Bobcats are active any time. They are seen in the daytime, but do a lot of hunting at night. They hunt small mammals, such as mice and squirrels, but can take an animal as large as a deer. Bobcats are shy animals and are not often seen by humans. They can range up to 50 miles a day while hunting, but usually hunt within an area of four to five square miles. They hunt from the ground, but will pounce on prey from trees.

Bobcat scat is in segments and usually contains the hair and bones of its prey. Bobcats get up to about 30 pounds. They have short tails (six to seven inches long), while mountain lions have long ones. The end of the tail is black, tipped with white. The body is covered with spots, which can vary between dark and light. The feet have large, soft pads that help them move quietly while stalking prey.

Bobcat Scat Pg. 1 | Bobcat Scat Pg. 2 | Bobcat Scrapes

Right hind bobcat track in dust.

Pair of bobcat tracks in dust.

Bobcat (left) and deer (right) tracks in soil on a recently graded road. Predator and prey may not have been here at the same time. Both were heading the same direction. The direction of travel is from right to left in the photo.

A comparison of the track of a bobcat (left) and a dog (right). The dog track shows a slip due to the speed at which the animal was moving as well as the muddy surface it stepped in. Both of these tracks have aged a bit. They are not fresh. They were found in a drying mud puddle.

Another comparison. This one shows the track of a coyote next to the tracks of a bobcat. side-by-side comparisons of tracks of different species are useful to trackers learning how to tell them apart.

A close-up of the bobcat track seen above. This is a nicely detailed track and you can see the signs that it has been submerged in the puddle as well. This is the left front foot.

Another sign of bobcat presence - a scrape made by a bobcat. This particular bobcat made over a dozen of these in a trail approximately a mile long. This is a form of territorial marking. The bobcat also deposited several scats along this same route.

Another fine left front track. This is the same foot as in the above photo. Notice how no two tracks are alike, even made by the same foot on the same animal. This is what makes tracking so much fun.

A nice bobcat track in fine dust on the edge of a dirt road. This bobcat had followed the road for about a mile and a half. I happened upon the tracks when they were only hours old and followed them. It gets more challenging to track on dirt roads after a number of vehicles have driven over them. The extra dust helps to obliterate tracks, so it's best to get to these roads early in the day to find the best tracks! This track illustrates how bobcat tracks can, at times, resemble dog or fox tracks. However, examination of the trail led to the identification as bobcat. This is why making a "single track identification" is never a good idea. It's always best to use all the clues and signs available to you. Follow the trail for a few steps if you find a track like this and make sure of your identification.

Another nice bobcat track from the same bobcat that I followed down the dirt road. This track shows very good details, but is showing age and accumulation of dust in the print.

A wonderful left front bobcat track. This mud held clear details and even showed where some sand had clung to the toes. Some of the sand was deposited on the edge of the print. Bobcat tracks are a joy to look at!