Tracks Describe the Animal...

[spruce mountain]

I hate to get this all started again but that dosen't look like a cat track to me.Is this a test?LOL

[BlazeNBrat]

BlazeNBrat, thanks for sharing your thoughts. Your comments takes us back to the original question when I asked what ya'll thought of a bobcat that made shuffle marks in shallow snow. As I was trailing this cat with my hounds (they are honest dogs) I couldn't help but think what that bobcat was going to look like when I had it treed.

-James

James, I would bet there is something unique about that cat

Reminds me of the one I've been after for a while now. Its been fun and interesting following this particular bobcat. I've been finding he has a bigger range than I ever expected, he walk's splay footed quite often, he has big toes and a long stride - just a real good sized tom. One thing about it this guy is when I come across his track there is not much doubt "its him" his track discribs him and I havent come across many just like it. I hope to catch him, everytime I find his track I'm usually a couple days behind him and in that country with all the other critter tracks he goes over and thru it is just truly hard to unravel a two day old track most of the time unless they are camped out close for some reason. However I'm finding this particular dude is a traveler.
I dont have super do it every time cold nosed dogs, but if I can get a day or less behind this guy or a fresh snow their gonna catch him. Kinda fun targeting one particular critter that you know of ant it?!

[Blue Rose]

That track is identical to a track that twist and I ran a week ago. Guess what was up the tree when we got there a big fat full tom Bobcat. We had the same discussion before me turned out.

[twist]

I have hunted strictly SNOW In Montana for alot of years and yes I would have so say this is not at all normal for a bobcat but yes they do walk like this from time to time (not all do this) but some do no questions about it just like Blue Rose said. He got to witness it first hand last weekend and yes the track was about identical to the one in the post and yes my dogs did have a big tom in the tree, not a badger or a fisher or what ever else lays a track. I do have to say a badger can be a little tricky at times but if walked on very far you will see the difference and also if someone is to turn out on a badger thier dog should tell the story real quick. I know I sure wont pass up a track like that one because like I said in an earlier reply I am hoping its crippled as I have a hard enough time catching one the way it is jmo. later, Andy

[Brady Davis]

I know I sure wont pass up a track like that one because like I said in an earlier reply I am hoping its crippled as I have a hard enough time catching one the way it is jmo. later, Andy

I think we're all in agreeance! A crippled one may be a welcome sight every now and then eh?!

[Larry Emery]

Blaze-n-Brat, What you gonna do when you catch that fisher you are after?

[B-N-Trees]

Blaze-n-Brat, What you gonna do when you catch that fisher you are after?

He's probably going to stand under the tree and wonder why it looks so much like a bobcat . . . imagine that!

[B-N-Trees]

James, I would bet there is something unique about that cat

I am also sure there is something unique about these kind of tracks. One theory I have is these tracks are made by big cats possibly older males who just old. Especially in this part of the country where they're not hunted real hard and as a result it is more likely to see big old mature males. It would be interesting to note the correlation between these types of tracks and the age and gender.

[Benny G]

B-N-Trees, I've been wondering the same thing through out this thread. As I get older, I don't pick my feet up as high. I also feel the pinch of arthritis in my joints. I believe it is completely possible that the cats thet make these tracks are getting a little long in the tooth. If that is the case, then the only way to be sure is to have the animal aged after being caught. I also believe that this condition will only show up in the snow because to drag the front of their feet on hard ground would cause soreness and unprofitable wear.

