My bobcat quests. - a photo on Flickriver

My bobcat quests.

            Of all the wildlife inhabiting our area, it is a good photo of a bobcat that I desire the most. I have been blessed to have seen them in the wild only three times. The first time was as a child. I was on a boat with my dad and my Uncle Gene Eddings. We were on Barren River Reservoir pulling in and out of the banks in search of fire wood. As we glided into the bank on one occasion, an animal trail led directly up the heavily wooded hill from the water. Some 30-40 yards up that trail was a bobcat strolling down the hill, probably just heading to the lake for a drink of water prior to returning to its den to sleep the day away. We were all so thrilled to see it, even if only for a few seconds. Since then, camera or not, I wanted to see them again!

My second encounter occurred on 25 January, 2018…an estimated 47 years later. The temperature was below zero when I decided to make the drive to Muscatatuck NWR to take pictures. Arriving before daybreak, I sat on the bank of a lake where I had previously photographed mink on the hunt. As the sun rose, a frozen fog started lifting from the ice covering the lakes surface. As it did, I noticed that it was creating very small ice crystals. I decided to go back to the car and switch to my macro lens in an attempt to capture the process. This would prove to be a huge mistake!

It was while laying on the lake ice, belly down trying to photograph the crystals that I noticed something on the ice with me. It was some 200 yards away, but was making its way directly towards me in a slow, comfortable trot. I remember being totally confused on what it might be…my first thought…using my anal-retentive statistical mindset, it had to be a dog. Seconds later I switched to it must be a coyote, since I was on a National Wildlife Refuge. It just kept coming, curious of what I might be on this dimly lit frozen morning. At around the 25-30 yard point it veered off to its right as it realized that I was still alive. It was then that I realized it was a big, beautiful adult bobcat. I had four different lenses with me that morning. I had absolutely the worst one on my camera for the shot…a 100mm macro. I was blessed with the encounter, but the photos obtained were much less than desirable.

My third and thus far final sighting took place last year near Patoka Lake while out taking pictures. I was driving from the dam area to the marina when something crossed the road just after I passed. As written by Jim Steinman (my favorite song writer) and sung by Meatloaf…Objects in the Rear View Mirror May Appear Closer Than They Are, I have no idea how far back the adult bobcat was. I am sure it sat and waited for me to pass. This upsets me greatly!

All that being said…there is this guy!! On the morning of June 3rd of this year, I was driving down the same road, haunted by the missed opportunity above when something hunting the field below caught my eye. In my heart I knew it was a bobcat kitten as I caught a split-second glimpse of its hind quarters and that little bobbed tail. It was darker than expected…but then I had no idea what color range existed in juvenile bobcats. I nearly wrecked my car trying to put my car in the ditch on the opposite side of the road, at the same time grabbing my gear to photograph what was surly the end to my 51-year-old quest! I had the right lens, I had the right light, I had the right subject. My entire body felt as if I had stuck a 9-volt battery to my tongue!

As I peaked over the guardrail to the fields below, I could see it moving in the tall weeds below. Looking at nearby shadows, I quickly surmised the best angle to intercept my subject while maintaining the best possible light. The continued movement of the tall grass told me that it was unaware of my presence, I closed the gap between us as quickly as possible…as quickly as an old guy walking on his toes in hiking boots could anyway! I noticed an area up ahead where DNR had cut a maintenance path across the field. This is where I would set up for the shot. Checking its movement one more time, I found the perfect place to sit and wait. Slightly elevated with perfect light. As I waited, some 10 minuets or so, I concentrated on slowing my breathing while triple checking my camera settings. 

The maintenance path was only 4-5 feet wide, so I knew I had to be ready. The weeds were now moving only a foot or so from the path…forget about controlled breathing, I just stopped. It held still for what felt like a lifetime before stepping into the light. I could only see the little cat ears moving as it looked down the path to its right and left before stepping forward, as if looking around the corner. As it stepped into the light, I gave out my (patent pending) yelp to get its attention and to look into the lens. It made a short jump out into the path, plopped over and gave me the smug, “You are such a dumb-ass” look photographed. When I realized that I had been tracking a bob-tailed barn/feral cat…my heart nearly broke.

People, for the safety and prevention of heart disease in wildlife photographers, please keep any and all cats without tails inside your home. Doing so could save a life!

Stupid @#$&* cat adventure before dementia!

Taken on: June 3, 2022

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Camera: Canon EOS 7D Mark II, f/5.6, 1/1600 sec, 840mm, ISO 500 (more info) (hide info)

Camera:	Canon EOS 7D Mark II
Lens:	EF600mm f/4L IS II USM +1.4x
Aperture:	f/5.6
Exposure Time:	0.001 sec (1/1600)
Focal Length:	840mm
ISO:	500
Exposure Bias:	0 EV
Flash:	No Flash
Metering Mode:	Multi-segment
White Balance:	Auto
Color Space:	sRGB
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