Bobcat

Sighting was confirmed by a Trail Cam a few weeks after I saw our first one in 2012. Their territory is expanding as the packs expand and juvenile males are pushed further south.

The name comes from its stubby “bobbed” tail. The bobcat is the most common wild cat in the US. They have a keen sense of smell and hearing and are very shy and reclusive. Humans and mountain lions are their predators.

Signs:

• Scent posts – would be visible only if tracks were identifiable
• Low scratch marks on trees
• Scat that is similar to canine, slightly covered and with claw marks

Food sources:

• Small prey: Rabbits (snowshoe hare is their favorite), woodchucks, opossum, moles, shrews, raccoon, squirrels, fox, domestic cats, birds, some reptiles.
• They are capable of killing prey the size of a deer but seldom do; and seldom eat livestock and poultry
• They will also eat carrion when other food is scarce