[Nolte]

I have to admit I hunt the snow very little compared to bareground.And if I'm wrong I stand corrected,I still stand by what I stated whether it applies to this case or not.But I'm struggling with people telling me all abiyt bobcat behavior,and to study tracks better and all in one breath and imply they only catch 1-20 of these a year.It's hard to roll over and worship and throw all my experiences out the window,when we are blessed enough to see that many cats in the tree or on the ground in a month.Forgive me I'm a little frustrated by some of the pm's I've recieved,I don't mean to lash out,but it's hard to take some of this from some people who MAY only be able to catch one of these critters if the snow is just right and all the stars align from the night before and that day as well.I never said there are no exceptions to the game,but unless them dogs are straight BOBCAT dogs I'd be selective.Heck I'm still selective and bobs are all these dogs see[but maybe that's why]I guess I'll just have to miss a few tracks due to caution..
Tim 541-912-6464

Tim,

You got no argument from me that my dogs MAY/MAY not catch a bobcat if the stars align and everything falls into place. I've never been one to turn down a lucky bounce, but a guy will get more of those if he puts enough time in.

Just because we have a lot or don't catch a lot of cats here in WI, doesn't mean we don't have a handle on what their behavior and patterns are. In fact I think it's the exact oppposite. Is it easier to catch a fish in a lake that only has a handfull, or one that is chock full of them. From what I've read/heard cats have a much different habitat/range here vs there. I can tell you with authority that the absolute main travel highways for cats here are frozen creeks with brushy banks. If you see something cruisin down those, you best hop out and check it out. I've got no clue if it's the same out there.

If someone has hunted both the coast, west and these Great Lakes cats, I'd sure like to hear their thoughts on the subject.

[BlazeNBrat]

B-N-Trees, I've been wondering the same thing through out this thread. As I get older, I don't pick my feet up as high. I also feel the pinch of arthritis in my joints. I believe it is completely possible that the cats thet make these tracks are getting a little long in the tooth..

Right - Just think what them older cats have been thru I wonder about some of these older cats and how often they try take deer down. If they've jumped on a deers back/neck to go for the take down and get spanked off a tree or two in the thick timber while the deer is running away, or maybe even kicked? You'd think some must try it? I know they eat small deer. Seems like the bigger cats I'm finding right now are hanging close to the deer herd's. I doubt a bob has near the takedown of say a lion, so they must go for a bit of a ride untill their pray submits?

[dwalton]

James: What part of Colorado do you live. I guided for Cap Atwood there in '69&"70. Learned a lot about lion hunting. I ran and treed bobs when we weren't guiding lion hunts. The locals did not mess with bobs back then, there were sure alot of then there then. Reading all of the comments it's a wonder some the guys ever have a broke dog. Bobcats will drag there feet, big old fat toms, sometimes a young tom that is real fat. It is easy to tell if it is a bob track. A bobcat would made it. Dewey Good hunting

[B-N-Trees]

James: What part of Colorado do you live. I guided for Cap Atwood there in '69&"70. Learned a lot about lion hunting. I ran and treed bobs when we weren't guiding lion hunts. The locals did not mess with bobs back then, there were sure alot of then there then. Reading all of the comments it's a wonder some the guys ever have a broke dog. Bobcats will drag there feet, big old fat toms, sometimes a young tom that is real fat. It is easy to tell if it is a bob track. A bobcat would made it. Dewey Good hunting

Dewey, still a lot of bobs here and they're still leaving bobcat tracks... just as you said they're not hard to identify when a bobcat makes a bobcat track, lol. Cap Atwood is a name I have heard of. Where did he outfit from? I live in N. Colo, on the Front Range and chase cats from Boulder to Steamboat. One thing about our bobcats here is quite often they will walk a road for several hundred yards and one out of ten will drag its feet. But wow are they hard to tree there are so many rock piles and deep steep canyons that if we tree them they don't stay put easily. I have a friend over in Steamboat who trees some regularly but he is catching them in deep snow. There are not many people who catch them regularly here. It would be neat to see a really good bobcat dog from somewhere else in the country to come run a few out here. Anyway thank you for your comments good hunting to you as well.

[dukes71799]

mayb he was dragging his feet looking around to see if dads dogboy was going to hit him with the paintball gun. great thread.

[dwalton]

James: Cap lived in DeBeque. We hunted all over for lion. I did most of my bob cat hunting around DeBeque and Grand Junction. The cats were easy to tree there but there was not much rocks or bluffs there and no one hunted them. Dewey