bobcats and fawn predation

sleddogg

sleddogg

New member
I could post in predator biology, but I figure I'll ask in the Eastern forum, as maybe someone has some info.

The Western Ma. deer herd is struggling, and everyone has blanketly blamed the coyote, myself included.

Most people think of they Bobcat as a bird eater, but they answer pup distress and rabbit distress quickly. I've been calling more and more bobcats, and yesterday called 3 on one stand alone. They respond agressivly and quickly, not alot of sneaking in.

When you skin one, the powerful muscle and large teeth of a 20 to 30 pound cat are impressive. And also they seem to fear nothing, and easily answer a distress call after I Howl. I had a large cat sitting in a field watch unalarmed as a big coyote came in yesterday. I believe they may be contributing to the low deer numbers due to fawn predation.

I've done some looking, but have found nothing on bobcat/fawn predation. Does anyone have any personal knowledge, or a link to a site that may help shed some light on the subject?

Thanks, Sleddogg
 
That's an interesting question Sled. Growing up in the northwest I would have never believed that a bobcat would attack a fawn, but then the deer on the east coast are much smaller so anything is possible. Bird, rabbits, squirrels, rodents and turkey chicks and eggs are high on a bobcats list of easy meals. And I have seen them feeding on dead deer and elk, I even watched one attack and kill a full grown turkey, so a newborn fawn wouldn't be too big for a bobcat.
 
Well, I’m going to answer you from the west coast; but I imagine a bobcat is a bobcat, no matter where he lives. Bobcats not only can, but will kill fawns. How often it happens I don’t know, but probably more often than a lot of people realize.

Many years ago I lived about 300 miles south of here. The cats down there are half the size of the ones around here. A good bobcat from this area will weigh in at around 30 pounds. The little coastal “brush cats” down south might go 15 pounds for a really big one. I personally saw one of those little cats knock a fawn down right in front of me one time.

I saw driving a back road one night when something spilled out of the brush and into the road, lite up by my head lights. Took me a couple of seconds to realize just what I was seeing. It was a blacktail fawn with a bobcat on it’s back! The ‘cat pulled that fawn down right in front of me! I hit the brakes and the horn at the same time. The ‘cat jumped up and took to the brush on the side of the road. The fawn regained it’s feet, and ran off in the opposite direction. If I hadn’t come along just when I did, there is no doubt in my mind that the bobcat would have killed that fawn right then and there.

Keep in mind that this was one of those little southern ‘cats. I also have no doubt that the larger bobcats around here kill larger deer. I have killed bobcats that had venison in their belly. Did they kill it themselves? I’d bet they did, at least a good portion of the time.
 
Wow Bob, that was something neat to see! I don't have personal experience with bobcats and deer, coyotes heck yes. However, it seems that I've read about researchers documenting bobcats and deer kills. It also seems that cats aren't big carrion eaters, if that's true, then venison found in ones belly would most likely be from a predation kill. That may be why they taste so sweet. It surprises me but old timers say that a young bobcat has sweet tasting meat and are actually quite good on the table.
 
Wow grumpy, thanks for the links. I rarely pull the trigger on cats I call in, for my own reasons. I may thin them a little after reading those links.

Thanks, Sleddogg
 
I don't shoot too many myself, maybe a sick looking one or a real nice male to mount. But your right, I might start thinnin a few myself.
You should have a bunch in your neck of the woods if what I read is true.
 
I have no doudt that bobcats can and do take small and/or sick deer.Big toms can top 40lbs. in this neck of the woods,and are certainly as well equipped with with claws and teeth as any coyote.A few yrs back I had a 20-25lb cat respond to deer antlers in an agressive manner.I was rattling a hardwood ridge and the cat charged in to within 30 yds,then crept in to 10yds,definately in hunt mode.I dunno if he thot he would eat the loser of this "buck fight",or what it was thinking,or what,if anything,this says about bobcat/deer predation.I guess they are opportunists,like any predator.
 
Yea Bob I've read of cougar also being good on the plate. Is it like deer, youngish animals better than an old male? Probably doesn't taste like chicken huh?
 
I can’t really compare the young and the old cats. I’ve eaten cougar, but not an awfully lot of it from different animals. I’ve had steaks grilled on an open fire, chops pan fried, and sausage. All was good.
 
Here in Florida almost all the bobcat scat you see contains deer hair... A sure sign... :eek:

I've seen a big tom pull down a young doe. It took forever to kill the doe and it's plaintiff bawling was pretty unnerving. My morbid curiousity wouldn't let me kill the cat. He was a stayer... Gotta give him credit. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif

I would have gladly given my rifle for one hours use of a video camera in that tree stand that day. Or even just a cassette recorder to make the best predator call tape you could imagine.

I have several friends that have seen 'yotes kill deer but I've yet to see that happen but their scat also usually contains deer hair.

$bob$
 
I remember seeing a video of a Bobcat attacking a full grown deer. Seems like it was one of Marty Stouffers, Wild America programs. Also, here in Dallas, a Bobcat had taken up residence at the Dallas Zoo. While neighboring with all the exotic animals he decided to munch on a few of them, so the zoo had to trap the Bobcat. He is now a permanent resident and is on display at the zoo.
 
About 20 years ago here in Minnesota, A DNR biologist by the name of Bill Berg studied the bobcats here and reported that most of them studied as well as scat samples had deer meat in them. I believe it.
 
On another note, the same DNR guy said bobcats can breed year around. Has anybody seen young bobcats whole out hunting in the fall and winter?
 
Before coyotes came to Maine, bobcats were the #1 predator of our wintering deer. A big tom will kill adult deer that are wintering. This has been recorded many times and here in Downeast Maine, cats are still a major predator of wintering deer.
 
I attended a predator-hunting clinic last year. It was hosted by the Missouri Department of Conservation. Someone in the crowd asked if coyotes killed deer. The agent conducting the clinic said that bobcats are more likely to kill a deer than coyotes and he then told a few stories to back up his claim. The agent was also a predator hunter. He said his best season he called in & killed 8 bobcats.

I was shocked that a bobcat could kill an adult deer, but think about what a farm cat is capable of. The heights they can jump and etc. Cats are solid muscle too.

The cat we have kills squirrels on a regular basis.
I thought the first few were road kills, but they were showing up to often and I have saw the cat actually kill one. I put a bell on her to see if this stopped her, Nope. Hard to believe, but the bell had no affect on how many squirrels she killed.

That cat weighs about 10lbs and she runs from dogs until she gets tired of it and then the dog runs from her.

Not really a cat lover, the cat is my daughters cat, but I have been impressed with what that little cat can do. Kills moles to… and that is reason enough to keep her around.
 


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