Community News

KnollsCam films 6 minutes of bobcat mom and kittens

By Lightning Reports, Published: December 13, 2020

Thomas Brass's KnollsCam caught 6 minutes of a Bobcat mom and her cute kittens frolicking and hunting in the woods.

Here's what Brass says about Bobcat behavior and the best way to watch animals:

"Eventually the mom will typically drive them all off, except occasionally one of the litter. I saw one of her litter that stuck around a couple of times last year. Once, while it was hunting about 30 feet away in some brush, he popped out, saw me and walked away. Another time I was on my way to checking a cam and the bobcat was coming toward me from the opposite direction on the path. We saw each other and both stopped about 40 feet apart. I began talking to him calmly and he jumped up on a fallen tree and just sat there and watched me check the cam. When I was done I continued softly talking to him and he followed me for a ways as I went back down to the house.

"Talking to the animals in a soft and positive tone of voice (and not staring at them) is something I learned many years ago while doing wildlife photography. It often helps them relax a bit. Holding still and being silent makes them nervous. Probably because that's what they do before attacking prey."

Brass's wildlife camera is in the woods atop Haywood Knolls.

Click here to watch.