View Full Version : Saw my first bobcat, but not on the AT
I was in SNP for a little day hiking last week. On the way home at about MP 46 on the drive I saw a bobcat in the road. It stopped, looked at us, and then jumped back up into the woods. When we moved up alongside, he was still standing on a rock looking down at us. We got a nice look at him before he trotted off into the trees. Unfortunately, I couldn't get my camera out in time. It was nice to finally meet one and to get such a good look at it.
A post like yours makes me want to post a PGC bobcat link (http://www.pgc.state.pa.us/pgc/cwp/view.asp?a=458&q=150489). I hope you don't mind.
Did you know bobcats are colorblind and see shades of gray? To think all this time I believed I was invisible!:D
What did you think of the feet?
Homer&Marje
11-17-2008, 08:13
About how large? Big face? And did you happen to catch if it was male or female?
hurryinghoosier
11-17-2008, 09:04
Last July my wife and I were golfing in Poinciana, Florida and was riding the golf cart from hole 7 to hole 8 and right there at the edge of the brush was a female bobcat with a kitten. She stopped and looked at us and then wandered into the brush. That was the first one I had seen in 45 years.
Saw 2 bobcats on the trail this year, one day apart in PA. Didn't see one of them until we were 3 feet from it, which surprised us to say the least...
OldStormcrow
11-18-2008, 17:24
I saw a fairly large bobcat out in the middle of the day once on the Foothills Trail in SC. We surprised each other coming around a bend in the trail and he took off bounding down through the woods. A couple of weeks ago at dusk I saw a very large cat crossing the road at the base of Paris Mountain in Greenville SC that I couldn't indentify. I did a double-take because it looked exactly like a small mountain lion, but was entirely black. It was about three times the size of either of my housecats, but very similar in body shape, and had a dove-sized bird in it's jaws. Bobcats are shaped entirely differently. Just strolled on up the mountainside.
Saw one crossing the road in July, mid-morning, when I was on a shuttle (Appalachian Adventures) between Woody Gap and Amicalola.
Only bobcat I've seen in the wild was in Yosemite back in September.
Couldn't tell if the bobcat was male or female, and didn't notice it's feet, either. I'd say it was about 20 pounds or so. When we first glimpsed it, I thought it was someone's house cat in the road. But I could see it was large for a domestic cat. Then I noticed the spots and short tail. It had quite a sturdy build. I had only seen pictures before, so I didn't expect it to look so powerful. It's a small cat, I suppose; certainly not a mountain lion. But it looked strong. I was surprised that it let us pull the car right up alongside. It didn't seem shy at all and just stood on the boulder for a moment or two staring back at us. I was driving a Prius, and I wonder if the lack of engine noise was helpful in not scaring it off.
Later that night while we were enjoying some wine and cheese in our room at Skyland (yes, this was a princess trip!), a small raccoon climbed up on our deck, sat in the chair and stared through the window at us. The raccoon hung around for about 5 minutes, so I'm sure it's gotten food from other guests before. But he did make me feel like I was in a cage at the zoo.
OldStormcrow
11-19-2008, 16:02
I drove up behind a bobcat once in Pisgah near the fish hatchery in the late morning. The cat was obviously sick or injured and was weaving around in the road as it walked.....didn't look well at all. I figured that it was about his time to become part of the food chain and didn't bother him.