Honest question... Are there a lot of them? Do they hurt deer hunting? What do you do with them after shooting them? Not trying to stir up trouble, I'm a hunter too.

Oh man. Here we go.

I'm not sure either, though I really do enjoy some cougar hunting.

for 99% of people it boils down to hanging something on their wall. the reasons given vary from person to person, but the results are almost always the same.

Probably shot my last one. Only way I will shoot another one is with a bow. Mainly because of the degree of difficulty. People shoot them to hang on wall.

I am being serious, just want to know. I've only seen two bobcats in my life. they would look badass up on the wall, especially with a bobwhite. It just seems like people shoot every one they see. Coyotes are one thing, but I don't get the shoot all the bobcats thing

Only shoot them around turkey roosts..which comprises a small part of the place. Give them a pass in other parts of the place.

do bobcats who are not currently near a turkey roost never go near a turkey roost?

Don't put tracking collars on 'em. Do you ?

Never shot one but would, mostly because they move and I haven't shot one yet

I know guys that kill every bobcat, fox or coyote they see. I can't understand it. I usually call them up just to watch them. I usually just say "yeah I'll shoot em" if I'm asked to and then just say I didn't see any no matter what. It's just not my thing.

[This message has been edited by Brazosdog02 (edited 11/28/2011 10:16p).]

Just some fun figures to look at. This is averaged out over quite a few different studies (why the numbers don't add up), but should give you some idea.

I usually just watch them.

When you have a decent rodent population--


When you don't--

Shot the first Babcat I ever saw, early 1990's. I've seen 4 since then. Don't plan on shooting any more. Coyotes on the other hand........

[This message has been edited by Log (edited 11/28/2011 10:45p).]

Ursus....years ago A&I ( now TAMUK) did a study on the Cameron Ranch here in LaSalle County. They fenced off a pasture and killed every predator they could...by all means available. Their study was to determine the effect of their action on whitetail fawn survival. Their findings....no change in fawn survival, but a marked increase in the rodent population. Tracks with your visual aids !

It's not my thing to shoot something that I don't plan to eat.

Just a side note. I get a lot of calls about dogs and cats disappearing from neighborhoods due to bobcats. So more out of curiosity, for educational purposes, I've been checking out stomach contents on fresh roadkill bobcats near/in neighborhoods.--Keep in mind, I do have the ability to collect them.

Between me and a couple vets, we've done at quite a few now, and have yet to find dog or cat bits in the stomachs. It's actually quite interesting how many rodents pop up in the high income area bobcats.

--Brush Country--I've read over that study quite a few times for various reasons/projects. I've got stuff related to it in various presentations.

[This message has been edited by ursusguy (edited 11/28/2011 10:43p).]

quote:

---

It's not my thing to shoot something that I don't plan to eat.

---

This.

Although I will make an exception for feral hogs and squirrels that are causing damage.

The only reason I tolerate the family of feral cats around my house is because since they moved in I have yet to see or hear a rat in my garage. They do leave me amusing presents on my porch from time to time. Rodent heads, rat tails, grackle feathers, and the partially eaten remains of a fat squirrel.

[This message has been edited by Walter Kovacs (edited 11/28/2011 11:04p).]

For some of the same reasons someone wants to shoot African game. Because I have never done it, and because I can afford it (the prior, not the latter).

Talked with a hunting guide the other week who said someone dropped $250k for two hunters and two guests to go to Africa to shoot everything. To me that is a waste of money, but to a person with that disposable cash, I'm sure it was nothing. If I was a billionaire I probably would too. But I'll take a bobcat on a place I've hunted all my life anyday instead.

Based on ursusguy's comments, I can't use the rationale that I am saving the neighborhood's pets now though.

Up here, a good bobcat pelt can be worth several hundred dollars to the fur buyer. They are considered fur bearing animals and may only be taken for a short season in the winter. In Wyoming, they may be trapped w/ no limit in numbers. That adds up if you are a dedicated trapper!

Bobcats fall in the same category for most of us, "Hey look at that, look how pretty he is....BANG!".

I used to sell them for $100- $130 back in the late '70s and early '80s.

Don't shoot them now.

I have seen several in the field, but never shot one. I often ask myself the same question. They are very fun to see if you get the chance.

I shot one for a wall mount and my brother has shot one for a rug type mount. We have quite a few of them a the ranch. Didn't shoot the first one I saw, waited until I saw a good size one with great markings. During Deer season, we see them more weekends than not and no one shoots them for the most part.

[This message has been edited by Brad06ag (edited 11/29/2011 7:53a).]

Urs, that study looks and sounds a lot like predator control for ducks.

quote:

---

I actually shot a bobcat in Erath County that was stalking and about to kill a yearling doe under a feeder several years ago. It was neat watching the cat stalk the deer but I figured I would intervene with nature and save the deer.

---

I think I would have watched the cat take it down. I would love to see something like that in real life.

srd66, that would be the only time I would shoot a bobcat too. I have seen many bobcats and foxes while hunting, and I will not shoot them unless they were about to kill a deer.

However, I will shoot as many coyotes as I can.


[This message has been edited by tysonmb (edited 11/29/2011 8:40a).]

Them bobcats is good eatin if ya cook em just right.

We shoot them because of the damage they cause to lambs and goats. We do a lot of calling and ranchers call us if they start seeing lambs and baby goats dead. Hurts their profit and lets us have a good time calling them in. Also, we skin every cat we shoot to sell the hide. So it is a win-win situation for everybody.

Because they would shoot you if they had the chance.

i've never understood how one goes from, "wow, look at that animal, how cool!" to "ok, now i wanna kill it!"

i can understand "wow, this is gonna taste great" but i don't the former.

I always watch them and let them pass. I think they are cool animals and enjoy seeing them. I always wondered what I would do if/when I see a cougar. I would probably watch and let it pass too. But would love to have a mount as well some day. Older I get though, the more respect I have for wild game. And the less wasteful I get.

2nd weekend of this season, I was watching about 8 does in a field. They started intensely watching the other end of the field, so I was hoping for a buck or something coming out. Then I saw a bobcat. He was probably 150 yards away from the doe and going the other direction. They were NOT having it, not in their field. I watched the older doe first start flagging and running towards the cat, then all of them joined. They grouped up, and literally ran the bobcat out of the pasture, then came back to go back to eating. I had never seen that before, and it was great to see.

We do not shoot them. They really have never been a prolem for us. I do like to watch them also. They are pretty interesting animals.