Bobcats Widespread in United States

Enlarge Image Image Gallery Bobcat in native grass. Bob Gress

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By If you ask people from around the country about the status of wildcats, some would mention the mountain lion or cougar because they’re common in the West. Others would have something to say about the lynx. But the cat that may very well generate the most interest is the bobcat. According to National Geographic, this species is the most abundant of any wildcat in the United States and has the greatest range among all native North American cats. Most people who live in states with excellent populations of these medium-sized cats rarely catch a glimpse of the secretive feline. It’s the mystique and mystery of these unique predators that creates a sense of awe when a fortunate visual encounter is experienced.

Bobcats are found throughout Southern Canada, the northern half of Mexico, and most of the United States. Many population distribution maps show an absence of habitation throughout parts of the Corn Belt and into the northeast. However, a couple of biologists in this area agree that most such maps are out of date. Bob Bluett, wildlife biologist for the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, says they’ve documented the existence of bobcats in all but three counties in Illinois, and populations in Missouri, Iowa and Indiana have all increased in the last 10 to 20 years. One area that bobcats are reluctant to live in is that with extensive row-to-row agriculture.

Scott Johnson, nongame wildlife biologist in Indiana, agrees with Bluett about bobcat habitation and says bobcats are “ubiquitous as far as major habitat, they’re not too picky.” The places they don’t tolerate, in his experience, are row-to-row agriculture, monoculture farming – usually corn and soybeans – and extremely urban areas.

Bobcats inhabit heavily forested areas with dense underbrush, rocky outcrops and bluffs. Old fields, clearcuts and caves are critical bobcat habitat as well. In the West, the bobcat inhabits arid and rocky terrain. Throughout much of the year, they dwell in a rest shelter such as a thicket, standing or downed hollow tree, or a recess in a rocky outcropping.

Spots and tracks

An adult male bobcat may weigh up to 40 pounds, although they likely average about 20 pounds. Females are slightly smaller than males, and each is 18 to 24 inches tall at the shoulder. Both sexes are similar in appearance, although each may lose many of their black spots or streaks with age. Bobcats are reddish brown or gray, white underneath and spotted with black. The ears are short, black with a white spot or band on the back, and usually tipped with small tufts of hair. Their face is round and obviously cat-like, and they possess a short tail trimmed with black. Bobcats may live up to 10 years in the wild.

The front track of a bobcat can be distinguished from other mammals in several ways. Their tracks are relatively small – 1 to 3 inches long and wide – and are shorter and wider overall than a coyote track. Because bobcats have retractable claws, claw marks are generally not present in any cat track, while coyote or dog tracks will usually have visible claw marks.

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