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June 06, 2009
Cat Attack - 14
by J.R. Absher
Western Massachusetts turkey hunter Rick Donati sat motionless, in full camo, using his box call to imitate a lovelorn hen. “I was on the side of a hill. The sun was out; it was an absolutely gorgeous day. I was tucked in next to a stone wall that had some brush along it,” Donati later told the Nashua (NH) Telegraph newspaper.
“So I’m purring and I’m putting away, and all of a sudden, it was like I was hit by a giant sack of grain,” he recalled. But the “sack of grain” had claws, spotted fur, a short, bobbed tail and weighed about 35 pounds. And it had completely bowled over the stunned 49-year-old hunter who hails from Gardner, Mass. Within seconds, Donati regained his composure and the two startled creatures stared at each other for a moment, as they tried to figure out what had just occurred. “He got about 10 feet and he stopped and turned and looked at me,” Donati said. “It was a beautiful bobcat.” Then it was gone. Assessing the damage, Donati soon realized the encounter had left him with deep scratches on his arm and head. He used his cell phone to call his longtime hunting buddy, David Peet. “He goes, ‘I just got attacked by an effing bobcat!’” Peet, 48, told the Nashua paper. “I’m like, OK. I’m waiting for the punch line, and I could hear him breathing really heavy. He said ‘I’m bleeding all over the place!’” Donati was able to walk out the woods and drive to his physician’s office, where he received antibiotics and vaccines for tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis. On his doctor’s recommendation, he also began precautionary treatment for rabies. And even though game and fish biologists officially consider the incident to be an “unprovoked attack,” Donati prefers to believe the wildcat was deceived by his stellar turkey-calling skills.
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Comments (14)
I almost stepped on one as I was deer hunting, probably 15 years ago. We were walking through some heavy cover to get to another point when he popped up about 3-4 feet away from me. He must have been sleeping because neither the guy with me nor I thought we had been that quiet. I don't know who was more scared me or the cat. He took off to my left, with a startled yowl, almost ran into a tree, then made a wide circle off into the cover to my left and behind me where I had just been. Had a .44 in my had but he was so close that by the time I identified my target, he was gone. Almost had to go home to change clothes.
Sometimes your the cat and then some times your the mouse.
Yeah, but I prefer being the cat.
lol,indeed i agree...spreaking of cats I have storie of a plain ol tom cat my grandmothers to tell the truth. I was sitting on the back porch just enjpying the day sitting quitly then out the corner of my eye comes flying in a robin. I watch this robin then it goes off into a song that they sing. Then i see my grandmas tomcat sneeking in a ditch below the tree where the robin was at. As soon as the robin quit singing are calling what ever you want to call it I herd a sound come out my grama's cat that was very close to sounding like the robin.
I've been stalked by both coyotes and bobcats here in New England while turkey hunting. Seems almost anywhere you sit down to yelp these days, a coyote might just drift in. Called in two bobcats in Alabama once while chasing spring gobblers. Have done it in South Dakota.
Keeps a guy awake after those pre-dawn risings . . .
Steve
Two years ago while walking back to the truck after an afternoon deer hunt had a bobcat walk straight down a woods road heading straight toward me at 100 yds. out.I thought he has to see me,but he kept coming at me in a walk,I then waved my arm thinking it would spook him,but it didn't,he just crouched down and started easy toward me,I then let him have it with an .170 grain .30-30 round,I believe this cat had rabies,cause never have I had a bobcat act like that before.Then this past turkey season called an coyote in across a 20 acre rye grass field to 15 yds.and a #5 Fed. Mag-Shok.
Later,
BRBB
Man that's nuts
On the note of cat attacks this first link is a good storie about a moutian lion attack in westren montana. there second link is for a youtube video of a cat attack that you might like if you havent seen these allready!!
http://www.missoulian.com/articles/2007/11/12/bnews/br43.txt
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZEhPGmwC_Jk
Just saw a "nice" cat while out striper fishing yesterday.
Never been attacked(knock on wood). I have taken one during deer season though(36 1/2lbs.)
I also live in western Mass and there's a big bobcat near my house that took on my cousin's 80 lb lab and gave him a pretty good beating. The dog needed a bunch of stitches in his side and ear.
On a similar note I was attacked several years ago by a huge wild boar while turkey hunting in the Ozark National Forest. I was trying to work in a bird when I saw something black coming out of a pine thicket onto the hardwood bench in front of me. It continued to come straight to me as a turkey would but when it hit the opening I saw it was a hog. I waived my hands in the air thinking it would spook the animal but he gave a couple of grunts and came at me full steam ahead. I let him get inside of 20 yards before I ever pulled the trigger. 3 shots of Winchester Xtended Range later he piled up at a mere 7 steps. The last shot he was so close it looked like a slug slammed his forehead and I found that wadding buried in his neck after it passed through his skull. Nerve racking to say the least.
im too far north for bobcat's, but years ago i had a northern lyxn follow me for 2 miles, while i was checkin my snare line....never even knew it was there til i circled around was was heading home.
Bobcats seem to keep their distance from man. If you live in a place with cougars they can show up in urban areas on the hunt for the family pets, I have seen several in the bush of Vancouver Island and a couple right in residential area of small towns on the Island. I have never seen a bobcat anywhere near populated areas. Unless they have different habits in parts of the States I would have to say they don't have a bright future. With populations growing and urban developments pushing into what was once habitat, only those wild creatures that can adapt to leaving in close proximity to man are going to do well. The whitetail may turn up in your garden and the coyote may claim the neighbor's cat, but the more shy animals face are being forced into dwindling spaces to call home. God, that sounds like doom and gloom.. unfortunately it is a fact.
