10 pound hen taken by bobcat/mountain lion

[kari_dawn]

...honestly, those tracks look big for a bobcat. The two smudges that look like toes are much bigger than bob toes (I think you said you are in cali? If that's the case, the smaller size of the subspecies in your state would also lead me to believe that the animal that left those prints on your fence is not a bobcat) I would lean more towards mountain lion. Bobs are cash killers, and do take their prey with them and save it for later, but don't really like to carry big prey as far as you are describing. They will take it a relatively short distance, eat what they can (two pounds is a big meal for a bob), and bury the rest somewhere nearby for later.

On the other hand, if it IS a bob, there is a very good chance it will be back...but maybe not soon (same applies to mountain lions I believe, though I only specialize in bobcats). They can have very large territories, and may not stay in the same area long unless times are lean, and they find easy prey. He probably won't be back for a few days with a meal that large at least.

Another thing that is bothering me about that as a bob kill is the amount of feathers at the site, and throughout the trail. Bobcats don't like to leave ANY trace...he would have waited to remove the feathers until he was in a secure are that he knew well. I agree that felines are very tough to trap. I would suggest a game cam, just so you can see what kind of wildlife you are dealing with in the area.

 

[cw]

we have the smaller subspecies here in kentucky too, go check out the kentucky hunting forum and the trapping page, and see some of the males killed there they still go 40 lbs, hold on ill see if i have a pic of the 3 i killed last year

 

[kari_dawn]

yeah, I know some of the smaller subspecies can still be quite sizeable...I work with one of the smallest subspecies in the US, and even then, they can get to be around 40 lbs....the one I have done the mose work with is around 50 lbs, maybe more but he is exceptionally large, and even then, he still would not leave a toe print that large.

 

[khatar]

Quote:
What do you suggest it might be that left the tracks, mountain lion? I agree that I did notice those were HUGE claw marks I knew it must have been big. But the area it escaped through was too small for a mountain lion to fit through. The feathers did seem pretty suspicious. The feathers tracked a great way through the canyon and they're STILL THERE!

 

[cw]

Quote:
You have the honor of working with those animals, kudos to you and what a cool job, I was thinking too it could be a mt.lion, he!! in that country it could be the elusive chupacobra
but for the sake of the victim, i am gonna try to keep convicing em its a bobcat, as far as escaping through a small hole, if it was spooked he could have just jumped over, climbling was just to get to a higher position, just to scope out his prey, survey the situtation, common for cats, or any predator for that matter

 

[kari_dawn]

To the OP: I don't think you give predatory felines enough credit

They can fit through some amazingly small spaces....and that fence was short enough for a mountain lion to clear with that size prey in it's mouth fairly easily. Five feet for a cat that size is nothing. Not to mention, cats have a reduced clavacle, and are flexible to the extreme. We use 1 x 2 heavy gage welded wire in parts of our enclosures. Our biggest cat can fit his front leg all the way up to his shoulder through it. So through it (though less likely) or over it, no problem for a mountain lion.

 

[kari_dawn]

Quote:
You have the honor of working with those animals, kudos to you and what a cool job, I was thinking too it could be a mt.lion, he!! in that country it could be the elusive chupacobra
but for the sake of the victim, i am gonna try to keep convicing em its a bobcat

haha I can't stand for it! SO not a bobcat! At least, not in my humble (though educated) opinion! I vote chubacobra!

And yes, it is truely an honor to work with such absolutely amazing, and utterly misunderstood animals...these guys are scary intellegent, and form such amazing bonds with one another...we once had a kit escape, and it took us a month to catch it...even after all that time, when we reunited him with his sister, you would have thought bobcats could cry...they were SO close after that. One NEVER left the other's side.

 

[cw]

Quote:
You have the honor of working with those animals, kudos to you and what a cool job, I was thinking too it could be a mt.lion, he!! in that country it could be the elusive chupacobra
but for the sake of the victim, i am gonna try to keep convicing em its a bobcat

haha I can't stand for it! SO not a bobcat! At least, not in my humble (though educated) opinion! I vote chubacobra!

And yes, it is truely an honor to work with such absolutely amazing, and utterly misunderstood animals...these guys are scary intellegent, and form such amazing bonds with one another...we once had a kit escape, and it took us a month to catch it...even after all that time, when we reunited him with his sister, you would have thought bobcats could cry...they were SO close after that. One NEVER left the other's side.

I edited my post up there again, but Kari I have a personal ? for you. can a bobcat interbreed with a domestic cat and would it?

 

[cw]

Quote:
You have the honor of working with those animals, kudos to you and what a cool job, I was thinking too it could be a mt.lion, he!! in that country it could be the elusive chupacobra
but for the sake of the victim, i am gonna try to keep convicing em its a bobcat

haha I can't stand for it! SO not a bobcat! At least, not in my humble (though educated) opinion! I vote chubacobra!

And yes, it is truely an honor to work with such absolutely amazing, and utterly misunderstood animals...these guys are scary intellegent, and form such amazing bonds with one another...we once had a kit escape, and it took us a month to catch it...even after all that time, when we reunited him with his sister, you would have thought bobcats could cry...they were SO close after that. One NEVER left the other's side.

I figured you would hate me for hunting and trapping them, but as a hunter I have more respect for them then a lot of others do, and always enjoy watching them

 

[khatar]

Quote:
Oh I know what cat's can do, but the area I saw the feathers trail through was 1 foot of space. I couldn't imagine a full grown mountain lion squeezing through. Maybe a juvenile?