Anyone else ever seen a Bobcat?

[jmoser]

I was deer hunting Dec 29 in N.E. PA (special flintlock season) when I had a neat sighting. Near dusk, about 35 yards in front of me, a LARGE Bobcat walked right by - straight across right to left. I watched it walk for about 50 yards until it disappeared into the woods. No doubt - saw the tail and ears. I was sitting in the open on a large rock, orange vest, etc. Wind was in my face but I was clearly visible in the cat's line of sight. I now realize that this may have been a very uncommon sight, especially so close to me. Has anyone else ever spotted a cat like this? Is it really so rare to see them? In any case it was a neat experience, especially since I didn't see any deer. I saw a full body mount in a local shop the next day - the cat I saw would have dwarfed the display model.

[ih772]

They are really cool to see in the wild. I've seen two of them in my life. Both of them were in the same cedar swamp in Kalkaska county I was hunting about 15 years ago. It really got my heart pounding to see him sneaking through the snow. Something I might not ever see again.

[marco]

I was bowhunting in Posen in November and had 2 walk under my tree this year. One big and one small. Maybe mom and a baby. Really cool to see. That was also a first for me.

[PITBULL]

I saw one up in northern Manistee county by copemish in november. Pretty cool.

[B. Stringer]

I had one walk under my tree stand last year by Wellston. What a cool sight to see!

Brent

[Jumpshootin']

I saw one crossing Co.Rd.612 in eastern Kalkaska County around 5am in November.

[Oct.1]

Had one wake me up out of a good hard sleep next to the cabin window in while hunting in Mio.
That scream of there�fs has got to be one of the loudest things I�fve heard.

[Bob S]

I saw a bobcat on November 15, 2002 while rifle hunting on my property near Moorestown. It walked by about 20 minutes before the end of shooting light. 10 minutes later a doe came along the same trail. She didn`t walk by like the bobcat did. :D

[stevebrandle]

Driving down a gravel road in the UP one night, a rabbit came flying out of the weeds next to the road. I slowed down and right behind the rabbit was a bobcat looking for a meal. They both ran about 50 feet down the road away from me and disapeared into the side of the road, again.

[DRHUNTER]

I have seen three Bobcats while deer hunting but never a flying rabbit.;)

[Robert W. McCoy Jr]

I saw one on my property in glennie (Alcona co.)

While bow hunting oct 2001.

Took me a minute to realize what it was.

[The Nailer]

I saw two while hunting the UP several years ago, they came into a clearing about 75 yds out and I watched them for about 15 minutes, REALLY COOL!

[snakebit67]

almost hit one one night on 65 right by Loud Dam.

[stevebrandle]

DrHunter,

You're more apt to see flying rabbits in the UP due to a phenomenon known as the "LaBatts Syndrom", eh? :p

[huntingfool43]

Once, right behind my house. Had 2 does and 3 fawns feeding at the other end of the small bean feild from where my tree stand was. The big does kept looking up my way and were acting nervous but I didn't know what was up. Next thing I hear something coming along the edge of the woods and here comes a bobcat. He walked almost right under my stand and I just stood there surprized as he&&. Callled the DNR and their responce was that they had no dout that I had seen it but it wasn't a wild cat but rather someones pet that had gotten loose, either way it wat cool.

[WAUB-MUKWA]

A while back I was walking around on some land and walked by a white pine. Something caught my eye as it was same level as I was. I stopped and looked into that pine tree. It was a bobcat about an arms length away from me. We both jumped, and I don't remember who bolted first but that cat could of reached out and scratched me if it wanted.
I usually see their tracks all the time and have got a few in my sets. I wanted to put out a bobcat cubbt today but the wind was 40 below and I didn't bring my face mask with me. That wind made my face burn. I couldn't look into the wind, my eyes would of froze. I didn't last 10 minutes outside. Its supposed to be 20 below with out the wind tonight. :(

[Eastern Yooper]

During the winter months, for several years there used to be one that would feed on roadkilled deer in the median of I-75 just south of the Chippewa/Mackinac county line.

It just sat there and would eat like "no big deal" as the cars went by. Was pretty nifty to see.

Sadly, it got hit & killed a year or two ago as was reported in the local paper.

[Jimbos]

Had one cross in front of me on US-31 between Carp Lake and I-75, just to see it get wiped out by an r.v. heading south on 31.

[wild bill]

over the past 5 years we have seen them on several occasions at our place near remus during deer season. most of the time its a single cat but we have seen 3 at a time twice now. also the farm i turkey hunt down the road from our place has them. the farmer says he sees them quit often during the early morning.

[dogman]

I have seen several in my time, But the most unsural one was when my son and i was going fishing at Waugoshance Point and we saw one on a fence post along the road. in the late morning.

[fishandhunt]

I seem to average a sighting every 4 or 5 years. The last one I saw was when I was bowhunting in Gladwin County. I was in a tree stand and watching a grouse poking along thinking about shooting it, when all of the sudden it flushed and took off. A few seconds later a bobcat came by looking dejected at the miss. My cousin had one brush his leg when he was going into a stick blind one morning, he flushed too. :D

Most of the other sightings were fleeting glimpses while hunting rabbits in the cedar swamps.

