Bobcats

[Jackalope]

    There's a bobcat making the rounds in my AO, and my neighbors warned us that it would be interested in our poultry.  I saw it once a month or so ago, while using a thermal scope, as it crept up a creek bed.  Unfortunately, I couldn't get a shot at it.  Well this morning, I went out with my dog, for her morning constitutional.  I looked across the road at the neighbor's field, and there was the bobcat.  It regarded me for a bit, and then it realized that I was checking it out.  So, it slunk up the road, using the drainage ditch as cover.  I was quite surprised at the size of it.  I was probably about 200 feet from it, and from my prospective, it appeared to weight at least 60 pounds.  My dog weighs about 85 pounds, and the bobcat size was similar.  I think it could definitely give a good fight with my dog.  I'll definitely be carrying a handgun ALL the time, after seeing the feline in the flesh.  Nothing like a wake up call to remind me of the need for firearms.

[grizz]

Many moons ago I called one in for a friend to shoot with his longbow, beautiful animals

[pkveazey]

We've got them in Va. but its rare to see them. I remember one day when I was arrowhead hunting in a friends field and one let out one of those Banshee sounding calls. I ran back to the car and strapped on my 380 just in case. We also have an occasional Bear show up. I heard one walking through the woods and I swear it sounded like a horse walking. He must have been a big one. I went back to the car and got strapped for that one also.

[Jackalope]

    Yeah, we have black bears here too, but they're relatively rare in this immediate area.  There are elk here too.  We had three white tailed does in the backyard last weekend, it was a joy to watch them playing.

[Nemo]

Take something bigger than a 380 where you might find a bobcat.  Its enough to make him mad but would not really pester a decent size black bear.

Nemo

[Erick]

We've got them in Va. but its rare to see them. I remember one day when I was arrowhead hunting in a friends field and one let out one of those Banshee sounding calls. I ran back to the car and strapped on my 380 just in case. We also have an occasional Bear show up. I heard one walking through the woods and I swear it sounded like a horse walking. He must have been a big one. I went back to the car and got strapped for that one also.

We saw some bobcat kittens near a friends farm the other months.
The girl kids cooed in admiration how cute they were and insisted on adopting them. It took all of Dads will to keep them from running to the kittens and hugging them.

PS: They were very cute.

[JohnyMac]

Bob cats are around the redoubt and they can get pretty dang big. A neighbor who traps our property January thru March, got one last year. He told me it weighed in at 49-pounds. Heck our dog is 65-pounds.

The February/March time period, we will start to see mountain lion tracks too. Three years ago a lion killed one of my neighbors sheep in March. I guess we need a Great Pyrenees, huh Jackalope? 

[Jackalope]

   Yeah, a Great Pyrenees would help, since they're bred as a livestock protector.  Their heavy double coat, especially around the neck, helps protect them when they do get into a scrabble.  My girl went after something this morning that I wasn't able to see.  I think the only reason we haven't lost poultry to the bobcat is the active presence of our dog.  I'll have to sit out on the porch a couple of nights and see if I can get a clean shot.  I've got a new NV scope that I want to try out.  I just need a suppressor so I don't bother the neighbors.