What do you know about Bobcats??

[LYKOS]

So here is the deal. I live in one of the more "wild" parts of central Virginia. There are more remote and less populated areas but I live back in the woods, on a mountain, etc etc...

At my little cabin I've had to shoot raccoons in the bedroom and had a black bear knock out a screen to get to some food left by the sink, coyotes sing in the distance every night and once a wild turkey flew in through the open front door.

About three weeks ago I saw a new critter at the end of my drive way. My driveway is 3/8 of a mile of dirt off of an unmarked one lane dead end road.

It was a bobcat.

Hadn't seen one of those up here yet.

Last week I found a wounded fawn in the backyard. It had it's hind quarters torn open by a predator. It was infested with maggots. I had to go ahead and put it down.

Yesterday, during daylight I was woken up (I sleep days due to night shift) by a feline screaming outside. First time I didn't react as I thought it was just a night(day)mare, the second time I was up like a shot and clearing the yard with shotgun in hand. LOL

So last night, about three a.m. I hear a wounded fawn screaming out side somewhere. I go out with flashlight to see what I can see and I hear the feline screaming again and the fawn went quiet rather abruptly.


So tell me about bobcats.

Are they afraid of humans?

Do they eat house cats? I have two mousers running around that I'm rather fond of.

Will they enter a house in search of food?

I know a lot of you guys live remotely and probably have more experience with these animals than I do.

So what can you tell me?


Thanks in advance...

 

[LYKOS]

NOTE: Mountain lions/cougars/panthers have been sighted in on the Blue Ridge but what I heard didn't sound big enough to be a big cat. AND having seen the bobcat it makes sense that's what I've got. We have a LOT of deer up here and with bred does dropping fawns this time of year it's a buffet for predators.

 

[GrimmJeeper]

bobcats are mean SOB's, i don't know about coming into your house to look for food but they act a lot bigger than they are. i'd stay well away from it or try to chase it off with the shotgun.

 

[SanDiegoOverland]

There's a big difference between a bobcat and a cougar/puma...

Bobcats are fairly small animals with big paws, and pointy black tipped ears. Their fur is highly marked usually with with black, brown, tan and while. Easily mistakan as a large housecat at first glance. Usually around 30-40lbs

Cougars/Pumas/Mtn. Lions are a far larger animal. They have a long, long tail and can be from bright tan to a mottled brown in color. Smoothly rounded ears and white mottled faces are common. These baddies can get to be about 200lbs, but most are around 75-150lbs.

Both of them will go after deer, so that's no help, but Mtn. Lions tend to go for the throat rather than the hind-quarters, so maybe that points towards Bobcat. I'd honestly not be too afraid of a Bobcat, but a mtn. Lion is a whole 'nother story.

Both of them can be taken with a 12gauge or trusty .30-30. They're considered somewhat dangerous, but fairly thin-skinned. The problem comes in that they're very, very stealthy, and if they want to attack you, they'll come from above in a tree, or from behind. What they'll likely come after is the animals around your house, not you yourself, IMO.

When we're hiking in Puma country, we absolutely keep our kids between my wife and I and I'll do a pirouette/check my six move every couple minutes to make sure we don't have one following us. Hasn't happened to me, but others have done so, and have found a good sized adolescent padding quietly them. !!!

 

[urban yan]

So what can you tell me?

Bobcats can shovel allot of dirt.
Cougars are fun to pet... especially when you buy them a few drinks.

 

[SanDiegoOverland]

Bobcats can shovel allot of dirt.
Cougars are fun to pet... especially when you buy them a few drinks.

 

[LYKOS]

Bobcats can shovel allot of dirt.
Cougars are fun to pet... especially when you buy them a few drinks.

Bahahahahahahaha!!!!



Thanks for the input guys.

Lived in the woods all my life, never saw a bobcat till the other day. I've had a lot of problems last couple years with critters coming in my house, raccoons, a bear...

That was what I was mainly curious a bout.


Peace

 

[souske]

Also thought this thread was about skid-steers
If you are ever in that market, Takeuchi makes a nice one called the Mustang.

