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Bobcat sitings in Yosemite

Posted: Thu Oct 25, 2007 12:29 am
by sierranomad
I've heard a lot of reports this year of people seeing bobcats in Yosemite Valley. My wife saw two at The Fen; and I've heard of 3 or 4 others that have seen them.

I was wondering if anybody on this forum has seen them; where, how recently, and what time of day?

I like to get animal video, and shooting a bobcat or two would be wonderful.

Posted: Thu Oct 25, 2007 3:41 am
by The Other Tom
I didn't see one personally, but people at May Lake (yeah, I know, not the valley as you asked for) said they saw one on the slopes of Mt. Hoffman. We hiked up the next day and saw a large depressed place in a grassy area....a place where the bobcat had made his bed for the night ? Who knows. Oh, that was in Aug. of this year.

Posted: Thu Oct 25, 2007 7:41 am
by sierranomad
That's exciting to hear, thanks Tom!

Interesting. As with many others on this forum, I've been going to Yosemite for years. Until this year, I've only heard of a bobcat sighting once. Several years ago I was on (I believe) the 4 Mile Trail and I saw the back of one as it quickly got off the trail.

As I mentioned in my previous post, I've heard several reports this year, and they don't seem to be afraid. Google "yosemite bobcat" and you come up with several sightings, plus a couple of youtube videos. It would be interesting to know the dynamics of the bobcat population in Yosemite.

Posted: Thu Oct 25, 2007 11:12 am
by SSSdave
In the summer bobcats may range into higher areas but generally they seem to prefer areas below the winter snow line. Thus that eliminates much of the park except lower western areas. My guess is bobcats probably find Yosemite Valley or Wawona as too urban with too many people so stay away. I'd expect to see them in remote areas like the South Fork of the Merced canyon well below the Wawona campground, around Hetch Hetchy and Poopenaut, and Lake Eleanor. I tend to see a few bobcats each year because I drive a lot of backroads. They are always a treat to come across in part because being curious they often don't run away too quickly. ...David

Posted: Thu Oct 25, 2007 3:57 pm
by sierranomad
SSSdave wrote: My guess is bobcats probably find Yosemite Valley or Wawona as too urban with too many people so stay away.
That's what I would've thought, too. However, my wife saw two at The Fen (near Happy Isles). She said there were people taking pictures of them and that they seemed habituated to people. The day before she saw them I came across some hikers at Mirror Lake that said they saw one earlier that day.

YouTube has a video of one on the bridge below Lower Yosemite Falls and another unidentified that looks to me like the trail to Upper Yosemite Falls. On another Yosemite forum one recent visitor said he photographed one in the Backpacker's parking lot.

That's why I find their behaviour so curious.

Posted: Thu Oct 25, 2007 7:26 pm
by Allyn
My wife and I have seen a few outside the park on the west side on Hwy 120. Two in the meadows near La Casa Loma (Smith Station Road turn off) and one on Deer Creek Road outside Big Oak Flat. The one on Deer Crrek Road was in the summer and the other two in the meadow on 120 in the winter. All were seen about 3 to 5 years ago.

Quite a nice site to see!

Posted: Thu Oct 25, 2007 9:19 pm
by quentinc
Bobcats are not an uncommon site in the Santa Monica Mountains, here in the wilds of L.A. I once saw two little kittens right along a trail, just a few feet away. It was adorable, although I did wonder whether a ferocious momma bobcat was about to spring.

Posted: Mon Oct 29, 2007 12:24 pm
by Ozark Flip
I'm employed by Hetch Hetchy and with a free yearly pass, I frequent the park often. I see bobkitty in Yosemite all the time (at all times of the year) and they are not just limited to the more remote areas. They are in and all around the valley. I wouldn't say that they are not afraid of people but they are definately curious.

Keep your eyes peeled and you will spot them. Their numbers are very healthy. The pic below is of a bobkitty stalking hikers going on a switchback below. Once my daughter and I were down the switchback below we looked up and saw it stalking us.

Image

Flip

Posted: Mon Oct 29, 2007 2:49 pm
by mikehike
My freind saw a bobcat walk right in front of him as we were decending Mt. diablo on Mtn Bikes last friday, it was dusk almost dark. He said it had real obvious striped markings.