What is this?

[racernhra]

My brother sent me this picture from a trail cam. What is this? Tail is short and almost looks like a raccoon.

Almost looks like a bobcat but the head looks different

 

[dtspoke]

bobcat

 

[TexasCowPoke]

I'd agree with a bobcat. The head is moving and so is slightly blurred, body by bobcat.

 

[dtspoke]

I'd agree with a bobcat. The head is moving and so is slightly blurred, body by bobcat.

Affirmative

 

[panhndlpoke]

The bobcat's around here don't have such pronounced spots on them. They're a little bleached out, but I googled bobcat and saw a lot of pictures of much contrasty beasts than I'm used to.

 

[TexasCowPoke]

Down here the spots are moderately pronounced. I caught one napping under my fishing dock once. (waiting on ducks to swim by I think). Wasn't sure who was going to give first, but he finally did. I've never been able to hit one with my archery gear.... but shot at a couple. (Talk about alert!)

 

[dtspoke]

Bobcats up here are really marked up like that one in the pic.

 

[panhndlpoke]

I say they're bleached out but honestly I could be wrong. You usually only get a half second to see and identify one before it hops behind a blade of grass and disappears.

 

[TexasCowPoke]

I'm just glad they don't weigh 250 lbs.

 

[panhndlpoke]

I'm just glad they don't weigh 250 lbs.

Interesting you should mention that. I was in South Africa a couple years ago and was about 2 feet from a hunting leopard while on a safari tour. I was in an open sided tour vehicle and the leopard walked past the truck. I could have reached out and grabbed the tail of the cat. It would have weighed about 250 lbs is my guess but I really don't know how much they weigh. It was plenty big to scare the shit out of me. It is a very humbling experience to be that close to an animal that sees you as supper. You become acutely aware of the distinct swap from being a predator to being prey.