Bobcats have a real temper after being caught!
One of the shyest and most elusive creatures in North America is the bobcat. These felines are larger than your average housecat, yet smaller than a mountain lion. For the most part, they avoid humans easily. However, sometimes contact is unavoidable. Such was the case in this trapper's video.
This trapper has just checked his leghold trap, which was originally set for coyotes. Not having a bobcat tag, he has no choice other than to let the animal go. Which is easier said than done when the big cat wants to tear his face off!
During the release the bobcat manages to catch the trapper with one of his claws and then the ferocious feline chases the trapper back into his vehicle. It's a wild sequence of events that proves a trapper's day is never dull.
This guy was not kidding when he said that bobcats hold a grudge. It didn't matter that this cat was now free. It was angry and the human made for a convenient outlet for that aggression. We have seen plenty of unwanted by-catch release videos by trappers in recent years. Even the ones with wolves don't end anything like this video did. That bobcat was ready and waiting outside his Jeep for him. That was, until he turned the engine on and frightened him away.
Another thing this video demonstrates is why we humans don't often see these cats in the wild. As soon as he stepped away, the cat's coat blended in perfectly with the leaf litter on the ground, making him harder to see. No wonder they elude humans so often and so easily.
However, as you saw here, a bobcat is not afraid to fight if they believe their life is in danger. This guy is lucky that one small scratch is all he got. After an encounter like this one, we're guessing this bobcat may become even more shy of humans after this incident.
For more outdoor content from Travis Smola, be sure to follow him on Twitter and check out his Geocaching and Outdoors with Travis YouTube channels.
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