First year back's a memorable one

Austin's Paul Perry waited until the last minute, literally, to apply for a bobcat permit. His wife Pat submitted an online application in the final hours of the final day. Having trapped religiously as a young man, Paul was away from the sport for close to 25 years as he worked on building his business, Perry's Sports Shop and Country Store in Austin. This 20-pound mature female bobcat made his first year back into the sport a memorable one.

Twenty-five years ago, Paul Perry bought a small country store in Austin.

Up until that day, Perry was well-known as one of the best beaver trappers in the area.

But his passion for trapping got put on the back burner while he thrust himself completely into building his business. For the better part of the last three decades, Paul has spent nearly every day tending to his store- most often 16 hours at a clip, from 5 am to 9 pm.

When his wife Pat retired recently and they started sharing the store duties, he had time to consider geting "out of the office."

So when his good friend and veteran trapper Jim Mohr nudged him into getting back into trapping, he considered it. But it was hunting season when applications for bobcat season were being taken- the busy time at his sports store, and recently-added beverage distributor.

When things slowed down, after Christmas, he began again, heading afield daily with Mohr.

"It was great to get him out there," Mohr said. "Because he is the kind of guy who does every possible thing he can for the sport. That's where his heart is, in hunting, fishing and trapping."

Mohr, who has been trapping the better part of 40 years, said getting this bobcat was one of the most rewarding trapping experiences of his life.

"We had a nice cat (a couple weeks ago), but when it saw us, it ran to the end of the (tie down) and it was gone," Mohr said. "I lost sleep over that for three nights, but I still had a good feeling that we'd get another chance."

They got that chance last week when an adult female pawed into a hole set baited with beaver meat that was seasoned with pure anise extract.

Paul will get the animal's hide made into a rug. He already has a mount; a roadkilled cat he bought years ago.

"It couldn't have happened to a better guy," Mohr said of his trapping partner. "He focused on his business for 25 years and during that time he did everything he possibly could to promote the sport."

Beyond the cat, the duo has been busy essentially every day. "That's the goal," Mohr said, "to at least get one animal a day."

They've nearly done it. Consider this, they've trapped some 19 coyotes, five bobcats (only one harvested) more than a dozen raccoons, four beavers, eight grey foxes and about 40 red foxes.