Bob cat
- Thread starter orezok
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That thing is HUGE. I've seen bobcat twice in my life, one fleeting glimpse and once we eyeballed each other at about 50' or so for probably a minute. I've heard bobcat shriek/scream/make-that-embarass-yourself-sound in the dark on at least two occasions also, and even knowing full well what made the sound I could not repress an immediate wave of fear. It subsided somewhat when I realized I was carrying big hardware and probably was out of reach. Anyone who has heard one while in the woods after dark probably knows exactly how I felt. It is one of the most fright-producing sounds I have ever heard.
Is that perhaps a lynx rather than a bobcat?
Is that perhaps a lynx rather than a bobcat?
OP
orezok
Super Member
According to Wikipedia, the bobcat is part of the lynx genus and this one seems to fit the average size for the local sub-specie.
It sure was a magnificent looking animal.
It sure was a magnificent looking animal.
N80
Super Member
Man, that is a big one! I've seen them while hunting on a number of occasions. Even watched a mom and 4 kittens for a while one evening while deer hunting. Most of the ones around here are smaller than that.
My father shot one on a plantation in Charleston about 30 years ago.They were considered varmints then and were unregulated (open season). Dad was not interested in shooting one but a good friend of his was a fairly prominent taxidermist and wanted one for a full mount for his display. Well, this thing was huge. Dad says it was 40 pounds. I doubt it was that big but it was much bigger than most of the ones that I've seen that look like big house cats.
In any case, someone had already given one to the taxidermist so the guy did a head mount and gave it to Dad. It is hanging in my cabin.
I had no desire to shoot one back then, and saw them and did not shoot them. I still have no desire to shoot them. No reason to. They don't hurt anything and as far as I know they don't eat well.
My father shot one on a plantation in Charleston about 30 years ago.They were considered varmints then and were unregulated (open season). Dad was not interested in shooting one but a good friend of his was a fairly prominent taxidermist and wanted one for a full mount for his display. Well, this thing was huge. Dad says it was 40 pounds. I doubt it was that big but it was much bigger than most of the ones that I've seen that look like big house cats.
In any case, someone had already given one to the taxidermist so the guy did a head mount and gave it to Dad. It is hanging in my cabin.
I had no desire to shoot one back then, and saw them and did not shoot them. I still have no desire to shoot them. No reason to. They don't hurt anything and as far as I know they don't eat well.
Phils
Platinum Member
We've had one twice in our "yard" last year. It was there long enough that we got online and confirmed that it was a lynx. About the same size as yours IIRC.
What was intriguing was that it was loitering with a group of about 1/2 dozen wild turkeys. All of them just milling around together. Eventually they all meandered off into the brush, the lynx too, calmly and like they all belonged together.
Phil
What was intriguing was that it was loitering with a group of about 1/2 dozen wild turkeys. All of them just milling around together. Eventually they all meandered off into the brush, the lynx too, calmly and like they all belonged together.
Phil
Maybe that lynx has turned to raising his own food and that was his flockPhils said:
The one I got a good look at was probably 20# or so, certainly not the size of the one pictured here. Anyone else 'fess up to hearing one scream at night and turning to jello?
wjoerob
Silver Member
Something's been killing our Shetland sheep lambs, 4 of them in 3-1/2 weeks. We kept llamas with them for years, and never lost any, now that our llamas are gone, this happens. Neighbor 1/4 mi. away said they saw a "bobcat" on their back porch. I was pretty skeptical, they aren't supposed to live around here in central Indiana. But the more I talked to "COUNTRY FOLK" friends, the more people said "Oh, yeah, we've heard of them showing up around here." There are even a few reports of panthers being on the prowl, released by private owners or whatever. If I see one going after our animals, it will be one more extinct predator.
Tororider
Veteran Member
Now correct me if I am wrong, but bobcat/lynx are not aggressive like cougar are? That sure is a pretty creature!
N80
Super Member
I seriously that a bobcat bothers any sheep. They feed mostly on things like mice and voles. They eat rabbits but that's generally about as big as they go. I imagine a lynx might go for something bigger.
And no, bobcats are not typically aggressive. In fact, around here they are known much more for their illusiveness.
