The bobcat is one of North America's most elusive predators. They usually do not grow very large, as most top out in the 15- to 30-pound range. Because of their size, many people assume their diet consists of things like rodents and rabbits. However, these big cats have been shown to sometimes prey on deer, even fully-grown adults. Bobcats are enough of a threat that they are hardwired into the instincts of deer as a potential danger. Most deer will quickly flee the scene if they catch a whiff of a bobcat snooping the area. However, that's not the case for the doe in this video. This footage was captured in someone's driveway, and it shows a rarely seen face off between a bobcat and a whitetail doe.
The doe slowly circles around the cat, tail raised, but with a certain amount of confidence. Apparently, she's intimidating enough that the cat immediately scrunches down into what appears to be a submissive stance as the doe refuses to take her eyes off the predator. Her deliberate stance and warning stomps meant for other deer are apparently enough for the bobcat to decide this a fight that's not worth his time and energy before he slinks away off-camera.
Because this video was shot in mid-June, we highly suspect the doe likely had a fawn or two stashed somewhere nearby that she was protecting. Her stance and demeanor just scream protective mother. The bobcat would have a much easier time taking down a fawn than an adult deer, which is probably why the big cat was in the area to start. Unfortunately for the bobcat, it seems the doe spotted the cat before it could find and kill the fawn or fawns. It seems like the predator will need to look somewhere else for its meal.
In nature, it's always survival of the fittest and in this case, the deer was more fit and ready for a fight that the cat didn't want. These sorts of scenes likely play out in nature every day, we just rarely see them because they often happen far in the woods away from the gaze of humans. It's yet another reason we're thankful for trail cameras for giving us yet another peek into the hidden world of wildlife.
For more outdoor content from Travis Smola, be sure to follow him on Twitter and Instagram For original videos, check out his Geocaching and Outdoors with Travis YouTube channels.
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