lions affect bobcat numbers?

[BrandonCombe]

I am curious if any of you know if lions affect bobcat in area I got a place that in previous years had alot of bobcat cat in it until this year. were did they all go? I know pretty much every one that hunts the area and there hasn't been hardly any Bob's killed out of there And seen very few tracks this season and have hunted it a couple times a week I only pulled one big tom out of there and cold trailed 2 other cats that I never got jumped but I have noticed a lot of lions in the area I know of 5 different lions in the area I can hardly go any were in snow without cutting fresh lion track and find deer the lions kill all over the mountain is it possible that the lion push the bobcat out of the area? The lion population is getting ridiculous I've had them cross the road infront of me wile lookin for bob tracks and even as low as a couple hundred yards above the houses wile I was heading off the mountain. any ideas?

[Mike Leonard]

Bobcat numbers can fluctuate widely in a given area frrom year to year. Although hunting pressure may not have been a contrubuting factor prey density(rabbits) and feline deceases such as lukemia can wipe out a section of cats quickly. Lions although the larger felid in reality seldom compete heavily with bobcats for their major food source which is rabbits and smaller rodents to a lesser degree. True some bobcats become deer killers but this is not the norm in most cases. I have been in areas that had a good density of cougars living within their natal range and bobcats going about their daily routine with very little evidence of interaction. That might have something to do with nobody ever telling the bobcat he was the little guy. LOL!

Not so with coyotes and I find a good deal of evidence of cougars stalking , killing and eating coyotes. Coyotes on the other hand pressure bobcats a good deal and in an area of high coyote density you will note the bobcats try not to venture too far from the rocks are taller trees on their hunts because coyotes love to torment them.

[Unreal_tk]

Guy I know said years ago an old trapper had a nice tom in a trap, when he pulled up to the trap only the bobcats head was left. Lion had ate the rest. That's about all I know.

[Mike Leonard]

An I do agree on trap raider lions they will eat just about anything in a trap including skunks, and they dearly love gray fox croquettes. LOL!

[box rocker]

Bobcats will follow lions around to pick up free meals. I would say Mike is spot on.

[twist]

Have seen lions and bobcat live in same areas do not believe they effect one another. Andy

[BrandonCombe]

Sounds like lions are not going to cause an issue with the bobcat so now I'm stumped as to what happend to all the bobcat other hunters around have also brought up the fact that there isn't nearly the bobcat that there was in that area in previous years. gues it just means time to look for another spot to chase them short tails. Thanks for all the opinions keep em coming

[Warner5]

If the opportunity presents itself, lion will feed on bobcat. I have no idea how often though. John.

[cobalt]

I agree with John. Over the years I've seen where lions have preyed or attempted to prey on bobcat as evedenced in the snow outside of Medford, Or. I always considered bobcat as not only a predator species, but as a prey species also. I think they are actually a delicacy to many higher carnivores. Also, there is very little refuge for a bobcat from a lion considering a tree is no refuge. Whether or not lions have an affect on bobcat populations, don't know. Maybe in some country more than other. In any case, lions eat whatever they want to.

[coastrangecathunting]

A friend of mine was living in ashland oregon and went deer hunting to the south east of the highway. He seen fresh cougar tracks crossing thee road . He got out and seen they were running and came to a tree . The tracks had circled the tree many times then ran off. He looked up the tree and there sat a bobcat . The cougar must have ran off when he heard him drive up in his pickup. I seen some cougar shit yesterday with coyote claws in it. My dad has see coon feet in cougar shit as well . I think if given the chance they will eat about anything they choose. As far as that area your talking about , maybe some one has been trapping it. maybe not . I would lean tawrds a trapper myself.

jc

[twist]

Cat prices are at an all high so cat populations are down in some area do to heavy trapping would be my thoughts as jc suggested. Andy

[Warner5]

When a big cat comes through this area, it always seems to have coyotes trailing it. Some of our toughest running bobcats seem to come from areas with high coyote consentrations. Sometimes making one wonder - Is this a bobcat? John.