He managed to kill a couple of chickens this morning. He decided to come back this evening and I was waiting. His luck ran out tonight.

That's a beautiful cat, but when they start messing with our well-being...it's time to go. You gotta do what you've gotta do.

I'd take that pelt to a good taxidermist.

Bobcats are pretty scarce in these parts (except in Bozeman...Go Cats!). I've only seen a couple in the wild over the years.

I really hate to shoot any animal, Gustofer.
We have had several incidents with this bobcat lately. At least 2 during daylight hours which is surprising to me.

quote:

Originally posted by sigmonkey:

No contest. Owls will easily get them too.

There was a wildlife biologist on Joe Rogan and they had been following an Owl. They went up into its nest after it flew off and they found 61 cat collars.

A couple weeks ago, a mountain lion left the head of a white tail in my friend's drive way. He called the game warden and asked what he should do and was told "If you see it, shoot it and call us back".

Two days later, while walking his kids to the bus stop the murder cat was under his pine trees.

Needless to say, there is a mountain lion getting processed to hang on his wall.

Mother nature as beautiful as it is, sometimes, is not our friend and we are not Disney princesses.

quote:

Originally posted by sooma:
A couple weeks ago, a mountain lion left the head of a white tail in my friend's drive way.

California?

With all the issues we've had with bobcats, glad we don't have to deal with mountain lions, grizzlies and other larger predators like some of our members.

quote:

Originally posted by sigmonkey:
Why domestic cars don’t need to be “outdoor” cats.

This version fits too.

The young ones tend to do those kinds of things. Same with mountain lions. Not always. But most of the time. Also the very old. He looks young.

Honestly, having pets (a.k.a. easy prey) outdoors tends to lure in predators that might otherwise (usually?) seek prey elsewhere/away from where the humans (and their pets!) live. That young Bobcat was just doing Bobcat things! Just sayin'...

The last bobcat that molested my chickens.

Bob.

Why we keep kitties indoors.

quote:

Originally posted by sigmonkey:
domesticated animals (cats/dogs) do not have the capacity and instincts to survive and thrive in the “outside” environment

Undoubtedly there are pets that can't hack it out there, but I've have had multiple cats for 40+ years, all of whom could come and go outdoors as they please*, and all survived and thrived until passing naturally of old age (for cats) and our current pair are doing just fine.

I'm not thrilled that they cause some havoc amongst the birds, but am glad when they take out the voles/mice.

* The current cats don't get to go out after dark now. Game camera confirms we get nocturnal visits from foxes, raccoons and opossums, and we have heard coyotes call. The Maine Coon (who can put his front paws on the kitchen counter and watch the cat food being dished out) would prevail over all but the coyotes, but we don't need vet bills regardless of who would 'win' plus we have nothing against the wildlife (other than aforesaid voles/mice) whom we are glad to have come by.

The MI DNR is saying Cougar sightings have increased quite a bit during 2025, including cubs being sighted.

quote:

Originally posted by Jupiter:

quote:

Originally posted by sooma:
A couple weeks ago, a mountain lion left the head of a white tail in my friend's drive way.

California?

With all the issues we've had with bobcats, glad we don't have to deal with mountain lions, grizzlies and other larger predators like some of our members.

Nah, mountain lions are protected here. Some state fish & wildlife folks expect ranchers to do what they need to do, but they absolutely don’t want to hear about it if you do.

Thankfully, I’ve never had to put a hole in one. Though I saw lions during the daylight hours a half dozen times before we moved out to the ranch, in the twenty years we’ve lived here we’ve only had a couple sightings. Still see an occasional deer that one tagged, but that’s about it. The guardian dogs (Anatolians) keep the lions and coyotes away from the goats and everyone just minds their own business.

quote:

Originally posted by Jupiter:

quote:

Originally posted by sooma:
A couple weeks ago, a mountain lion left the head of a white tail in my friend's drive way.

California?

No, NW Montana.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

I always say "Nature is not a Disney movie."

quote:

Originally posted by slosig:
The guardian dogs (Anatolians) keep the lions and coyotes away from the goats and everyone just minds their own business.

Getting chickens a few years back seems to be the big reason for the increased activity.


We have had cats around here my entire life and never had one disappear or killed by a bobcat or any other predator. They have access to a pet door and usually come in at night so I'm sure that helps. Also, because of the abundance of other small wildlife around here, cats are not usually part of their normal diet.

We've lost several cats to owls, hawks, coyotes, and bobcats.

My feral colony has been decimated.

I posted here awhile back about the out of control feral cat population we had. I live trapped some and relocated, others I took down with a 22 pellet rifle. All of a sudden they are virtually gone. I see maybe one or two in a week where previously I could see a dozen in a day without really looking too hard. Where they went I have no idea as I have seen no predators that I had not seen before. May have had bobcats move through or the snowy owls will come down from Canada when their food source gets low and they will certainly feed on them.

I suspect that perhaps someone in the neighborhood may have decided to put out some poison bait. I considered it myself but too easy to poison something you did not intend to. People were pretty fed up with cats roaming around in herds.