HOLY CAT TRACKS, and BEAR!!!!!

Steve White · Post by **Steve White** » Sun Jan 23, 2011 9:45 pm

Had to do some traveling this morning. If it were not for the Packer game, and a old lady screaming at me with frozen water pipes. Might have gone to get the dogs. Got down around the Tomahawk/Merrill area and Bobcat tracks seemed to be everywhere. Between Hwy 8 and 64 found 9 different cat tracks. At least 2 looked to be smoking hot!! It just got worse from there. Heading into price county on 8. Found another 3 tracks, but a little older. Then not very far from my partners house found the tracks of a bear that was out recently for some ungodly reason. Did see several large canine tracks, but not enough to deter me.

Then it got sad. As I traveled back to the ranch. Once entering Onieda county never seen a cat track again. Even took a few back roads home to hopefully see something with even few yotes.

If I had a tag to fill you can guess where my truck would be headed!!!!!

Nolte · Post by **Nolte** » Mon Jan 24, 2011 3:03 pm

Steve,

If gas wasn't $3.20 a gallon, a guy would want to hit up that area to run.

The last 3 mornings I've been out we've found 0 cat tracks. Finally just pulled the chute and went coyote hunting. Might as well wait until mid-Feb when they start cruising around.

alphaknl · Post by **alphaknl** » Mon Jan 24, 2011 4:56 pm

Steve and Nolte-

Is the rabbit population down where you are checking? I have one area that I check that the rabbits are just flat GONE. Historically holds a good population of hares. Checked it by snowmobile for 7 days straight. 3 hours of checking to cover 3 separate green swamps and it took 4 days to find rabbit #1. Cats still pass thru, but aren't living there like they normally do. It will be a couple years before I take the time to go back.

I have covered a fair amount of other ground and it seems as though there are pockets of good rabbit populations but not widespread. Cat population seems to be down as a result. Or the cats aren't covering the ground they normally do as a result of the snow conditions. I don't have the answer, but I now have a couple new areas to check :wink:

Steve White · Post by **Steve White** » Mon Jan 24, 2011 7:47 pm

That is the strange thing. There are plenty of rabbits in the areas I hunt. Just not seeing any cats. Covering a heck of a lot of miles while running yotes, and checking tracks. Have not found one cat track this year where I hunt. I get off the beaten path, and away from the roads as well. So that is not the problem. Heck one spot is now devoid of even yotes. Could hardly believe not even finding a yote when 3 of us cover 70 some miles on sled, and bunny tracks are everywhere. So we have just been hunting in the next section over. Even today put on 42 miles by sled during a hunt. In swamps, and along 2 creeks. Lots of bunnies. Nothing but yotes!

If I had a tag would spend the money and take the 45min ride to start looking. Just not going to waste the time and money for the fun of it. At least not when I can find something to chase within 15 mins of my house. Then if need be run back and get young dogs, or different ones if I want.

At east there are not any wolves either.

maineblues · Post by **maineblues** » Tue Jan 25, 2011 1:28 am

up here where i hnt havnt found a track for three weeks now. and te one day i did find one i couldnt hunt. up here in maine you cant hnt on sunday not sure about any other states. prolly should of run him anyway. lol

Nolte · Post by **Nolte** » Tue Jan 25, 2011 2:42 am

alphaknl wrote:Is the rabbit population down where you are checking? I have one area that I check that the rabbits are just flat GONE. Historically holds a good population of hares.

Nope, the rabbits in a few areas are still plentifull. There were cats in these areas earlier, but they have since vacated. It doesn't make much sense to me why the cats aren't still there. They might just be in lockdown with the cold temps and deep snow.

It might just be a compound effect with a couple/three good years of cat running. A lot of these blocks have taken a beating with a bunch of tags punched. It might be that some logging has shifted their travel areas. A few of my favorite cat stretches are a barren wasteland for any sort of cat activity.

I will say that I've seen more cat deer kills this year than ever before. The deep snow seems to be giving them more of an advantage. That might be why they aren't traveling.

Houndhead · Post by **Houndhead** » Tue Feb 08, 2011 10:21 pm

Steve,I am sure the guys that regularly hunt those areas really appreciate you sending them some company.I know I would.

blue boy · Post by **blue boy** » Thu Feb 10, 2011 2:16 am

Well I'm new to the site and would like info or ideas how to start a cat dog from a pup just bought a Vaughn and Cameron bred female bluetick pup and hopefully my old fog ranger which is ukc nkc night champion will live long enuff to breed her all you guys imput would be appreicated

HOLY CAT TRACKS, and BEAR!!!!!

HOLY CAT TRACKS, and BEAR!!!!!

Re: HOLY CAT TRACKS, and BEAR!!!!!

Re: HOLY CAT TRACKS, and BEAR!!!!!

Re: HOLY CAT TRACKS, and BEAR!!!!!

Re: HOLY CAT TRACKS, and BEAR!!!!!

Re: HOLY CAT TRACKS, and BEAR!!!!!

Re: HOLY CAT TRACKS, and BEAR!!!!!

Re: HOLY CAT TRACKS, and BEAR!!!!!