4evrhtn

Here is yet another opponent the whitetail deer faces. The deck is definitely stacked against them here in Pa. I debated on applying for the bobcat permit now that I saw this I will be. These pics were taken by my friend's co-worker in Gratz Pa.
Some on here questioned whether or not a bear will kill fawns, here is proof a bobcat will do the same.
But when we have to apply via lottery to get a bobcat permit and we aren't allowed to hunt bear until almost all of them are denned up it is hard to control the predator population in areas where it is needed.

boilermaker85

Wow awsome pics thanks for sharing

cleveland5

wow these are some great pictures!

johnandmare

That's so sad. I was on the phone one evening and I looked out at my back wall. Imagine my surprise when i saw this! My husband and I couldn't believe it. Right there in the day time in the back of a condominium complex. We were worried about the 3 fawns we have on a regular basis around here, but they are all present and accounted for, so I guess he was just passing through. I sent the pictures to our DEC and they are using them for education purposes as they say they are the most candid they have of a bobcat in these parts. I hope I NEVER see that in my area, although I know in nature, it is survival of the fittest. It's just that fawns are so helpless looking

4evrhtn

Even though I hunt I do not like seeing this, nor do I like seeing fawns hit along the road. Predators like a bobcat take out more fawns than people realize. I personally have seen 4 bobcats in the wild and have had 2 on game cameras over the last 2 years and this year alone I have seen 12 bear to date. All of which were from different areas reducing the likelihood that I am seeing the same bear over and over.
I began hunting predators 2 years ago and now hunt coyotes all year round when other seasons are not open. I do what I can to reduce their numbers to help out the deer but it's a losing battle when the organization in charge of managing them only wants to slaughter them off.

cvtrapper

You are very lucky to see something like that. It is rare to see a bobcat take prey especially a fawn. It is not the bobcats that do as much damage as the other predators. Coyotes are number one over fawn kills than any other predator in PA,including the bear. Bobcats rely mostly on vision as for coyotes and bear have a great nose. Again you can hunt the deers number one predator out side of people 24/7. It's the coyote.

cvtrapper

You are very lucky to see something like that. It is rare to see a bobcat take prey especially a fawn. It is not the bobcats that do as much damage as the other predators. Coyotes are number one over fawn kills than any other predator in PA,including the bear. Bobcats rely mostly on vision as for coyotes and bear have a great nose. Again you can hunt the deers number one predator out side of people 24/7. It's the coyote.


I have also seen over 10 bear this year and very few fawns.

ManySpurs

Last winter, a friend of mine came out to leave for work one mornning and found this button buck laying in his driveway. Long story short, a bobcat had positioned itself atop his corn feeder and bushwhacked this 80 pound deer. Wasn't much of a struggle either. Set my camera up overlooking the deer and the cat came back that night. A few nights after that, the cat was caught by a local trapper. No more cat.

A few years back, I read an article in the Wellsboro Gazette about a DCNR employee that witnessed a bobcat taking down a 130 pound Y-buck down in the Pa Grand Canyon.

The odds really seem stacked against the deer. Makes one wonder just how out easy it is for predators to control a herd in these single digit DPSFM areas. One or two extra kills could very easily throw the entire area herd out of kilter.

Cornelius08

Sad?? What on earth is "sad"a bout it? Bobcats are one of the most beautiful and elusive animals in the state. And that one is simply doing what they do to survive. Kill and eat deer! Why is it any worse than busting one with a 300 mag for us to eat??

Its not. Gotta envy their hunting skill, they do it without a gun.

Bobcats dont run in "packs" like coyotes do at times and they never overly abundant because of defending territories and just by their nature.

They arent gonna wipe out anyones deer herd anytime soon, though the Pa game commission just might. If the herd were not at rock bottom rediculous levels there would be plenty of deer for human and predator alike and not such heated competition for the available few.

Shouldnt be hunting b'cats because they are a deer devouring scourge like over abundant coyotes can be at times. They should be hunted because they are a trophy animal and you love to hunt.

johnandmare

It's sad to see any baby animal killed. It doesn't mean I don't find the bobcat a gorgeous animal or understand what he does to survive. I understand nature and its food chain. I am not ignorant. I watch all the shows on different channels and watch big cats and different predators take down their kill. I know it is an undeniable fact of life - death, but I think you took it the wrong way. I would worry about the bobcat taking a dog or cat, but if it happened to kill a fawn or adult deer, so be it. Maybe "sad" was the wrong word. I would never go out looking for bobcats to kill, coyotes yes, but bobcats, no. If one happened by my treestand, I would probably think twice about taking a shot at it with my bow because they are so awesome. In the end, I probably would, but not because I am worried about them wiping out the deer. Again, "sad" was probably the wrong word. When I was out west, I didn't get a big buck, but when a coyote happened by my stand, I didn't think twice - and it was a female, so even better.
I have a picture of myself with the coyote and my bow, but it's on my other computer.