[FieldWalker]

Didn't have an actual sighting... but did see some prints last year in the gaylord area.

[EYESON]

We hunt NE Wisconsin and a couple years ago opening day I hear this crunching noise coming closer and closer well I pick up the gun and swing around in my treestand looking for a deer, but can't see anything. Well I looked down on the trail that I walked in on and there is a bob cat walking up the trail like he is stalking something. You know all squated down and walking slow. Well I must have moved a little to fast and he caught sight of me and stoped whirled around and ran. It was really cool to see.

[mike hartges]

I saw one run across US 2 just west of Manistique a few years ago. I also had a wolf cross the road in front of my truck on that trip to the UP.

[whackmaster]

I seen one while rifle hunting in the Western U.P. 3 years ago. I heard something that sounded like a woman scream. Scared the crap out of me. 2 minutes later, I see a snowshoe hauling the mail toward me. It went right under my stand. Right on its trail was a small bobcat. It was like a scene out of Marty Stouffer. Coolest site I'd seen in some time. That thing smelled me when it got under my stand, and took off. Resumed the chase about 200 yards away.

[mmw52880]

I have been hunting them for 4 years now and have gotten 3 so far. Just got my latest Jan 10. very beautiful animials for sure.

matt

[mortneff]

I hunt in SW Hillsdale county alot. I have heard, on 2 occasions, a scream in the dark, just before daybreak, that raised the hairs on my neck, to say the least. I think it would have been a wild cat, but not sure. Too big to be domestic, sounded LARGE, and TOUGH.

[mike hartges]

Mortneff, I believe you may be hearing racoons. I hear them screaming quite often before daybreak in Hillsdale county.

[WALLEYEvision]

Last October a couple of guys in our Bow Camp had one walk by their stands. (Southern Manistee County) :eek:

[redwingsdude]

Saw my first bobcat ever this year on the second day of the youth hunt. A small female at about 40 yards.

Northern Kent County!

[Airoh]

I've seen a few over the years. All of them were in the Mio area.
Have had a few that I did not see scream close by. Really puts a chill up your spine!!

[clattin]

http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/photopost/showphoto.php?photo=13682&password=&sort=1&cat=520

[bowhunter4life]

Seen one last spring Turkey hunting. Me and 1sh0t had just come out of the woods, and got in the truck. As we turned the corner one was sitting right in the road about 40 yards in front of us. That is the only one I have ever seen.

Jason

[Robert W. McCoy Jr]

http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/photopost/data/520/443Bobcat-med.JPG

Nice pic

[mike hartges]

Congratulations Robert! How much did the bobcat weigh?

[clattin]

Robert,

Thanks for fixing my pic....what am I doing wrong that they don't show up in my post?

clattin

[Robert W. McCoy Jr]

no problem clattin.

[nymph]

First off, I swear on my life that this is a true story.

About 5 or 6 years ago, I was bowhunting up in Gaylord. I had thrown out a small amount of shell corn to try and get the deer to stop by as they passed through one of my shooting lanes. Well of course, the local red squirrel figured that I had left it all for him. Anway, I was just watching little red stay busy by going back and forth from the corn pile to his tree as I waited for the deer to show. For some strange reason, I felt the need to look over my left shoulder at a semi-heavily traveled runway. To my suprise, there was a bobcat crouched down not more than 20-25 yards from my tree. I was thrilled to even have gotten the chance to see him, let alone withess what was about to happen next. I continued to watch the cat, making sure not to make a move in the fear of spooking him. The cat was 20-25 yards from my tree and nearly the same distance from the corn pile. In about 30 minutes time, the cat made his way to within 2-3 feet of the corn pile as red continued to make his trips back and forth from the pile to his tree, having no idea that the cat was there. All of a sudden, red came out from behind a tree and WHAM! The cat snatched him up. It was one of the cooliest things I have ever seen in the wild. The cat took him in his mouth and brought him back over to where I had originally spotted him, 20-25 yards from my stand. There, he started playing with red, just like a house cat would play with a mouse. This went on for a few minutes, then all I could hear was CRUNCH, CRUNCH, CRUNCH......and no more red. Within seconds of not hearing anymore crunching.......POOF.....the cat was gone. It was silent that evening and the ground was fairly dry, but I never heard one single noise when that cat came in or left.

I only wish I would have had my camera, video or still. It was one of those "once in a lifetime" experiences.


nymph

[Hunt_n_Fish]

This past year I saw bobcat literally five FEET from my latter stand. It was crouched under a fern for about 10 minutes before he slowly crept away. It was incredible to see him walk away and yet not hear a single noise from him. Two years ago i saw one run across the clover field about 25-30 yards away.

[Duwammer]

I've seen 2, both in Newaygo County. I was lucky enough to get about 15 seconds of video of the one I saw this past bow season before it was out so sight. I also saw a bear in Newaygo County this bow season.

[Hunt_n_Fish]

We also have plenty of bears around us in Newaygo County. The past few years my uncle and the DNR had tagged and radio collared something like 13 bears around our area. And it's not like they got everyone either.