Not as uncommon as you think... Approx. 6 years ago while Spring turkey hunting in North Central Pa. (Tioga County) I was attacked by a small bobcat. Had to have my face stitched as a result... The Bobcat had appeared out of no where, probably stalking my calls. When I turned to look what I thought was something moving in the leaves, ie Turkeys or Deer, the Bobcat was instantly on my head, just as fast it was off. A friend was hunting approx. 50 yards above me and witnessed the attack. He did no even see the Bobcat coming in at all. Since than have hunted the same area, spring and fall and have not had any encounters with a Bobcat.
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I almost stepped on one as I was deer hunting, probably 15 years ago. We were walking through some heavy cover to get to another point when he popped up about 3-4 feet away from me. He must have been sleeping because neither the guy with me nor I thought we had been that quiet. I don't know who was more scared me or the cat. He took off to my left, with a startled yowl, almost ran into a tree, then made a wide circle off into the cover to my left and behind me where I had just been. Had a .44 in my had but he was so close that by the time I identified my target, he was gone. Almost had to go home to change clothes.
Sometimes your the cat and then some times your the mouse.
Two years ago while walking back to the truck after an afternoon deer hunt had a bobcat walk straight down a woods road heading straight toward me at 100 yds. out.I thought he has to see me,but he kept coming at me in a walk,I then waved my arm thinking it would spook him,but it didn't,he just crouched down and started easy toward me,I then let him have it with an .170 grain .30-30 round,I believe this cat had rabies,cause never have I had a bobcat act like that before.Then this past turkey season called an coyote in across a 20 acre rye grass field to 15 yds.and a #5 Fed. Mag-Shok.
Later,
BRBB
Man that's nuts
Just saw a "nice" cat while out striper fishing yesterday.
Never been attacked(knock on wood). I have taken one during deer season though(36 1/2lbs.)
Yeah, but I prefer being the cat.
I've been stalked by both coyotes and bobcats here in New England while turkey hunting. Seems almost anywhere you sit down to yelp these days, a coyote might just drift in. Called in two bobcats in Alabama once while chasing spring gobblers. Have done it in South Dakota.
Keeps a guy awake after those pre-dawn risings . . .
Steve
I also live in western Mass and there's a big bobcat near my house that took on my cousin's 80 lb lab and gave him a pretty good beating. The dog needed a bunch of stitches in his side and ear.
On a similar note I was attacked several years ago by a huge wild boar while turkey hunting in the Ozark National Forest. I was trying to work in a bird when I saw something black coming out of a pine thicket onto the hardwood bench in front of me. It continued to come straight to me as a turkey would but when it hit the opening I saw it was a hog. I waived my hands in the air thinking it would spook the animal but he gave a couple of grunts and came at me full steam ahead. I let him get inside of 20 yards before I ever pulled the trigger. 3 shots of Winchester Xtended Range later he piled up at a mere 7 steps. The last shot he was so close it looked like a slug slammed his forehead and I found that wadding buried in his neck after it passed through his skull. Nerve racking to say the least.
lol,indeed i agree...spreaking of cats I have storie of a plain ol tom cat my grandmothers to tell the truth. I was sitting on the back porch just enjpying the day sitting quitly then out the corner of my eye comes flying in a robin. I watch this robin then it goes off into a song that they sing. Then i see my grandmas tomcat sneeking in a ditch below the tree where the robin was at. As soon as the robin quit singing are calling what ever you want to call it I herd a sound come out my grama's cat that was very close to sounding like the robin.
On the note of cat attacks this first link is a good storie about a moutian lion attack in westren montana. there second link is for a youtube video of a cat attack that you might like if you havent seen these allready!!
http://www.missoulian.com/articles/2007/11/12/bnews/br43.txt
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZEhPGmwC_Jk
im too far north for bobcat's, but years ago i had a northern lyxn follow me for 2 miles, while i was checkin my snare line....never even knew it was there til i circled around was was heading home.
Bobcats seem to keep their distance from man. If you live in a place with cougars they can show up in urban areas on the hunt for the family pets, I have seen several in the bush of Vancouver Island and a couple right in residential area of small towns on the Island. I have never seen a bobcat anywhere near populated areas. Unless they have different habits in parts of the States I would have to say they don't have a bright future. With populations growing and urban developments pushing into what was once habitat, only those wild creatures that can adapt to leaving in close proximity to man are going to do well. The whitetail may turn up in your garden and the coyote may claim the neighbor's cat, but the more shy animals face are being forced into dwindling spaces to call home. God, that sounds like doom and gloom.. unfortunately it is a fact.
Not as uncommon as you think... Approx. 6 years ago while Spring turkey hunting in North Central Pa. (Tioga County) I was attacked by a small bobcat. Had to have my face stitched as a result... The Bobcat had appeared out of no where, probably stalking my calls. When I turned to look what I thought was something moving in the leaves, ie Turkeys or Deer, the Bobcat was instantly on my head, just as fast it was off. A friend was hunting approx. 50 yards above me and witnessed the attack. He did no even see the Bobcat coming in at all. Since than have hunted the same area, spring and fall and have not had any encounters with a Bobcat.
Post a Comment (200 characters or less)