The bobcat is able to survive for long periods without food, but eats heavily when prey is abundant. A bobcat usually eats no more than 2 or 3 pounds of meat per day, and the deer carcass often serves as a food source for other species as well. Bobcat Calling Bobcats – Even During the Day. During lean periods, it often preys on larger animals, which it can kill and return to feed on later. A bobcat … The bobcat hunts by stalking its prey and then ambushing with a short chase or pounce. In addition, mountain lions (cougars) can kill livestock and pets. ... Three Things to Know … Some bobcats in western areas do prey upon sheep, and a single bobcat has been known to kill dozens of lambs in one night. Information from these pelts is being used to estimate bobcat population trends and factors that contribute to those changes. When bobcats do take deer, they are most likely to kill sick, injured, young or very old animals. ... Bobcats eat anything from mice to young deer — even an adult deer in rare instances. Bobcat footprints will not have toenail marks, as coyotes' and dogs' do. ... Have you seen a cat harass or kill a whitetail, or found a carcass you felt was a cat-kill? Opportunistic prey items include birds, squirrels, meadow voles, and road kill. Ears and tails are the one sure way to tell a bobcat apart from anything else. You can also use a mixture of equal parts hot sauce and water to make plants taste bad so deer don't eat them. Behavior. Scout the area you plan to hunt so you know where the boundaries, houses, roads, fences and livestock are located on the property. To get rid of deer, try spraying your lawn and garden with a mixture of 3 eggs and 20 cups of water every 30 days or after it rains, which will put off a smell that deer don't like. Bobcat are solitary animals and may be active at any time, day or night. It will tell you what structure the cat is attracted to, where it crosses roads and streams, the way it hunts, and the kind of habitat it beds down in. The rear heel pad of bobcat prints are typically in the shape of an "m." Bobcats also often bury their prey and return several times to feed on it, while coyotes do not. Deer can be a valuable prey item in areas of deep snow because one carcass can last for several weeks. Most trappers will tell you, and I agree, that the best way to educate yourself about bobcat travel and behavior patterns in your area is to get on a track and stay on it. Hello Kitty: Bobcat Takes Down Deer. Calling Bobcats – Even During the Day Enticing a bobcat is never an easy task, but preparation and persistence definitely improve your odds. Bobcats prey on medium-sized animals such as rabbits and hares. Such sets should be made where you know bobcats are living. Where bobcats are deemed a problem, use the following management strategies around your property to prevent conflicts: Don’t feed wildlife. BOBCAT KILL TRAPS ^ Den sets are another very effective location where you can make a set. Although white-tailed deer is reported in diets of bobcats in the Northeast, there is evidence that bobcats probably kill very few deer unless other foods become scarce. Once a bobcat causes damage for the first time, it gets easier for the animal to do it again. Even so, I don't call many cats with a deer distress call. Remember predators follow prey. If you do not kill your game instantly, make every effort to find the wounded animal. This includes deer, feral cats (domestic cats gone wild), and other small mammals. If you hunt on private land, be sure to obtain permission from the landowner and respect his or her property as if it were your own. How To Tell A Bobkitten From A Regular Kitten. You can tell if the den is active by inspecting the ground for fresh track, food, urine, gland scent or by seeing bobcats using it.