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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 542
 
| Bear - 2017-02-13 3:23 PM
Is it really worth 35 bucks to trap and kill a bobcat? How many bobcat hides can a person reasonably expect to collect in a given year? I have a feeling it's a novelty sorta thing. Maybe it makes some people feel like a badass? I can't imagine bobcats are a huge threat to any livestock, except maybe chickens.
My thinking too! We have chickens but the cats up in the cove have never bothered them. We put them up at night and have motion lighting along with outside dogs. I've seen a couple cats in the day on trails in the distance and they run like a scalded dog once they glimpse you. I can't imagine a bobcat killing a calf and never once have they bothered our cattle.
Coyotes we've had a problem with and we hunted them but never put a picture on fb and it was a quick end. We never hunt the coyotes unless they bother us either. Call it gyspy or folklore but we hang skins on the fence....they don't eat our cattle anymore. I believe they are smart enough to know to stay their distance because we can hear them howl when the train comes through and they pass through our yard BUT it has been maybe 8 yrs since one has harmed any livestock.
I dunno. I just don't bother killing wild animals until they pose a threat to your way of life and making a living. I've never thought about it as a way of living? I just can't see the market being good enough for that to be a way of making a living. I know ppl who hunt/trap around here but it is only as a hobby that they do this or as supplemental income. Also, those ppl know better than to ask about trapping on my land LOL |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 1182
 
Location: Do I hear Banjos? | Some trap/hunt predators to help increase the population of prey animals like turkey poults and deer fawns. If the predators get too numerous in an area...that's a bad thing. Some here do it to protect their livestock. A farmer near us shot two bobcats that were on his farm killing his chickens. He gave me the carcasses and I skinned/tanned the hides so they didn't entirely go to waste. I didn't blame him for protecting his stock.
But pictures of live animals in traps does not sit well with me. I can shoot a predator. Quick humane end...but I'm not going to trap as they do suffer pain and distress for a time until they are found/killed. |
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 Expert
Posts: 1898
| runfastturnsmooth - 2017-02-13 7:32 PM
Bear - 2017-02-13 3:23 PM
Is it really worth 35 bucks to trap and kill a bobcat? How many bobcat hides can a person reasonably expect to collect in a given year? I have a feeling it's a novelty sorta thing. Maybe it makes some people feel like a badass? I can't imagine bobcats are a huge threat to any livestock, except maybe chickens.
My thinking too! We have chickens but the cats up in the cove have never bothered them. We put them up at night and have motion lighting along with outside dogs. I've seen a couple cats in the day on trails in the distance and they run like a scalded dog once they glimpse you. I can't imagine a bobcat killing a calf and never once have they bothered our cattle.
Coyotes we've had a problem with and we hunted them but never put a picture on fb and it was a quick end. We never hunt the coyotes unless they bother us either. Call it gyspy or folklore but we hang skins on the fence....they don't eat our cattle anymore. I believe they are smart enough to know to stay their distance because we can hear them howl when the train comes through and they pass through our yard BUT it has been maybe 8 yrs since one has harmed any livestock.
I dunno. I just don't bother killing wild animals until they pose a threat to your way of life and making a living. I've never thought about it as a way of living? I just can't see the market being good enough for that to be a way of making a living. I know ppl who hunt/trap around here but it is only as a hobby that they do this or as supplemental income. Also, those ppl know better than to ask about trapping on my land LOL
It might be gypsy folklore or what ever but I can vouch that they know. When we moved on to our property 7 years ago we had a terrible coyote problem. They would come on to our property and try to call our dogs out, they ate all the barn cats and the first set of chickens. They came at all times of day and night with no pattern to speak of. That first 8 months we killed 5 of them on the property less than 100 yards from our house. We have had one lone young male make a round or two since. My husband and I both have missed him on separate occasions about 3 weeks apart from each other but he hasn't been back in 6 months.
We can hear them in the evenings howling in the brush line along our fence but they don't step foot on the property. Or at least they don't come on when we are home. |
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  Warmblood with Wings
Posts: 27846
 
Location: Florida.. | Nateracer - 2017-02-13 4:09 PM It's all about the fur trade. Bobcats at auction were averaging 34.75 a pelt. That's for one hide. $25 - $55 depending on size.
Raccoons sadly this year were bringing $3 average.
Otters - $30-$50 depending on size
Fox $14-25
Coyote $12-30
A full bobcat fur coat can bring up to $150,000 in the right area and market. I know that it's looked down upon by most, because the methods aren't considered very humane. But if those furs are part of your income, you try to find the best hides you can to get top dollar. Foot hold traps don't damage any fur. A gun blows a hole, sometimes two right through the best part.
Its cruel.. They have no compassion for animals.. Im not a PETA lover.. but thats just a horrible way to make a animal suffer.. id like to have him step on the trap.. all for the bucks.. do it humane if you have to .i see no reason to kill a bobcat in his territory.. nor use foot traps.. disgusting.. |
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 A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | Its wrong, killing for pleasure is wrong wrong wrong and then to brag about it so you can feel good about yourself ITS WRONG.. |
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 Expert
Posts: 1613
Location: Wild Wild West | Southtxponygirl - 2017-02-14 7:10 PM Its wrong, killing for pleasure is wrong wrong wrong and then to brag about it so you can feel good about yourself ITS WRONG..
And it does NOT need to be posted on FB. Or anywhere. |
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A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | Hot Rod - 2017-02-14 9:40 PM Southtxponygirl - 2017-02-14 7:10 PM Its wrong, killing for pleasure is wrong wrong wrong and then to brag about it so you can feel good about yourself ITS WRONG.. And it does NOT need to be posted on FB. Or anywhere.
Exactly |
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