Bobcat

[boondocks]

The real kind, not the vehicular kind, slunk across the road in front of me last night, just a few yards in front of my house and coming out of my field (no cows there; they are lower down). Large bugger. Crossed over into neighbor's field across the street.
Spouse and neighbor have seen it too in the past month, each time in the same general area. Might explain the chewed-up deer I found down by the spring a few weeks ago, and some dead chickens the neighbor has had. Will they pounce from a tree like a cougar? (And yes, I do ask this with trepidation, not wanting a reprise of the Great Cougar Debate of 2016 :lol:

I have calves due in a few weeks. If the bugger hasn't moved on by then should I be worried? S/he seems to want to stick around; if s/he limits him/herself to deer, h3ll, I'll put out a water bowl!

 

[Nesikep]

I think Momma cow would scare one of them off easily enough.. We had one here a few years back.. he left before calving season started.. sure a beauty and posed for some of the best pictures I've ever taken.. we fed him for a while, he was really skinny when he first came around, the crunchy snow was giving him grief stalking prey... I wouldn't want to corner it, but he wasn't fierce, defensive or terribly shy

 

[boondocks]

I think Momma cow would scare one of them off easily enough.. We had one here a few years back.. he left before calving season started.. sure a beauty and posed for some of the best pictures I've ever taken.. we fed him for a while, he was really skinny when he first came around, the crunchy snow was giving him grief stalking prey... I wouldn't want to corner it, but he wasn't fierce, defensive or terribly shy

wow great pic!!! Sure looks like my "friend"!

 

[dun]

The bobcats around here seem to be of 2 different types. One type is really tall and rangy looking the other is shorter legged and very compact. An analogy would be the difference between the build of a beagle and the build of a Basset Hound.

 

[farmerjan]

Have had one here for awhile, the neighbors watched it often in the mornings. Never bothered the cows and calves, I think the calves are just a little too big for them to think about tackling and the cows would probably keep them off. They like the smaller prey here. This one never even bothered the chickens during the day, never left them open at night to find out if he would go in the after them. I don't think that you have to worry about it with the calves if there is any other game around for it that is more of it's size capabilities. Fawns are alot smaller than a calf, and the does go off and leave them where a cow usually sticks around closer or they leave a babysitter with a group of calves here. Will see 4-6-8 calves in an area and one cow just grazing or snoozing near them.

 

[skyhightree1]

I kill them all the time but not because they mess with cattle but because they are hurting the rabbit population I have several mounted.

 

[JSCATTLE]

Some of my cows drop 35 to 40 lb calves .. I've never had a problem with cats or yotes. But my worthless long ear cows will come through the woods like a elephant if her calf bawls. Ask me how I know lol.

 

[True Grit Farms]

I kill them all the time but not because they mess with cattle but because they are hurting the rabbit population I have several mounted.

I quit killing bobcats cause I saw one with a hen turkey in it's mouth.

 

[Dave]

I never have heard of a bobcat getting a calf. They are not as big as they appear. I have trapped and skinned hundreds of them. An average one is probably 20-25 pounds. A 35 pounder is a whopper. The long legs and fluffy fur make them look bigger than they really are.

 

[M-5]

I never have heard of a bobcat getting a calf. They are not as big as they appear. I have trapped and skinned hundreds of them. An average one is probably 20-25 pounds. A 35 pounder is a whopper. The long legs and fluffy fur make them look bigger than they really are.

about twice the size of a house cat , They are looking for mice and rabbits that's about it

 

[skyhightree1]

I kill them all the time but not because they mess with cattle but because they are hurting the rabbit population I have several mounted.

I quit killing bobcats cause I saw one with a hen turkey in it's mouth.

guessing you don't like hens ?

 

[True Grit Farms]

I kill them all the time but not because they mess with cattle but because they are hurting the rabbit population I have several mounted.

I quit killing bobcats cause I saw one with a hen turkey in it's mouth.

guessing you don't like hens ?

We're over populated with turkeys. I even let a dog go by this year, I'm getting old and soft. Last few years I've been letting the boys shoot most of the deer on my tag. But if they can't get the job done I'll do it. We needed to kill 20 does the last weekend and I had to shoot 8 on the last day, to getter done.

 

[Nesikep]

They can have all the rabbits they want.. I do not like any rodents!.. yes, bunnies are fluffy and cute, but terribly destructive in numbers... Same goes for racoons, though I don't know if a bobcat would want to take one on.
My worthless mutts are pretty laid back unless a calf bellers, and they sure know the danger scale of the different predators around here.. Yotes are not a big deal, mountain lions they will raise a ruckus... Black bears are something to calmly keep an eye on, grizzlies will cause a stampede.

 

[wbvs58]

Can they cross with domestic cats? Are they native to North America or have they bred up from domestic cats since settlement?

We get some big feral cats here. They can look very impressive hung up by one back leg due to the looseness of a cats body.

Ken

 

[Workinonit Farm]

I've never had a problem with bobcats bothering my cows/calves. I wouldn't be concerned about it.

 

[skyhightree1]

I quit killing bobcats cause I saw one with a hen turkey in it's mouth.

guessing you don't like hens ?

We're over populated with turkeys. I even let a dog go by this year, I'm getting old and soft. Last few years I've been letting the boys shoot most of the deer on my tag. But if they can't get the job done I'll do it. We needed to kill 20 does the last weekend and I had to shoot 8 on the last day, to getter done.

Tons here but can't say overpopulated. If you put gun down and start carrying a camera I will know your soft as a over ripe banana.

 

[boondocks]

I'm glad to hear a bobcat won't likely hurt a calf.
Problem is, now I'm wondering if it's not maybe a....you know...... :hide:

There's ZERO way it was 20-25 lbs. Twice the size of a house cat? Nope, not even if the cat was Garfield. Considerably bigger than that. I'm fairly sure it probably is a bobcat, must just be a very big one. Assuming it did take down that deer, it was a 2 y.o. doe it got.

 

[Nesikep]

Perhaps a Lynx.. they're a little bigger I think

 

[boondocks]

hmmm...maybe you're onto something:

"To begin with, the bobcat looks a bit more like an overgrown house cat than a lynx does. With extra-long tufts of fur on its ears and a shaggy mane of fur around its cheeks, the lynx takes on an otherworldly appearance. The long black ear tufts, which can grow to be almost an inch (2.5 centimeters) long, act as excellent hearing aids, enabling the agile cat to pick up on the soft footsteps of its prey".
https://greatcatsoftheworld.wordpress.c ... nd-bobcat/


This thing had sort of mutton chops. Gonna maybe break out the night vision camera this weekend