# Problem Bobcat or Coyotes



## Rebar (Apr 7, 2007)

I'm in North Texas in a fairly rural area 8 miles to the nearest town on 200 acres. My Father, brother and sister all have houses on this plot of land each of us about a quarter mile apart pretty spread out. We had a couple of small wiener dogs for three years that we only let out of the house to go do their business outside. In the last year both dogs were attacked a little after dark by something and both survived after being patched up by the local vet who thought it may have been ***** doing the damage.

In early February we let one of the dogs out to go pee at 9am and he never came back. After about 2 hours of searching the farm near the house I couldn't find him so I decided to just get up on the roof and watch. After about 15 minutes I saw a buzzard hovering over a 10 acre thicket about 150 yards from the house and then he dived into the thicket. I grabbed my 22 rifle and went down there. I found a trail of blood and some entrals and followed that to the dog. He was mostly eaten between his front and back legs. The Buzzard had only just arrived so he didn't do the damage to the dog.

My wife has charged me with the responsibility of catching and killing what did this. We have what seems like more coyotes than ever so I assumed it was one of them. So I bought some old #3 Victor single spring traps and about a dozen victor #3 double long spring traps off Ebay that were dyed & Waxed by the seller. I have not deployed the long spring traps as they are much harder to set.

Yesterday my folks came home to a Bobcat sitting in a tree behind their house being attacked by a bunch of birds. The bobcat ran off towards my place.

So I'm thinking what I'm trying to catch is likely the Bobcat but possible also the coyotes.

I have had 4 of the single spring #3 victor traps triggered but nothing in them. What ever is setting them off is big enough to pull out of those traps. So I'm considering deploying the #3 long springs that may be able to hold something larger. So I have been running this trap line for 2 months now and no coyotes or bobcat.

I'm not interested in trapping for fur but would very much like to catch what nearby and attacking and killing our dog. There are no other dogs nearby to suspect.

If you have any suggestions please let me know. I'd like to handle this my self and willing to do whatever it takes.
Thanks
Rebar


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## younghunter (Dec 17, 2006)

Coyotes...... has to be bobcat possible...... I liv in small town and a town over from me smaller and surrendound by trees..... couple years ago dogs were getting ate this time of year there were dogs on chains getting ate all the time every nite new one was died.... well its happing again a small weiner dog got about week ago.... me and uncle are probably going to go in and snare them to stop it but its coyotes having pups that are doing these.... if you think about it a small dog is much easier to kill and eat then 10 rabbits there haveing pups so they need to feed them it possible it might be a wounded coyote or something like that waiting for the easy meal...... id put ur dog in a pen over nite make sure the coyote or bobcat cant get him place something over the top to to enclose it and set all the traps you got around the pen casue what it will do is see the dog and try to find entrise poin to the dog by walking around the pen and bam you have ur curplet.... i wouldnt be surprised if there more then one bobcats usally stray from houses and are very sneaking animals that is why i think its coyote there fast and ant as scared as most people may think........ but if you take some time maybe set out a trail camera and some traps and have ur dog in a pen the animal will come in.......


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## Rebar (Apr 7, 2007)

We'll were keeping the dog we have left in the house.

I might consider putting a chicken or rabbit in a cage down near where the dog was killed and setting traps around that.


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## weasle414 (Dec 31, 2006)

Set up as many traps as you can after looking for dens, tracks, scat, etc. in the areas that they most likely are. You could also try calling them in and blasting them with your gun, assuming you have something bigger than the .22. I'm guessing just because it's a farm you have at least a 30-06 or something which would be just fine if you just want the suckers dead. I also like the chicken idea that you have, that's probably something worth trying. Also, if you make a bunch of snares you could use those around the chicken and save your other traps for trails and den areas.


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## ND trapper (Nov 14, 2006)

weasle414 said:


> Set up as many traps as you can...


Setting out a bunch of traps is a great way to spook every coyote in the area and makes them avoid your sets altogether. Set two to three sets, each one being somewhat different looking then the other and use different baits at each set. If you can use snares than set the trails which you think the animals are using.


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## squirrel sniper101 (Nov 13, 2006)

if you think about it it colud be a fisher cat i saw a fisher cat going after a weiner dog sized gopher the other up at the park the other day.but then again it could be a coyote or a bobcat if you want you sucker done for good set something like a deadfall trap up or like weasel said snares or my favorite get in a ghillie put the chicken out have your gun at the go n when he come blast his head apart.i love dogs and it sucks alot to see them killed so i hope you find that bugger and kill him! good luck

-------------------------------------------
mike


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## weasle414 (Dec 31, 2006)

ND trapper said:


> weasle414 said:
> 
> 
> > Set up as many traps as you can...
> ...


Really? Hmm, I always figured the more the better if you spread them out. How do they get spooked by them, though? Is it just the ones that pull out or do all of them learn a little when one of them gets stuck?


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## Mongojoe (Nov 2, 2006)

Just to toss this in.... But whether you are trapping for fur, or trapping for animal damage control, you must make your sets pretty much the same way, with the traps and whatever your method of anchoring them, covered, and the traps bedded *SOLIDLY*... The size of the trap, while important, isn't always as important as the strength of the springs... I have caught and held "incidentals" such as coyotes, bobcats, and even beaver, in traps as small as #1 double longs... If you are not already an experienced trapper, and are just learning, then catching these animals may prove to be extremely difficult and frustrating. Coyotes can be a real problem for the beginning trapper..... If this is the case, I would suggest that you contact your local game ranger and ask them to put you in touch with the local animal damage control person. Most every area has at least one person whose job is to solve problems such as you are having.............. If this doesn't work out for you, then perhaps a call to this fella below will help you find someone in your area who can help..........

Texas Trappers & Fur Hunters Association

Billy Chambliss

110 Crosscutt Dr.

Lufkin, TX 75901

936-824-2158


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## Rebar (Apr 7, 2007)

Thank you guys. As I said my only experience in trapping has been to try to catch the critters tearing up our dogs. I appreciate your help so much. I have to say that I have enjoyed reading the forums here. These double longspring traps are very difficult to set. Fortunately I'm only trying to set traps close to home.

I first tried cage traps but only caught skunks, possums & *****. After reading quite a bit I realized that coyotes and bobcats would almost never go in one. The cage traps are stored in the barn now.. Pretty worthless for what I am after.


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## younghunter (Dec 17, 2006)

Bobcast will in deed go into the cage traps but preferr live bait like a chiken or something but coyotes just dont like the fact of being pushed somewhere so a small fenced box dont help...... you might try the cage traps with a live small chicken in it....... do you have a live box at back and top of traps if not its reall easy to make them..... i understand you dont want to put your dog outside id do the same with mine escpially if its your last one id watch out and blast every coyote that comes near your home...... but good luckk.


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## Plainsman (Jul 30, 2003)

Rebar, I haven't trapped for years (1960) so I have forgotten a lot, and am not familiar with many of the new perhaps better techniques. I have no idea of your expertise, so please don't be offended if the advise I offer is less than your current knowledge.
What I have seen most of the time (when animals pull out of traps) is debris covering the trap that is to large and wedges in the jaws. Are you familiar with a dirt hole set? No pun intended, but get an 18 inch piece of rebar. Drive it in the ground about a foot and twist in in circles forming a small hole like a small animal would use. On the side you expect the coyote to approach shovel out an area large enough to hold your trap. Drive your trap stake in the bottom, then place the trap in the bottom and rock it to settle it so it is firmly in place (you don't want it to move if an animal steps on the jaw). Then place wax paper (not plastic) over the pan, but you must tear a slit for the dog to flip upwards. Then push the was paper under the jaws. This forms a tent over the petal and keeps everything clear under the petal. Next you should have some dirt that you have sifted the large pieces from, I also dried it in the oven. Sift this over the trap until it is covered with a very thin layer. Throw some meat down the hole you made. About ten feet down wind add some down or tie a small feather to a bush that can blow in the wind. You may use some scent if you like to.
This set up should look like a small animal burrow with a hole, and associated dirt mound. Keep the dirt mound very low, or the animal will approach from the wrong side. Also slant the hole you make, and throw meat in, towards the dirt mound at a good angle. This will make the coyote come to that side to look down the hole. I have a head ache, a gut ache, and got up at 4:00am this morning, so I hope this is coherent.


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## ND trapper (Nov 14, 2006)

weasle414How do they get spooked by them said:


> To much activity in a area is what will spook coyotes regardless if any have been caught or have pulled out of the trap.
> 
> The reason for making sets a little different from each other is that no two coyotes are alike. A dirthole set that takes one coyote may not take another. Most trappers use the dirthole set and older coyotes have seen this set many times before and may shy away from it. Thats ware a flat set or post set can catch a dirthole shy coyote.
> 
> ...


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