I had returned to TBR outside of Montague, Texas to hunt hogs, but instead had another Magic Thunder event. A few days ago, I shot a coyote that was hassling a doe, dropping the coyote in front of the doe in what I suggested must have been like 'magic thunder' to the doe. All she knew is that the coyote was bothering her, a loud boom was heard, and the coyote was down and not moving.
Well, last night about twilight, I spied a small moving thermal target with a FLIR PS32 at about 150 yards SE of me on the opposite side of the food plot from where I was and behind unmowed hay, clover, and weeds. It looked to be raccoon sized but moved wrong for a raccoon. I was able to identify the target as a bobcat with a Pulsar N750 and UNV20IR illuminator. At the time, the winds were out of the south, calm - maybe 3 mph, but gusting to 9 mph.
Due to the foliage, I had trouble visually tracking the bobcat with night vision, so I primarily used thermal, watching as he moved NW toward where I was, but he never broke out of the unmowed plants. However, I was able to better track him with the Pulsar once he was close to where Mr. TBR had cut the field for hay.
While this was going on, two fawns came out of the treeline and headed to the feeder that was north of where the bobcat was located. Despite the wind being in their favor, the fawns did not seem to know or notice that a bobcat was nearby. It was not until the bobcat had moved to within maybe 30 yards of the fawns that they took notice of something being wrong and were staring in the direction of the bobcat, though I do not think they could see him in the grass as well as I could see him and I could not see him that well.
About the time the bobcat was between my position and the fawns at the feeder, he stopped and raised up above the grasses and looked toward the fawns who were looking at him. His actions reminded me of what a raccoon would do. I could clearly see the back of his head, white bands and black tips on his ears, the back of his neck, and what I thought was his back below his neck. I placed the crosshairs in the center of his upper back and fired. He immediately disappeared from view. I had no idea if I had hit him or not. He was just gone.
The fawns continued to look at the spot where he was briefly, then went back to eating corn. After about 10-15 minutes of eating, they meandered around to where the bobcat was on the ground and sniffed at and around the spot where I last saw him, and then bolted for the woods. At that point, I was certain that the bobcat was down at that spot.
At the time I shot, he was nearly 50 yards from me, but only about 15 yards from the fawns.
I had incorrectly identified the bobcat's positioning. He wasn't standing with his back to me when I fired, but was broadside to me with his head turned toward the fawns. So what I thought was his upper back turned out to be his shoulder.
The shot entered the left shoulder and exited the right shoulder. The exit hole was larger than the diameter of a quarter.
Mr. TBR was pleased that his preferred wildlife remained safe for the evening.
Grendel 6.5 Hornady SST 123 gr. Ammo
Pulsar N750 Digisight
UNV20IR Illuminator
FLIR PS32 Thermal Spotter
Male Bobcat at ~ 50 yards.
Oh, and TLM's recorder misfortunes are rubbing off on me. I am going to have to stop reading about his issues. The battery was dead this time, so no video.
Attachments
Last edited:
