got two or three cats on the ground and missed opportunities on several more. The thing about cats is they come in quiet and they come in to a call almost invisible. Often times I don't see them until they are super close and I'm already busted.

As you know Jake, specifically calling for cats takes a different mind set than calling for canines. When calling on a cat set I sit for 30 to 45 minutes as cats can take a lot more time to commit to a call. I am also way more tuned in and do more glassing when calling on a cat set. The biggest shock I've ever had when calling was in New Mexico. The set was in some prime cat country. In a canyon with rocky out cropping and a brushy bottom AKA perfect cat ambush terrain. I was trying to call a bobcat and had no luck. After about an hour I decided to move, when I stood up I spooked the mature mt lion that had been watching my back for god only knows how long at about 15 yards......

Lesson learned, when calling watch your six o clock you never know what might be creeping up on you!

Oh then there was the time down in skull valley when I called in two hippie chicks and their Rasta boy friend. Like I said you never know what is going to show up on call set!

 

[wankerjake]

Yikes! Lions and hippies and rastas...oh my! Man that lion... That'll put some hair on your arse.

Yeah I make long stand if I'm in what I consider cat country (although in AZ I think most of it is). Steep, rocky, thick brush/sage/etc or some combination of the three. Ambush potential.

I think I've called 5 bobcats now and 3 of them have been running when I saw them, however, they came on such a way that what was making the sound could not see them. The other two just appeared to me and that's because the sound was coming from me and they approached in a way so that I couldn't see them. When they decide to make that final stalk, I think it takes awhile. This one ran up to about 5 yards from the call but behind a big ponderosa and some saplings. Once it got there, it took at least a minute to move 2 feet, circling for a pounce.

I think an electronic call or two people on a stand is beneficial for bobcats, so that one person has a view of an area that can't be seen from the place the sound is originating. The longest shot I've had on a bobcat is 20 yards, they are sneaky suckers! They come in so That the sound won't see it.

 

[onetohunt]

Nice cat, congrats!!