Small Cat

[Ron Kelley]

I got a trail cam shot of a small cat yesterday afternoon. Just thought you might like to see this one.

[sneakygroundbuzzard]

nice looking bobcat

can you hunt them there?

in Mn we are allowed 5 a year trapping/hunting

[Ron Kelley]

Yes Tim, We are limited to two per year.

[skrewkase]

Can you eat that thing

[Ron Kelley]

Yes, It's good. White meat which was a surprise to me.

[sneakygroundbuzzard]

Can you eat that thing

i dont know why not,meat is meat

im sure ancient peoples ate every thing they killed,even if they used the hide for spiritual purposes

people say you cant eat coyote
but i seen a video on you tube where to predator hunters,pros i think, shot one and and then grilled it and said it tasted like duck
ok so it would be nasty like duck. but they proved you could eat them

[OnewiththewilD]

thats a great shot ! and such a beautiful animal too. i consider the Bobcat as one of my spiritual totems, and its life qualitys are something that i aspire to. and though ive followed dozens of bobcat tracks over the years ive yet to see one of my own out in the wild, and the day i finally do spot one will be a special day for me indeed.

[Ron Kelley]

Hey Jay, I have seen several in the wild but probably hundreds of tracklines for every one spotted. I have also seen several ahead of the hounds and treed. Running them with hounds increases your chances of spotting one. They can move fast and some are tough to tree.

[sneakygroundbuzzard]

ive only seen one
and that was pure luck

i was walking in a slightly marshy area,real thick brush,i was collecting wild rose shoots for arrow shafts
when all of a sudden a seen a cat run and hide
i snuck up a little closer and got a better look
it was a young bob cat

very cool sight to see in the woods

i will be in them woods this winter going after yotes and hopefully get me a bobcat too

[Ron Kelley]

Hey Tim, Good luck on your hunts. Keep us posted.

[BabaORiley]

I had a once in a lifetime experience several years back while deer hunting. I don't have time now but will tell the story when I have time to tell it. If only I had a camera that day...

[Ron Kelley]

Hey Baba, looking forward to hearing about your sighting.

[Havenhunter]

That cat sure is purrrrty!
My neighbor, who I think the world of, emailed me a photo of a Bobcat he had trapped & took its photo just before he shot it.
I have to tell you I was horrified. That cat looked right into his camera with eyes filled with wisdom and timelessness. I sat there and cried for the loss of such a beautiful animal. It hurt my soul.

[Ron Kelley]

Hey Deb, They are a beautiful critter and more abundant than most realize. They are very good at avoiding man.

[BabaORiley]

Ok. Finally have some time here. Here is my one and only bobcat visual encounter. I was deer hunting in Southern Illinois in Crab Orchard NWRF. It was a heavy overcast cool day and it was Saturday of the first season. Usually by now I had filled my tag. This was a slow year. I was on stand all day...nothing...except 23 turkeys...that paraded right by me like a taunt... then hours of nothing...I begin doubting myself...but I have always got a deer here. Its about 3pm and I see movement. They look like rabbits through the woods....what? Rabbits? This deep in the woods? Seems odd...? I lose sight of them for few and kinda wonder WTF? and then here comes the bobkittens....4 of them and Mama in tow. She takes and nests them at the base of my tree!!! All this time I am remaining silent as a ghost. The kits all curled up and laid like little kittens at the base of the tree and laid there for about 10 minutes. There was a suttle cat call and they all moved toward that sound. This was an absolute amazing experience. That Mama cat knew I was there as we locked eyes on several instances but she was not concerned. Don't get it? Never did get a deer that year but saw a picture before my eyes can never be duplicated. The stealth and silence that these animals moved with through those very dry woods was impressive to say the least. Not a sound...not a damn sound.

[clovisoid]

I've had regular cat before in Vietnam and Peru, it tasted like fried rabbit. White meat and light, kind of dry if over cooked.

Save the Bobcats and eat a tabby cat.

[sailorjoe]

Ron: A beautiful pic.! I am continually amazed at the variety and numbers of large wild mammals plus turkeys that you show us, especially given the small amount of land that you have. I understand that you have food plots, etc. to bring in the deer and maybe bear (?) but to get a bobcat (or was it a lynx?) on your trail camera in the daytime is quite a stroke of luck (or did you bait it in also?) If bobcats are like lynx then they have a great curiosity and sometimes it only takes a grouse wing tied above and hovering over a set to trap one. IMO, cats are in some respect easier to trap than canids. They seem to have a greater curiosity and not quite as good of a sense of smell. As far as their tastiness. I never ate cat (as far as I know), but my son who did a good bit of trapping says that lynx are excellent and taste a good bit like chicken. If one is going to trap for the fur then not to provide a good use for the meat is a waste. I sure enjoy your wildlife pictures.

[Ron Kelley]

Hey Joe, I live in an area that has a great abundance and variety of wildlife. I planted corn, clover, and lots of apple trees. The apple trees have a tough go of it because the bears climb and bust limbs down. I have a motor powered corn feeder. Occasionally I will get a road kill deer and put a camera on it. All the critters seem to like sunflower even though I hang the bird feeder from a 15 foot steel pole. Usually when I see a predator it is hunting small animals in the area. One year during the two week gun deer season I saw 5 bobcats. Each time I saw one it was hunting my bait pile waiting for an unsuspecting little critter. I have watched large owls hunt the same way. I agree that Bobcats are easier to trap than coyotes. It is not unusual to see bears midday but cats are more elusive. I don't often see a wolf in the middle of the day but do on occasion. I use a coon-cuff trap to avoid taking other animals. I do get a few possum in the coon-cuff traps. Both are egg stealing bandits.

[rmartin]

Outstanding thread Ron! Your wildlife shots are always worth a second look.