But, here's a true story, I think I've told it here before (you know you're getting old when...): A friend of mine was jogging along the long country road he lives on. He had on cut off jeans and sneakers and that's it. On the way back he sees a big cat sitting in the road. Thinks its a stray and keeps jogging towards it. Closer he gets the bigger it looks but he keeps jogging. Then it starts jogging towards him. He thinks that's a bit odd but maybe its a big house cat that somebody dumped off. Well, they get closer and closer and he realizes it aint no house cat, its a bobcat. He stops, it keeps coming at him. When it gets close, he finally panics thinking it might be rabid and jumps the ditch, goes through the briars and over the fence into the pasture. He makes a wide detour around the cat and goes home. Comes back in his truck and the cat is gone but as he's sitting there looking around he hears mewing up in a tree and there's baby bobcats in a tree next to the road.
He commented that the panicked trip through the briars was probably worse than tangling with a momma bobcat.
So, not usually aggressive but like most any other animal it will try to protect its young.
And no, bobcats are not typically aggressive. In fact, around here they are known much more for their illusiveness.
But, here's a true story, I think I've told it here before (you know you're getting old when...): A friend of mine was jogging along the long country road he lives on. He had on cut off jeans and sneakers and that's it. On the way back he sees a big cat sitting in the road. Thinks its a stray and keeps jogging towards it. Closer he gets the bigger it looks but he keeps jogging. Then it starts jogging towards him. He thinks that's a bit odd but maybe its a big house cat that somebody dumped off. Well, they get closer and closer and he realizes it aint no house cat, its a bobcat. He stops, it keeps coming at him. When it gets close, he finally panics thinking it might be rabid and jumps the ditch, goes through the briars and over the fence into the pasture. He makes a wide detour around the cat and goes home. Comes back in his truck and the cat is gone but as he's sitting there looking around he hears mewing up in a tree and there's baby bobcats in a tree next to the road.
He commented that the panicked trip through the briars was probably worse than tangling with a momma bobcat.
So, not usually aggressive but like most any other animal it will try to protect its young.
mahlers
Gold Member
We see them around here all the time and, yes, they do make a horrible sound at night when they're either about to get into a fight or they want to keep something away. We also have Cougars, and they make the same blood-curdling sound. In fact, it sounds like a woman screaming bloody murder like you've never heard before.
We had a party up on the top of our hill one summer and one of the girls decided to head into the woods for a nature call (normal bathroom line must have been too long). She was gone for about two minutes when we all heard this terrible scream come from the woods - one of those screams that makes your heart skip a beat. Right after that, the girl comes running out of the woods with her pants still halfway down. We were asking her what happened that made her scream like that and she said that it wasn't her - but whatever it was it was right next to her and literally scared the #&$P out of her. It was funny for the rest of us, at least...
We had a party up on the top of our hill one summer and one of the girls decided to head into the woods for a nature call (normal bathroom line must have been too long). She was gone for about two minutes when we all heard this terrible scream come from the woods - one of those screams that makes your heart skip a beat. Right after that, the girl comes running out of the woods with her pants still halfway down. We were asking her what happened that made her scream like that and she said that it wasn't her - but whatever it was it was right next to her and literally scared the #&$P out of her. It was funny for the rest of us, at least...
Tororider
Veteran Member
I thought it was cougars that you hear the stories about dragging people off into the forest.
Your "pet" bobcat is a beautiful specimen.
Your "pet" bobcat is a beautiful specimen.
billbill1
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I had one run by me in broad daylight-last summer, something must have kicked it out, hardly ever see them in the day time. I've seen them at dusk a couple of times but normally you don't see them around here. They are a beautiful animal.
jinman
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Last year, I saw two bobcats. One of them was near my house when my wife and I returned from a trip in mid-afternoon. It just looked at us and calmly trotted off into the woods.
The other one caught me by complete surprise. I was driving to work and had just driven onto airport property on the west side of DFW airport. There are lots of freight terminals on this side of the airport and the bobcat was running from the fence surrounding a terminal to the cover of a line of trees across the road I was driving on. That bobcat was at least as big as yours, Orezok, and it looked like it probably approached the freight terminal to look for rats and field mice.
The other one caught me by complete surprise. I was driving to work and had just driven onto airport property on the west side of DFW airport. There are lots of freight terminals on this side of the airport and the bobcat was running from the fence surrounding a terminal to the cover of a line of trees across the road I was driving on. That bobcat was at least as big as yours, Orezok, and it looked like it probably approached the freight terminal to look for rats and field mice.
