Pennsylvania Game News - September 2010 - 22

due to the cold. I figured he knew what he was talking about, because the year before he got a permit and trapped a nice 27-pound male. I spent a couple of weeks after deer season, scouting for spots to set my traps. Fresh snow made it easier to spot new cat tracks. I found two spots that looked very promising and, after talking to my buddies, I decided to use cubby sets. I had only four sets, but was still hopeful I would get one. I will never forget the feeling of making that first set. I was shaking with excitement. It was like seeing a big buck and I was only setting a trap. I took great care to make everything perfect. I learned that you can make a cat step exactly where you want it to, and that is what I was going to do. The first night, I couldn’t sleep. But then I went 14 days without catching a thing, and that feeling of excitement began to wear off. I was told that when

you set strictly for cats you can go days without catching anything. Then came day 15. I had to go back to my job, because I had used all of my vacation, which meant I had to check my traps after work. What long work days those ended up being. I stopped at my first set, went down a bank, and from there I could see my cubby set. But this day something looked different. As I peeked back through the brush, I could tell that my set had been disturbed. I took a few more steps, bent over and peeked again. I remember saying out loud, “Oh my. Something is looking at me.” I started to walk very fast, almost at a run. When I rounded the thick brush a loud growl greeted me. I was face-to-face with a 20-pound bobcat. In addition to the bobcat I caught 22 other furbearers that year, including a 30pound coyote. I’d like to thank all of those individuals who helped me, and the Game Commission for giving me the opportunity to go bobcat trapping.

Trapper’s Tips…

By Dan Lynch

Essential tools on the trapline:
Many times I run a mixed trapline, making sets for both land and water species. Because of this I carry an assortment of tools to make my limited trapping time as efficient as I can. I carry a 5-gallon bucket that has a tool apron attached to it, with pockets to carry both lures and tools. On a normal day I carry at least one s-hook tool for attaching traps to anchors. I also carry tongue and groove pliers (crescent wrench) to adjust the dogs on some traps so the pan lays as flat as I want it to. I carry a flat and Phillips head screwdriver for adjusting pan tension in my foothold traps. I usually carry a small file in case I have to file some of the trap dog (trigger) or edges of the jaws to eliminate any sharp edges. If beaver trapping, I also carry a bodygripping safety catch to make sure I’m safe if my trap should go off before I am clear of the jaws. One of the most used tools in my bucket is my three-in-one tool, which is a hammer, digging claw and hole puncher. I drive my trap stakes, dig my trap beds and excavate any holes needed to place baits with this tool. Trappers have many tools, but on a normal day you would definitely find these with me.

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Pennsylvania Game News - September 2010

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