The sun was burning high overhead as I settled into another calling stand. The wind was hardly blowing and my setup seemed perfect - plenty of cover, a good view of the terrain, and lots of predator tracks in the area. I began my set with some low and slow lip squeaks. After a few minutes I started in with my LeMarr Tweaked Squirrel, not too loud but nice and raspy. Just a couple of minutes into it I see movement in the brush line about 40 yards out. I keep calling, but the movement stops. Then it reappears, 10 yards down the brushline. My favorite decoy, the feather on a stick, is twirling gently in the breeze just a few feet to my right, and whatever is in the brush is fixated on it. I stop calling completely and a few seconds later the front torso of a bobcat emerges from the brush. He stares at the decoy as he slowly goes into a crouch. He takes one, then two steps forward. Summertime does not leave bobcats will a thick coat, but the spots really show through and this cat is beautiful! He takes another step, then another as he slinks through the tall summer grass, just a few yards now from the decoy - and me! Suddenly he stops as he notices that something's not quite natural about the blob next to the decoy, and he stands straight up and slowly retreats back to the brushline, keeping a watchful eye on the blob. He moves into the brushline, and out of my sight, to keep watch, but I was happy to have seen him so close.
It was summertime two years ago, and I was out doing some pre-season scouting and calling when I got an up close and personal visit from this bobcat - one of my favorite predators. I have unfortunately never gotten into the art of animal photography, otherwise I could better preserve memories like that bobcat for everyone to see. However there are plenty of my fellow predator hunters who have taken their skills as hunters and applied them to photography. Watching animals approach the call, or seeing animals in their natural habitat, is often just as exciting as watching them hit the ground after a well-placed shot. Here's a few of my favorite pictures from some of my friends and fellow hunters.
My friend Scott is not just a good hunter, but is also great with his camera.
Bob caught this bobcat on film recently as it came into stand, circled his caller, and then retreated to the shade to see how things unfolded.
John got this picture of a young summer pup 'keeping an eye out' from the long grass.
When his well-trained hounds treed this lion, Travis was able to get a few good shots in with his camera while the big cat protested.
They may not be predators, but when Eric and I were headed to a stand we just couldn't help but get as close as possible to these javelina.
Very nice! Only the fortunate few who hunt and have a hunters instict can understand how special these photos really are! Well done!
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