Bobcat

Scientific name: Lynx rufus

How weight is recorded: Whole weight

Field notes

Appearance

Reddish-brown to gray coat with dark spots and stripes; distinctive black-tufted ears and a short, black-tipped tail. Males are noticeably larger and heavier than females.

Size and weight

Males: 7–13 kg, females: 4–9 kg. Body length: 65–105 cm nose to rump.

Habitat

Bobcats occupy diverse terrain including forests, scrubland, swamps, and rocky areas from sea level to high mountains. They thrive in fragmented landscapes with dense brush and rocky outcrops for cover.

Distribution

Found throughout the continental United States, southern Canada, Mexico, and Central America. Prefer broken, brushy terrain over open fields and continuous forest.

Diet

Primary diet of rabbits and hares, supplemented with rodents, birds, and small mammals; deer fawns and carrion taken opportunistically in spring and early summer.

Behaviour

Primarily nocturnal and crepuscular hunters; solitary and territorial with home ranges of 5–50 km² depending on prey density. Travel on established trails and ridgelines.

Hunting tips

Look for paired tracks (1.3–2 cm wide) on trails and snow, and scat resembling house cat but larger, often buried. Stalk brushy draws, rocky slopes, and riparian corridors at dawn and dusk, moving slowly into wind. Use calls imitating injured rabbits or fawn distress to draw cats from cover.

Whole weight

This species is logged by whole weight — the animal weighed entire, as taken.

Where it is hunted

Listed as huntable in 3 countries in Huntify.

Names in other languages

These field notes are general species knowledge, not legal advice. Always check the current seasons, quotas and firearm rules where you hunt.