Bobcat on second job of the day!!!

[Ric]

Originally Posted by Johnagain

I haven't seen many Bobcats where I'm at but this is what we deal with all the time. Momma was behind the bushes and out of the photo

https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphot...70313808_n.jpg

No wonder you have bears. Altoona, Fla. is in the Middle of the Ocla National Forest.

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[DMlandscaping]

I managed the development of a 1300 acre Orange Grove in central Florida, and the hogs were terrible. They would come in the grove at night and do thousands of dollars in damage. We hired three groups of "hog hunters" and they couldn't even put a dent in the population. There was one female they claimed to be over 800 lbs, and it wasn't afraid of people or dogs. They lost three of their best dogs to that hog before they bailed on the job. Of course we had lots of Panthers, Coyotes and Bobcats, but at least they didn't bother anyone or anything. Every time I was out there at night, as soon as they saw me they would run and hide. I carried a sidearm at night, but never once had to use it. The two that did the most damage were hogs and raccoons. The coons figured out how to open the ends of the irrigation lines to drink, or chew through the lines going to the micro-jets, and the hogs would root around the tree rows, destroying trees and irrigation lines. We spent more time on irrigation repairs than you could imagine, not to mention tree replacement and excavating. It was a total nightmare.

[Ric]

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With the Billions of Agriculture Dollars being lost, The government has got to Legalize Feral Hog poisoning.

Coyotes were at one time as big a problem as Feral Hogs are today. They were brought under control with Poisons. In fact Poison worked so well the Government stopped making it Legal. Now that the Coyote population has recovered it is again Legal to poison them.

Raccoons are slick. Not only smart but they use their paws like hands. I have seen them open a Havaheart Trap and get out.

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[justanotherlawnguy]

Originally Posted by Ric

I can't remember hearing about a Bob Cat attacking a Human here in Florida. But a Quick Google tells me Bob Cat have a history of attacking Humans. I found several report of Bob Cat attacks, but none in Florida. As a Nuance Wildlife trapper I have never had a call about Bob Cats.

Bob Cats and Coyotes are very common here in Florida. They might not be as visible as all the Alligators we see every day, but they are living in dense urban areas. This was their habitat first.

IMHO the Alligator population has recovered to the point a mass thinning of the heard is needed. The Economy value of Alligators means the state only need to increase the number of Alligator Permits and lenght of the hunting season. Bob Cats and Coyotes have no economy value, so paid hunters must be used.

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There was an old guy who got attacked by a bobcat out in Wesley chapel a couple years ago. He got tore up pretty good, it was all over the news when it happened.
Posted via Mobile Device

[the_bug_guy]

I'm looking at that picture without my glasses and are u sure that is a bobcat? Looks mighty healthy and the wrong colors. Sure its not a panther?

[Ric]

Originally Posted by the_bug_guy

I'm looking at that picture without my glasses and are u sure that is a bobcat? Looks mighty healthy and the wrong colors. Sure its not a panther?

The picture is so far out of focus that it is hard to tell. Is that a Long tail or a Hind foot?? Also are the colors true given the bad focus?? I am not a camera persons so I don't know.


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[the_bug_guy]

even with my glasses and blurry picture i say its a panther, doesnt have the pattern, too well fed for a wild bobcat, tail is too long, snout is longer. most of the bobcats tails have been chewed down to a nub.

[Ric]

Originally Posted by the_bug_guy

even with my glasses and blurry picture i say its a panther, doesnt have the pattern, too well fed for a wild bobcat, tail is too long, snout is longer. most of the bobcats tails have been chewed down to a nub.

I believe there are more Florida Panthers than the FWC or Land developers want to admit. 20 years ago I remember seeing one cross the road in front me in a newly Developed area that was just starting land clearing. But Bob Cat are very common in my area also.

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[jvgillow]

That's definitely a bobcat, the tail is too short to be a panther and the distinctive white spot on the back of the ear gives it away.

[Greg78]

I was about 25' from it. It is a Bobcat. Early morning light and cheap camera zoomed all the way make for a crappy picture.