Big Cats

[Brenda]

Bobcat caught in Woodhull
BY DERRICK EK
Published: Thursday, November 1, 2007 10:51 PM CDT

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WOODHULL | A bobcat - a reclusive predator rarely spotted in Steuben County - was caught by a trapper earlier this week just outside the village of Woodhull.

The animal was snared by Cory Herrington and his uncle, Ray Smith, both of Woodhull.

Smith traps foxes and coyotes and sells their hides, and has been teaching his nephew how to bait and set the traps. On Monday evening, for the first time, Herrington set a trap himself, off County Route 103.

The next morning at dawn, the two men went to check the trap, and saw it had snared an animal, which at first glance, they thought was a red fox. Upon closer inspection, though, they realized it was a bobcat.

“I've been a trapper for 30 years, and I've never even seen a bobcat,” Smith said. “This was the first trap Cory ever set, and he wound up getting a bobcat.”

As they approached the trap, they spotted another bobcat sitting nearby, apparently keeping vigil at the trap. It retreated into some nearby brush, rather upset, and was snarling and calling out.

Hunting and trapping of bobcats is only allowed in the Adirondacks and the eastern part of New York state, and only for several months a year. So the men weren't quite sure what to do with the big cat. So Herrington and Smith went to the home of Steve Farrand, a game warden for the state Department of Environmental Conservation who lives in Woodhull, and knocked on his door.

Farrand, still in his pajamas, quickly got dressed and followed Smith and Herrington to the trap.

The frightened bobcat in the trap was growling, hissing and lunging as the men got close.

“Oh jeez, it made some awful noises,” Smith said. “Boy, what big teeth they've got.”

Donning protective gear, Farrand used a catch pole to restrain the bobcat while Smith released the trap.

The bobcat lingered for a few moments before it disappeared into the brush. The traps are not designed to injure the animals they snare, and the bobcat appeared to be unhurt, Farrand said.

Farrand thought the animal was probably a young bobcat, as it was relatively small. He speculated that the bobcat keeping vigil was probably its mother.

Farrand said this was the first time he'd seen one in the area.

“When he told me he had a bobcat, I was very excited, just to go out and see it, and be close to it,” he said.

For a long time, bobcats weren't thought to inhabit this area, but they have apparently returned. There have reportedly been multiple sightings in the Southern Tier in recent years.

“There is a population, I'm not sure how big. They might be coming up from Pennsylvania or from the Catskills,” Farrand said. “I do know that our wildlife staff is very interested in knowing when we encounter them.”

Farrand reported the encounter to Scott Smith, a wildlife biologist at the DEC's Bath office who tracks things like bobcat population density. Smith was in the field Thursday afternoon and not available for comment.

Bobcats grow to about 25 pounds, about twice the size of a domestic cat, according to the DEC's Web site.

With sharp, retractable claws, they stalk and ambush mice, squirrels, rabbits and deer. They also eat fish and insects.

They are tawny to gray in color with black spotting, and they have pointed ears and a short tail. They are excellent climbers with acute hearing, smell and vision, according to the DEC.

Farrand said there's not much reason for area residents to be concerned.

For one, they're fairly small. Also, they're reclusive and mostly active at night. However, people should keep their distance if they do happen to encounter one, he said.

“They're a nasty creature, and if you put them in a position they don't want to be in, they will definitely defend themselves.”

http://www.the-leader.com/articles/2007 ... ocal02.txt

[backpacker]

Thanks for the story I had a bobcat in my yard ohh about 7-9 years ago now. My neighbor was new to the area (came from a city) and didn't know what a boobcat was till one night they though they heard a baby crying or a women yelling, they asked me about it and I told them it was a bob cat.
The cat hung around for two summers I haven't heard it since. I put the spot light on it three times but never got a picture.

[chris270]

Woman, 80, shoots lion to protect dog Tue Jan 8, 8:57 PM ET



Acting to protect her dog, 80-year-old Martha Smith killed a mountain lion at her home along French Creek near Fairburn. She missed with her first shot, went into the house to call 911, then went back outside with a .22-caliber rifle.

"And he was a spittin' and a growlin'," said Smith. "All I saw was flashing eyes and teeth. And I knew I was gonna have to kill him if I could."

Smith, who lives alone, said she'd like to have the lion mounted, but doubts the state Department of Game, Fish & Parks will return the carcass to her.

[cbobcat49]

Was this near French Creek in northwestern Pennsylvania?

[olmstead]

Or French Creek, Chautaqua County? If it's within NY borders this is a pretty big deal. People up in the Adirondacks have been trying for years to get some confirmation of sightings.

[cbobcat49]

French Creek's headwaters are in Chautauqua County but most of the stream is in PA. It's a very long creek. It eventually hooks up with the Allegany about halfway down the state. I don't know of a town of Fairburn on the NY side of the border so I think this took place in PA.

[cbobcat49]

A few summers ago there was a mountain lion sighting on Hungry Hollow Rd. in Cattaraugus County. Just a few miles north of Salamanca. It was just one guy who claimed he saw it so it was unconfirmed.

[Brenda]

It was Fairburn, SD. I found the entire article in the Rapid City Journal.
http://www.rapidcityjournal.com/article ... 584758.txt