 

[Matthew Currie]

We have bobcats here in Vermont, becoming pretty common. The occasional lynx too, which is a bit bigger and shyer.

I've never heard of them coming into a house, and they tend to be pretty shy with people, and I've never heard of an attack, but they will come into your backyard to forage, and they will eat house cats and run deer. They are not pleasant critters, but tend to keep to themselves. Nonetheless if you have a known bobcat in the vicinity I would not let babies crawl around the back yard and that sort of thing. Wouldn't want to be the first to break the rule. If you're accustomed to throwing compost out, I'd make sure it's a good distance, and not add meat unless your object is actually to see them closer. They do like their meat.

Coyotes will go for house cats and small dogs, and also run deer, but they generally hunt in packs, so a surviving fawn would be unusual. You will more likely just find bones.

Pumas are not supposed to be around here, but people claim to have seen them for years, and they probably are here in small numbers. Also shy for the most part, but they have been known to eat the occasional jogger out on the west coast. No joke there. Nasty guys.

A few years ago a bobcat got run over down the road. It was in the middle of the road. We heard it late at night, howling at an incredible volume for well over a half hour, not knowing what it was. In the morning, we went out, and down the road, the cat had dragged its horribly bleeding body off the road and died there. It's a wonder it managed to move at all given its condition. Whatever else one thinks of them, they certainly are hardy critters with a concentrated will.

 

[kastein]

This is somewhat hypocritical, but I suggest fixing your house up to the point that animals can't get in, and keeping the cats inside at night.

 

[Customizer1000]

Bobcats can shovel allot of dirt.
Cougars are fun to pet... especially when you buy them a few drinks.

Lol

 

[Matthew Currie]

This is somewhat hypocritical, but I suggest fixing your house up to the point that animals can't get in, and keeping the cats inside at night.

Even if bobcats aren't your main problem, that's a pretty good idea. House pets can come to all sorts of harm outside (granted, there are multiple ways of looking at this, and I don't want to get into that one), and a whole lot of critters other than bobcats can get in. Raccoons are notorious for coming in through cat entrances and making a mess, and so are skunks. I certainly would not want to stumble into the kitchen some late night and spook a skunk.

 

[CTeunuch]

Also thought this thread was about skid-steers
If you are ever in that market, Takeuchi makes a nice one called the Mustang.

I know it's off topic, but Mustang's are junk. Spend the $$$ on a used Bobcat, JD etc and you'll be better off.

This is somewhat hypocritical, but I suggest fixing your house up to the point that animals can't get in, and keeping the cats inside at night.

Hahahahaha

 

[LYKOS]

This is somewhat hypocritical, but I suggest fixing your house up to the point that animals can't get in, and keeping the cats inside at night.

Well...

Easier said than done, especially with the bear.

I have big screens on all the windows and the raccoons tear them out easily. THis is not an every night problem mind you. Just one time I left the door open while I left and the coons smelled food inside and after that they were quite determined to come in and feast. Ended up shooting one in the bedroom.

FWIW I live a little differently than most. Ancient log cabin in the woods...


Think Unabomber without the hoodie.


Or the bombs

 

[urban yan]

You should save the raccoon pelts, make a giant raccoon suit so you can infiltrate their colony, and bomb the shit out of them.

 

[GrimmJeeper]

You should save the raccoon pelts, make a giant raccoon suit so you can infiltrate their colony, and bomb the shit out of them.

 

[Customizer1000]

Well...

Easier said than done, especially with the bear.

I have big screens on all the windows and the raccoons tear them out easily. THis is not an every night problem mind you. Just one time I left the door open while I left and the coons smelled food inside and after that they were quite determined to come in and feast. Ended up shooting one in the bedroom.

FWIW I live a little differently than most. Ancient log cabin in the woods...


Think Unabomber without the hoodie.


Or the bombs

So you are a Harvard grad? Lol

 

[bjoehandley]

You should save the raccoon pelts, make a giant raccoon suit so you can infiltrate their colony, and bomb the shit out of them.

:roflmao:

 

[LYKOS]

So you are a Harvard grad? Lol

No, but I am sort of a nutjob.

 

[LYKOS]

PLEASE tell me the story behind that photo. That shits hillarious!