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It failed, small headed animals are only good for rodent killing most of the time.
Bobcat takes down deer!
Deer probably would have gotten away. Smaller cat "attacks" always look worse then what they really are because cats flare all over the place. It's similar to when you see 2 domestic cats fighting, you hear the noise, you see the speed and the fur flying everywhere, but when they have a break in action, nobody's hurt, no blood, and surely no death.
That Bobcat should stick to killing moles and mice.
It failed, small headed animals are only good for rodent killing most of the time.
Bobcat takes down deer!
Deer probably would have gotten away. Smaller cat "attacks" always look worse then what they really are because cats flare all over the place. It's similar to when you see 2 domestic cats fighting, you hear the noise, you see the speed and the fur flying everywhere, but when they have a break in action, nobody's hurt, no blood, and surely no death.
That Bobcat should stick to killing moles and mice.
Taipan
Jan 10 2012, 04:14 PM
Behaviors of Bobcats Preying on White-tailed Deer in the Everglades Ronald F. Labisky and Margaret C. Boulay
Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, University of Florida, Gainesville 32611
Predatory behaviors of bobcats (Lynx rufus) that preyed on 39 radio-instrumented white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginanus) in the Everglades during a 3-yr study, 1 April 1989–31 March 1992, are described and compared with those of other felids. Bobcats killed 33 fawns and six adults by administering one bite to the neck and throat region. The maximum prey:predator weight ratio was 8:1. Twelve (31%) of 39 kills were dragged 2–10 m to concealment cover before being eaten. Twelve (71%) of 17 carcasses that were not dragged from the kill site exhibited a characteristic death form in that the head on each was twisted backwards (throat dorsal) and positioned diagonally under the shoulder. Feeding was initiated on large muscle masses, predominantly on the hindquarters. Bobcats eviscerated 29 (83%) of 35 carcasses, severed one fore- or hind-limbs from 18 (55%) of 33 kills, and plucked hair from 13 (33%) of 39 carcasses. Bobcats partially or completely covered 17 (52%) of 33 carcasses with plant litter. Thus, bobcats preying on deer in the Everglades displayed notable differences in eviscerating, feeding, and covering behaviors.
Thirty-nine deer [33 fawns (< 1 yr in age): 13 females, 20 males; 6 adults (>2 yr): 5 females, 1 male) were killed by bobcats; bobcats were observed at five kills. The mean age of the 32 fawns at death was 4.4 6 2.4 SD (range 5 1.2–11.5) mo; carcass weights of fawns varied from 6 to 25 kg. The weight at death of the five adult females ranged from approximately 30 to 42 kg, and that of the adult male, > 48 kg. Sixteen (41%) of the 39 carcasses were examined within 24 h of death, 13 (33%) between 24 and 48 h, and 10 (26%) between 48 and 72 h.
Bobcats killed both fawns and adults with one bite to the throat and neck; however, no broken necks were observed. Canine punctures, and resultant internal hemorrhaging, were verified on the necks of 20 (51%) of the 39 kills; the trachea also was punctured on five of the 20 kills. The method of killing was not verified on the other 19 kills because the necks had been consumed by the bobcat or by scavengers. Five deer, including three fawns and two pregnant females, were attacked and killed while they were bedded. Field evidence indicated the adult male was attacked by a bobcat while it was traversing a complex of jagged pinnacle rocks; the distance from ambush to kill-site was 30 m.
Twelve (31%) of the 39 deer (10 fawns, two adults) killed by bobcats were dragged 2–10m to concealment cover before being fed upon or covered; all other kills were fed upon at the kill site. Notably, the carcasses of 12 (71%) of 17 deer that were not moved from the kill site displayed a characteristic death form with respect to the posture of the head, which was twisted backwards (throat dorsal) and positioned partially under the shoulder of the deer.
The author's analysis is below. Apparently, the 8-1 ratio is based off an assumption that the smallest female bobcat killed the ~ 48 KG buck. Using an average weight for a male and female bobcat in the area yields a predator-prey ratio of about 4.47-6.03:1.
The hunting behavior of the bobcat, principally a solitary hunter, consists of three phases: stalking the prey, usually from the concealment of cover; using short bursts of speed to reach the prey; and attacking the prey with a pounce or jump (McCord and Cordoza, 1982 Kruuk, 1986). When bobcats have killed adult deer, they reportedly stalked and ambushed the animals while they were bedded (Marston, 1942; McCord, 1974; McCord and Cordoza, 1982). Similarly, bobcats in the Everglades, ambushed and killed five deer in their bedsites, including two (pregnant) adult females. However, bobcats also are capable of ambushing large prey while they are mobile, as was evidenced by the killing of an adult male deer.
Felids kill prey by administering a lethal bite, usually on the head or neck of the prey; death is a result of suffocation (collapse of trachea), or severing of the cervical vertebrate or spinal cord (Kruuk, 1986). Attacking the neck region appears to be particularly effective when a felid ambushes prey larger than itself. Bobcats in the Everglades exhibited this behavior as shown by the multiple-bite marks frequently observed on the necks and throats of large fawns and adult deer.
The ratio of prey weight to bobcat weight merits mention. Weights of adult bobcats in Florida range from 5.7 to 10.2 kg for females and 9.0 to 12.5 kg for males (Progulske, 1982; Wassmer et al., 1988). Thus, the ratio of prey (deer) weight to bobcat weight in the Everglades potentially varied from a minimum of 1:2 (small fawn, large bobcat) to a maximum of 8:1 (adult deer, small bobcat). Comparatively, other solitary hunting felids also display high maximum prey : predator weight ratios, e.g., cougars (Puma concolor), 6.17:1; cheetahs,4.13:1; tigers (Panthera tigris), 2.78:1; and lynx (Lynx canadensis), 2.25:1 (Packer, 1986). Furthermore, the prey : predator weight ratio for bobcats [8:1 (this study); 7.25:1 (Packer, 1986)] is similar to the reported ratio [7.45:1 (Packer, 1986)] for lions (Panthera leo), which often hunt in groups to facilitate the taking of large prey. Although the capability of the bobcat to kill prey larger than itself is consistent with the killing capability of other felids, the bobcat appears to be unusually adept in its ability to kill prey species many-fold larger than itself despite the fact that it is a solitary hunter.