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  1. #1

    Default Spotted a BOBCAT (w/ pics)

    My brother in law spotted a large cat moving through their backyard. They live in fairly remote, wooded area of Connecticut. They frequently see deer and fox moving through. How lucky to see this! I'm very jealous.

    Just want to confirm this IS a bobcat and not a bigger cat like a cougar? Also they have two little kids 7 and 9, any concern here?

    Blake
    Attached Images Attached Images
    Last edited by RITBlake; 09-04-2011 at 21:13.

  2. #2

    Default

    That is so cool. Great pics. I'm jealous too. Last bobcats I saw was a breeding/nesting pair on the shores of Lake Okeechobee in FL about 20 years ago. Again way cool.
    "Hiking is as close to God as you can get without going to Church." - BobbyJo Sargent aka milkman Sometimes it's nice to take a long walk in THE FOG.

  3. #3
    Registered User Shooting Star's Avatar
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    I've seen bobcats and cougars in zoos, but never in the wild. Based on size and body proportions,
    the pics look more like a cougar to me. I cannot see the tail clearly in the pics. Bobcats have
    short tails, cougars have long ones. And the ears show a lot of white on the back which is
    more of a bobcat trait. Hard to tell - but I think this is a cougar. A behavioral factor is that bobcats
    are real secretive cats. I don't think one would stroll through a populated area like this. Cougars
    seem more willing to track something like deer into a populated area. If it were me, I'd keep the
    kids inside.

  4. #4
    Registered User Shooting Star's Avatar
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    Ok, maybe I'm wrong and this is a bobcat. Check out the critter cam pics of what
    is definitely a bobcat at:
    http://www.whitetaildeer-management-...-pictures.html

    Looks a lot like the Blake's pics. I'd still keep the kids inside.

  5. #5
    Punchline RWheeler's Avatar
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    Looks like a cougar. There have been a few sightings in CT recently, but the officials have tried denying that it was actually a cougar (they go by mountain lion here, but same animal). Here we go again...

  6. #6

    Default

    I don't believe it is a bobcat-it just doesn't look like one. I think it is a Mountain Lion. I wonder if these are escaped pets or, as some wildlife biologists are now arguing based on DNA evidence, mountain lions that have been making their way east. What a great experience and photos.

  7. #7
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    I agree that this is NOT a bobcat....great photos !!!!
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  8. #8

    Default

    The tail would make me believe this is a mountain lion.

  9. #9

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by gumball View Post
    The tail would make me believe this is a mountain lion.
    are you perhaps confusing the left rear leg with a continuation of the tail?

    IMO its a bobcat

  10. #10
    Registered User mattenylou's Avatar
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    Default Large Cat

    Quote Originally Posted by Shooting Star View Post
    I've seen bobcats and cougars in zoos, but never in the wild. Based on size and body proportions,
    the pics look more like a cougar to me. I cannot see the tail clearly in the pics. Bobcats have
    short tails, cougars have long ones. And the ears show a lot of white on the back which is
    more of a bobcat trait. Hard to tell - but I think this is a cougar. A behavioral factor is that bobcats
    are real secretive cats. I don't think one would stroll through a populated area like this. Cougars
    seem more willing to track something like deer into a populated area. If it were me, I'd keep the
    kids inside.
    This is no bobcat It is a young cougar

  11. #11
    Registered User vamelungeon's Avatar
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    It lookes like a bobcat to me.
    "You're a nearsighted, bitter old fool."

  12. #12
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    I've seen bobcats in the White Mts of Arizona and in the Sierras of CA - - that is awfully big for a bobcat. Bobcats are much smaller and have tufted ears - much more of a "cat" appearance. That thing has more of a mountain lion (puma, cougar) appearance.

  13. #13

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    That looks like a cougar 2 me as well usually thy have a fairlly big range but not much land down there 2 move thru and oftn the young cats get pushed out of the hills by the oldr tuffr ones.....thy begin huntg in the subburbs

  14. #14

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Hog On Ice View Post
    are you perhaps confusing the left rear leg with a continuation of the tail?

    IMO its a bobcat
    I agree, looks like a bobcat, I don't see the characteristic long tail and the colorization looks more bobcat, but the pics are not the best.

  15. #15
    Registered User canoehead's Avatar
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    My brother and I were down in CT the day after the hurricane and we saw a the Imaginary cougar/mountain lion/ over grown wood chuck crossing Jug end rd. quite a humbling experience seeing how it was headed in the same direction as us.

  16. #16
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    This is definitely a large Bobcat. I worked in a zoo and have feed both bobcats and cougars. I can't count the number of times people would walk by the bobcat habitat at our zoo and exclaim: "Look at the mountian lion"! I also have seen several bobcats in the wild while hunting. Backpackers usually do not seem them because they are too busy looking at their feet while pushing up the trail. I would not worry at all about the kids. Bobcats are usually nocturnal and are very wary of humans. Your brother-in-law is should consider himself very lucky to have experienced this rare event.

  17. #17
    Registered User FatMan's Avatar
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    Default

    IMO a large Bobcat. Very cool to have one wander by their house.

  18. #18

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    wow! that is a HUGE bobcat! nice pics!

  19. #19
    Registered User 4eyedbuzzard's Avatar
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    Not the best pics but 99% sure it's a Bobcat, based on size, coloration, and while the cat's tail is not well defined in photo, the absence of a mountain lion/cougar's very long tail which would likely be visible.
    "That's the thing about possum innards - they's just as good the second day." - Jed Clampett

  20. #20

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    both tail and neck seem too small for it to be a mountain lion. most likely bobcat.

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