Trail Camera Surprise

[boney girl dad]

been having fun with a trail camera this year. Excited and surprised to have captured these shots in my backyard.

 

[Furballsmom]

WOW!
basscat , what do you think?

 

[denice]

I have no idea what it is. I know juvenile cougars have spots, they are born spotted and they go away over time becoming the solid tawny color. I know the cougar's habitat has expanded greatly because they have mastered being able to live close to humans.

 

[Willowy]

With the white patches on the backs of the ears, either bobcat or lynx. I'm not sure what's more common in your area. Probably young, or maybe just in summer coat.

ETA: probably bobcat. From what I can find, lynx have more prominent ear tufts and bobcats have clearer spots, especially on the legs (and you can see that in the picture).

That's so cool! I have heard that we have bobcats in the area but I've never seen one.

 

[boney girl dad]

I'm in Indiana about halfway between Indianapolis and Bloomington. Rural setting with ample woods and much agriculture. I'm very near to the big woods of Brown county. I'm thinking youngish bobcat, but greatly surprised by the color pattern. Earlier this year Indiana considered opening bobcat hunt and trap seasons. Fortunately that did not happen, but believe it will happen in the future. We are surrounded by states that do have seasons. I just want to see one with my own open eyes.

 

[Furballsmom]

This might be fun for you to see; there are other photos scattered throughout TCS of basscats bobcat(s) but this is one of the latest posts, I think...
Show Those Haunches

 

[1CatOverTheLine]

.
boney girl dad -Lovely Bobcat! This is my favourite basscat video:


but there are others on his YouTube site as well:

The Boat House
.

 

[basscat]

WOW!
basscat , what do you think?

I think Bubby's got it rough.

 

[basscat]

Oh, as for what that is? Gibs says that's "Bubby"!!!
Seeing a bobcat in the woods is a real treat, really special, really rare (in most places).
There are plenty of them out there, just very reclusive and cautious.
Cool pics for sure!!

 

[basscat]

I'm in Indiana about halfway between Indianapolis and Bloomington. Rural setting with ample woods and much agriculture. I'm very near to the big woods of Brown county. I'm thinking youngish bobcat, but greatly surprised by the color pattern. Earlier this year Indiana considered opening bobcat hunt and trap seasons. Fortunately that did not happen, but believe it will happen in the future. We are surrounded by states that do have seasons. I just want to see one with my own open eyes.

In your trail cam pics, there's a rocky "gully" upper right side of the photo's in the background. The bench where you're camera is, is the perfect place.
Hang some feathers a couple feet off the ground near where the cat is in the photo's. Get up before dawn and take a camera and perch yourself near the game cam where you have a good view.
And wait wait wait wait wait.
May have to do that many days.
I don't think that's a young cat, so, you'll have to be overly silent and still to get eyeballs on him.

 

[cassiopea]

What a neat shot! Thanks for the share! Looks pretty bobcatish. No tail on the bum from what I can see, speckled figure, the ears etc there are around 12 subspecies of bobcats - although if I remember correctly I think that has been narrowed down to two officially, depending on which experts you talk to. In any case there can be a slight variation in appearance.

Otherwise, it could easily be an impostor!

 

[boney girl dad]

In your trail cam pics, there's a rocky "gully" upper right side of the photo's in the background. The bench where you're camera is, is the perfect place.
Hang some feathers a couple feet off the ground near where the cat is in the photo's. Get up before dawn and take a camera and perch yourself near the game cam where you have a good view.
And wait wait wait wait wait.
May have to do that many days.
I don't think that's a young cat, so, you'll have to be overly silent and still to get eyeballs on him.

Appreciate your input.

 

[boney girl dad]

just to the left out of the picture is our clothesline. since the picture, my wife is scared to go hang out any clothes. I've told her that that bobcat does not want to meet her and if it ever smelled that she was out there, it would think---o s***, that's a redhead and they're poisonous and it would flee lol. She is also scared to take Ziva outside. perhaps there is a small risk, but if we stay close to Ziva like we have been doing, an attack is very unlikely. beginning this past late spring we've been taking Ziva outside without her harness and leash. this has made a huge difference in her exercise and stimulation. my biggest concern is cytauxzoon felis, also known as bobcat fever. the bobcat is a host for this blood parasite. it doesn't bother the bobcat, but can be transmitted to a tick. a tick can then transmit to a domestic cat. most domestic cats die quickly from this, and those who do not become hosts. we will keep doing what we always do and tick check Ziva every time she comes back in. we also check ourselves. we have not ever found a tick on Ziva so far. once in a while we find one on my wife, leaving me as the biggest risk of bringing one in.

 

[denice]

Bobcats are so successful living close to people because they stay out of sight. We don't even know they are there unless someone sets up a camera to catch them.

 

[basscat]

just to the left out of the picture is our clothesline. since the picture, my wife is scared to go hang out any clothes. I've told her that that bobcat does not want to meet her and if it ever smelled that she was out there, it would think---o s***, that's a redhead and they're poisonous and it would flee lol. She is also scared to take Ziva outside. perhaps there is a small risk, but if we stay close to Ziva like we have been doing, an attack is very unlikely. beginning this past late spring we've been taking Ziva outside without her harness and leash. this has made a huge difference in her exercise and stimulation. my biggest concern is cytauxzoon felis, also known as bobcat fever. the bobcat is a host for this blood parasite. it doesn't bother the bobcat, but can be transmitted to a tick. a tick can then transmit to a domestic cat. most domestic cats die quickly from this, and those who do not become hosts. we will keep doing what we always do and tick check Ziva every time she comes back in. we also check ourselves. we have not ever found a tick on Ziva so far. once in a while we find one on my wife, leaving me as the biggest risk of bringing one in.

100% correct on all accounts you are.
And I know all too well about cytauxzoon felis. If ever a need, get ahold of me IMMEDIATELY!
It's not so much the bobcat you need to directly worry about. It's the deer. Ticks travel from host to host. And while one may pick up the disease from a bobcat, it can end up on a deer. Deer carry ticks and drop them like rain.

 

[boney girl dad]

100% correct on all accounts you are.
And I know all too well about cytauxzoon felis. If ever a need, get ahold of me IMMEDIATELY!
It's not so much the bobcat you need to directly worry about. It's the deer. Ticks travel from host to host. And while one may pick up the disease from a bobcat, it can end up on a deer. Deer carry ticks and drop them like rain.

Thank you very much basscat .
There have been no reports of bobcat fever in Indiana, but reports in 3 of 4 neighboring states--Kentucky, Ohio and Illinois.