Not to mention the effect on the seat of the pants...:run:...Ben
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Story time :hatoff:
At about 12 years of age I made my first trip to deer camp with my uncle. His cabin was rather "rustic" and I got to sleep in the loft---which was at best 3 feet clear at the peak.
I was laying toward the side and gone to sleep--with no light. During the night a bobcat went off, seemingly, standing on the roof above my head. I sat bolt upright ---at least until my forehead came into contact with the rafter above.
Trying to find my way out of that dark loft and down the ladder while trying to stop the bleeding almost made me want to go home to my mamma:maybe:
And after thousands of pictures, I finally got one of a lion after a deer - one with sharp pointy things on his head. Lose some resolution sizing them for here but ....:shrug:
Thats my house at the primary compound there in the background.
Now that's not something you see everyday! Thanks for sharing.
Excellent :clap:
The spots on the critter do not look like a mountain lion to me. Also, the tail does not seem long enough. Do you have lynx in Colorado?
Bobcat sightings have increased a lot around here in the last couple years.....
The deer and lion are both running on a little 2-track that goes diagonally across the frame. And the grass is verv deep this year. In ordinary years i get pictures of little stUff like rabbits. This might help, I am turning left onto the road. You can see the back of my german shepard a little closer to the camera than the lion was.
I have several pictures of lions at night on this camera and even a daytime bear. Deer are an everyday occurrence except for Jan/Feb. it was a matter of persistence.
I think those things you see that look like spots are grass seed heads. The lions tail is sticking up and back. I have had the good fortune of watching a lion attack and chase a bighorn sheep and you remember the tail distinctly because they are very large and apparently important to their balance. :shrug:
Of course...you are so correct, bobcats and lynx have hardly any tail at all, hence the bob in the name. I must be mistaking the seed heads for spots. My one up close & personal eyeball to eyeball with a mountain lion left a lasting impression of its long tail, maybe too much of an impression.
Bobcat or lynx? I'm not sure - the cabin is in a lynx recovery area they are known to inhabit.:shrug:
This one is quite comfortable visiting.:hatoff:
That's a bobcat. Pointed ears. :fight:
More than you ever wanted to know about the two.
The bottom line---call em either---ain't many folks gonna know one from the other:dunno:
#2 son went lion hunting with his buddies today. They catch (and usually release - this one was released) at least one pretty much every time they go out.
Here's one from a couple of years ago. This guy was just a mile or so down the road so I ran down and took a few pictures. As you can tell from that cell phone picture :AHHH: this guy was very super bigly pi$$ed off.:wary:
You should have smelled me when it had enough and decided to jump outa that tree. I missed the picture. :doh:
I'm envious of the wildlife and beauty you get to see there.
Not to hijack the thread but here is a video of a Bobcat being rescued from a leg trap. In addition to its leg injury, it must be plumb full of Prickly Pear spines.
VIDEO
I don’t see much value in harassing these creatures. If they are a danger to you and yours, and you find it necessary to protect that, I have no issue with what you need to do, but running them to the ground (or tree) for sport is another matter.
Others will differ, of course. :shrug:
No animals were harmed in this threads' photos. I also checked with the dogs, and they insist it is their God given right to chase cats. These are the lucky ones because they get to chase big boy crats.:evilgrin:
Bloodsports are like politics anymore in that people are entrenched and unlikely to have their minds changed, but it doesn't hurt to sharpen your argument from time to time, so here goes. As to these two lions who were treed by dogs, both were within 1/2 mile of homes and literally within farming/livestock operations. They are there for the deer but it is foolish to trust them. I'm quite happy there are young fellows out there chasing their dogs who are chasing the cats back into the woods. These are foot pursuits and are very good exercise (difficult!) and the cat wins more often than not.
When one is caught, it is either killed or released. I do not consider shooting a cat in a tree sporting and would never do it, don't want to see it done, and am not impressed with any trophy killed that way (my one and only lion kill was one who was stalking a desert bighorn sheep - a once in a lifetime drama). But I do respect the houndsmen who put it the tree. Killing them is necessary because we are being overrun with predators under the modern management practices. This is a prickly topic for another day and everyone here will have strong opinions (remember Waller?).
As for the ones who are released, my hope is they are trained to stay away from humans. Might even make it smart enough to die of natural causes. Wildlife harassment is an interesting topic these days. Did you know that it is common practice to "haze" migratory birds on construction sites? In my case it was swallows who nest in/on structures such as box culverts and bridges. Prior to their arrival we had to install nets (expensive) or we could destroy their nests every day. We were only allowed to do that up to a certain date, and if one did manage to sneak a nest in on us we had to suspend construction until the babies fledged. We had a crew who washed the nests away every day. Cannons are also commonly used to keep ducks away from contaminated water ponds. Another topic for another day.
My own thoughts on hunting are changing. I still love the outdoors and the challenge of outsmarting an animal on their turf and the times spent around the fire, but I don't like the killing anymore. So I bought a Leica camera this year. So I could put the pictures up here for you to enjoy.:hatoff:
I had the privilege of going to Africa for two weeks, I went to remodel some missionary homes but had plenty of time for other endeavors. We didn't see any Rhinos or Elephants because they had headed them into Tanzania to get away from a scourge of poachers. The experience is still top of my list, I followed no rules and ran the jungles like a fool, got two feet from a?????one of those big weasels and I don't know who was scared more. The cats, damn what a noise. I think had I got the chance I'd have stayed, what a wonderful place, scary, serene, beautiful, dangerous, Africa!! The Riff valley was a fantastic part of Africa also. The stories alone are worth the trip. I stayed in a building that the British were using for their club house, they were building s golf course I guess so they could celebrate after shooting a Lion or somethng. I could go on forever but I'm going to stop. Would I go back, YES!
I would love to go to Africa but I believe the time may have passed. I can get all the excitement I need on a zip-line right here at home. :usa:
Back to the lions, found this poor fellow yesterday behind the house. Looks like the lions may have had Christmas dinner at my place this year.
Those are sobering shots. This one is in PA and I believe the work of coyotes.
Yup. Somehow I'm better with it when its a natural predator. Maybe because I don't see it.:shrug: I haven't shot a coyote in 20 years. And I get lots of chances.
Like your pup.
Thats Gus. He's a good boy.:smilie:
My first german shepherd. He's good company for what I do. I would not recommend one unless you have lots of time and attention to devote.
How do you keep him from rolling in it?
Finally got around to checking some of the trail cameras up on the mountain. Last fall I got a picture of one elk and 4 lions at this location, which is a 60 yard bowshot off my deck. The Colorado Division of Wildlife is trying to figure out why the deer are disappearing.:doh:
My driveway security camera.:rolleyes: These turkeys are at 9300'. Lots of people tell me I'm full of crap and they don't get up this high.
I get a little more cautious every time I go take a leak outside at night.:wary:
Hmmm. This one didn't want to upload. This is the fluffy kitty.
I doubt much danger from the bobcats, but we’ve read of the occasional mountain lion attack. My only face-to-face with a lion resulted in it running away as fast as it could.
Wait till you get sued......then you can't run into ones arms fast enough. "The only good lawyer is yours" :wary:
When this storm system hits civilization in a couple of days, I predict some damage.