This afternoon my son had a large tom bobcat come in to his cougar calling stand, where he had used a lot of cougar vocals plus some fawn distress. It came in about ten minutes into the stand, walking toward him in the shade of big trees and at first he thought that it was a cougar. He watched it for a minute or two as it approached, and then it stopped in a spot of bright sunlight and sat up on its haunches. It's white chest and belly really jumped out against the dark forest. The bobcat acted like he wanted other cats to see him.
My son was using his .338 with 225 grain Barnes TTSX bullets in hopes of getting a pass through without a big exit hole. He shot the bobcat in the center of its chest with an exit behind the shoulder as the animal angled slightly toward him at 35 yards. We were pleasantly surprised that the bullet opened at all on such a small critter and concluded from this research that a .338 will kill a bobcat.
The cat weighed 24 ½ lbs. on a scale after losing a lot of blood.
I had hunted with him yesterday but today was doing responsible things like looking at a house with a realtor, taking wife to doctor appointment, etc. If I get any pics will post.
(https://i.imgur.com/tTHrlsC.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/PoXANBu.jpg)
Big open timber on a spur ridge coming off of a major peak. We called a cougar at the same spot several years ago that my son shot, and with no tracking snow, he set up there again on spec.
We've had at least half a dozen bobcats come to cougar vocals when we have been trying for a cougar. It is puzzling.
They sure are pretty. Thanks for sharing.
Pat
Beauty!
Cool story and great pics sir. 338 sure seems like a lot of gun and am glad it didn't just knock the hide off that critter. Don't know what I woulda done if either cat showed up as I ain't never seed either. :shrug:
"use enough gun." :innocentwhistle:
Oh mannnn, very nice.
He looks thick and prime too :congrats:
Quote from: FinsnFur on January 27, 2019, 07:52:39 PM
Oh mannnn, very nice.
He looks thick and prime too :congrats:
Yep, prime thick fur with white skin inside. A lot of orange color like many coastal cats. Animal in his prime with no chips nor breaks in teeth or claws, heavy with thick layers of white fat on the carcass, especially the belly. As codger in residence, I helped with the skinning.
Congratulation to your son on a fine looking bobcat. Since that .338 didn't do any damage to the fur I may have to consider using my .50BMG, if'n I could get someone to carry it for me.
Quote from: JohnP on February 02, 2019, 10:39:52 AM
Congratulation to your son on a fine looking bobcat. Since that .338 didn't do any damage to the fur I may have to consider using my .50BMG, if'n I could get someone to carry it for me.
:yoyo: :huh: