bobcat sighting near Rio, WI

[JFK52]

There has been a video posted in various places by a fellow of a bobcat in his backyard during the daylight hours just a few days ago. I was curious as I live in the general area, so I looked up his name and address and put it into MapQuest. As the roads go, it is 3 miles North and 2 miles East from my house. As the crow flies, I doubt it can be more than 2-3 miles to the property where the bobcat was sighted. I have lived in this area for almost 40 years and this is the first confirmed sighting of a bobcat.
How large is their home area? Will they attack dogs?

 

[Seabee]

I have read their range is normally 3 to 5 miles. They are always on the move! I've not had any issues with them and my dogs.


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[ruskbuckss]

They are really expanding.We see them every year on my land in Rusk county. Last year one was hit in my hometown of Burlington,WI. I was talking to the warden about it on a youth hunt and he confirmed it was true. I don't think you would have to worry about them attacking your dog. I also just saw a article about a fisher on a trail camera in Iowa. It was the first confirmed sighting in 150 years.

 

[Native Hunter]

It will probably run from your dog unless the dog corners it where it can't escape. Then it will kill your dog in about 1 second.

The one in the pic below with the cute tracking collar is one that uses my farm. It is a female named F27 that the F&W released about 7 miles from my place. It moved a few miles and established a home range. When I sent them some pictures they shared a map with me that shows dots at all of the places that they have pinged it. The range it settled into is about 5 miles north to south and 2.5 miles east to west. My place is on the north end of its range.



Here is another one on my place that is quite a bit bigger - some say the biggest bobcat they have ever seen:






Another one:

 

[Bowsnbucks]

We have lots of bobcats here in Pa. Even with our dense population, they are rarely seen. I've seen a good number of them over the years due to the huge amount of time I've spent in the outdoors. I've had some really close encounters with a few - even had two stalk me while I was " squeaking " with my lips to see their reaction. Both times they hauled a** when they saw I was no mouse !! ( I was in camo both times ).

I've seen them hunting mice, shrews, voles, etc. on many occasions. ( live hunting ). I see evidence of their mousing in the snow complete with tracks and bits of bloody fur from their mouse-meals a lot. I'm glad to have them around for all the mice / voles they eat. I've never even heard of one attacking a dog - or a person. Nature's pest control. Very cool animal.

 

[Bluecollaroutdoors]

Neighbors had one just outside of Kewaunee a few years back that raided a chicken coop two nights in a row.

 

[chummer]

We had one a couple years ago. I saw it twice in the summer but never got a pic of it. I actually turned the corner in a mowed trail and caught it by surprise about 40 yards from me. It was hunting the mowed trail. I have never seen anything run that fast. The other time we saw it was hunting the field and we spooked it with the ATV. I am pretty sure it wiped a mother turkey and her flock. One of those sightings was followed by a pile of feathers and a missing family of turkeys the next day.

 

[sandbur]

A few years ago I had one by my deer stand. I lip squeaked like a mouse and brought him to the base of my tree. I have also done that with red fox and fisher. Never tried it on a coyote or grey fox, yet!

 

[H20fwler]

Getting more common here in the southern part of state. I've never seen one.

 

[ruskbuckss]

A few years ago I had one by my deer stand. I lip squeaked like a mouse and brought him to the base of my tree. I have also done that with red fox and fisher. Never tried it on a coyote or grey fox, yet!

I did this with a fisher last year. I squeaked him in from 50 yards away, he was right under me and looked up at me. He had no fear of me at all even after he saw me.

 

[John-W-WI]

Seeing a cat, any cat in the wild is on my bucket list. OK, I've seen a feral cat, so that one is done. I want to see a bobcat or something bigger.

I've owned my farm for a little over 10 years (West Central WI) and have gotten half a dozen pictures of bobcats. Very rare around here.

-John

 

[Red Picqua]

and believe me if you ever hear two of them fight while you are in a tree blind, it will make the hair stand up on the back of your neck.....

 

[nchunter1989]

and believe me if you ever hear two of them fight while you are in a tree blind, it will make the hair stand up on the back of your neck.....

Or have one scream a couple hundred yards from you at night while you're finishing up a stand.... Sounds like a woman in pain..

 

[Red Picqua]

The first time I heard it I was a kid and my Uncle said that it was two Bobcats fighting or establishing territory. They are a cool animal.

If anyone wants to see one or increase the chances. If you shoot a ruffed grouse or a pheasant. Hang the wing from a branch so it dangles in the wind, place a couple of small metallic streamers by it. Cats are sight hunters and this will catch their eyes from a distance. Do it in a clearing or small opening. Set a camera by it too if you want. Unless you are like Jack... than you will need to bring in a set up like Monday Night Football with a satellite dish and radiowave technologies.. :) sorry.. another thread!! :)

 

[Tree Spud]

We have one that frequents our property. The camera dates are off as these were more recent.

Do these animals use a den?

 

[loshonhora]

i got one on video this past november. it walked right past my tree.

 

[Bszweda]

I'd love to see a wild bobcat. Great to see they are making a come back.

 

[dsinwi]

I live near Rio as well. Does not surprise me in the least that they are around. One of those animals that is all around us but rarely seen type of thing. We had a black bear hanging around Lake Wisconsin a few years ago. Not sure if it is still in the area or not. One was also sighted in Waunakee for those of you who know where that it. The DNR suspect it was the same bear. Had a bobcat go under my stand a couple years ago in Juneau county. I squeaked at it to slow it down but was not able to get a good pic of it with my phone. Cool experience. They squirrels where really chattering as it passed through.

 

[4wanderingeyes]

My neighbor says they are around all winter on his land, they follow the creek. I have not seen one yet, but I have seen their tracks in the snow, so I know they are around. I have dogs with almost every time I go to the cabin, and the neighbor doesnt have any dogs, so I would also assume the dog scent on my land may deter them. I am fine with that!

 

[Natty Bumppo]

Hey guys....educate me about Wisconsin. I'm reading the comments in this thread and I had go back and be sure this wasn't a "bigfoot sighted" thread. You're making it sound like bobcats and black bears are exceedingly rare. Is this the case? Just never knew that. They are everywhere here in NW Mass. Where bobcats ever abundant? If so, what made them rare?