Bobcat Population

[Gary Roberson]

Just had a good visit with Tom Adams, Government Trapper from Pecos County and we were talking about how low the bobcat population is here and in West Texas, primarily southwest. He said that he is catching less than 1/3 of the cats that he caught in years past and that they started studying some of the cats to see what is causing the reduced populations.
He said that most of the cats had Feline Distemper and Rocky Mountain Spotted Tick Fever. He said that two cats that he trapped near Pecos were not in good body condition and when he cut them open, found a double hand full of roundworms.
I was catching a few bobcats around here but have not seen the first track in over 6 months. I am afraid that the dry weather and all of the ticks are taking a toll on them here as well.
May have to go see South Texan to see what one looks like.
Adios,
Gary

[dwalton]

How is the rodent and ground bird population? Have you been hit by the drought there as other parts of the south? If so watch the population go up where you get a lot of rain. Dewey

[Dads dogboy]

Gary,

Thanks for the very good information!

I was just talking to Dad about whether the drought was going to hurt the rabbit population and correspondingly the Bobcat numbers.

Dad talked to SOUTH TEXAN last night and heard about the fact that there is no vegetations at ground level what so ever.

Ticks have been bad all across the country this year. We have heard of several Hounds getting sick with Tick borne diseases.

Internal parasites play havoc on wild animals when their systems are stressed due to environmental conditions.

I would think that all the Critters in South and West Texas will see a decline in numbers till real Climate change occurs. Folks who have lived in that part of the world for generations know that Ole Mother Nature goes in cycles and this should be about the bottom of this one…at least we hope so!

CJC

[Gary Roberson]

We are the driest that I have ever seen it here in Menard County. It is a little better on the home place between Devine and Yancey. It is still really dry down at Dilley but there have been a few places that received rains in the last couple of weeks in the area east of Dilley toward the coast.
Not only have the dogs been getting a tick fever, so have a lot of folks around here.
Adios,
Gary

[memo jaramillo]

the same in Mexico is very dry places with little rain, but this brings another problem now rattlesnakes are out and are a danger to dogs.
dogs can only move cats but do not jump, I think these cats will be some teachers in the rain will run 2 hours more. lion now we do not need much moisture these