There could be three large wildcats prowling the Northwoods and consider yourself blessed if you ever see one of them. The first is mountain lions but getting a glimpse of this big cat is highly unlikely, because the DNR says, COUGARS (THAT’S HOW THE DNR REFERS TO THEM) have only been seen a few times and they are just passing through the state, but I will tell you there are many more sightings that the DNR will not confirm or report to the public and if you look through my past posts under animals (BIG CATS UP NORTH) you will understand.

The Canadian Lynx’s is the second cat that crosses into Minnesota from Canada and then into Wisconsin when food (SNOWSHOE RARE & COTTONTAIL RABBITS) is scarce in Canada, but I remember reading, for some reason this only happens every 10 or 11 years, so seeing a Lynx’s is improbable. The third is the Bobcat and even though they used to be common throughout Wisconsin, today their home range is mostly the northern part of the state. So, what’s your chance of spotting a Bobcat? Unless you hunt or trap this elusive animal and know their movements, sightings are very rare.

Bobcats weigh around 20 pounds, but 40 pounders have been recorded, stand 14 to 24 inches tall and can be close to 40 inches long, are reddish/brown to grayish/brown in color with a black striped face, heavy black spots on most of its body, with a white chest and a black tipped stubby tail.
* Bobcats have a home range of 15 to 25 miles and male territories can overlap, but females will not tolerate other breeding females in their home range.
* These cats have great sense of smell, sharp hearing and vision.
* They mate in February or March and females will give birth between April & July to 2 or 3 kittens and the kits survival rate depends on how much food is provided to them. The following year, before mom has another litter, the young Bobcats will leave their mothers range and could travel up to 100 miles to establish their own territory.

Let me tell you, in 60 years, I have never seen a bobcat, so I guess it’s all about being in the right place at the right time. My wife has only experienced the Northwoods for just 28 years and late one night, Monica and two friends spotted a Bobcat sitting on top of a boulder next to the road, so I guess it’s all about being in the right place at the right time.  One would think with an estimated 3500 Bobcats in the northern part of the state, there would be more sightings and even though I’m jealous, I’m glad Monica got that opportunity see this elusive cat.