Bobcat - The Best Wildlife Experience of My Life (Face to Face with a Big Cat)

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Let me share one of the best experiences of my entire life with you.
In this video, I come face to face with a big wild cat and it's everything I hoped it would be.
I show you the entire encounter from start to finish and even the exact moment when I capture the shot I waited for so patiently.
The question is, am I making friends with a lynx or a bobcat? One thing I can tell you is that no kebabs were harmed during this encounter.
Things go well and we're getting along great until I try to read a couple of pages of 'Chasing Awe With Gavin Hardcastle' to this potentially dangerous predator. She clearly prefers fiction or perhaps self-help books. Whatever her preference, I'm left looking like a fool.
Will Amanda buy me that 800mm lens for my birthday? Will I put my foot in a hunters snare and what's got this big cat so spooked when it looks over my shoulder?
There's really only one way to find out.
Gavin Hardcastle - Fototripper
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#wildlifephotography #fototripper #wildlife

[@briansorrells8126]

What a beautiful bobcat. But what you didn't realize was the fact that she was actually TRYING to get you closer. Drawing you in with her deceptively docile behavior. She's thinking to herself, "Hmmm. He's already robbed me of a duck dinner and I'm pretty sure he can't out run me. He doesn't seem scared so if I let him get close enough, this'll be easy. Just a little closer...." Seriously though, she was an older cat and its harder for her to hunt now so she was waiting for an easy meal like a curious Yorkshireman...

[@roscot40]

Those rare moments when we find ourselves in the presence of something truly wild and beautiful are priceless. Great video as always 👍

[@Cre8ivtouch]

A lynx hips are higher than its shoulders, has a shorter tail & less noticeable spots than the bobcat. She didnt seem well, poor kitty 😿. Beautiful portrait shot, thanks for sharing!!

[@Trish12303]

I am SO jealous! She is gorgeous!! What a special experience. 💖

[@bh9702]

Some people might say that you got lucky. But you’re when you’re out five days a week, year after year, you make your own luck. Nice one brother. What an experience!

[@michellewesson4409]

Wildlife is addicting to photograph, such a rush to get a special shot. Reminds me of the quote from John Muir, ‘In every walk with nature one receives more than they seek’. ❤

[@GeorgiaT1496]

Bobcats are actually the smallest of the Lynx, but I'm not sure if that is a bobcat or a different lynx. Super cool encounter! There's no way she'd let you that close if she wasn't I'll or injured in some way, cats hide pain extremely well.

[@pipercan1]

Or used to being fed ...

[@theflavourist1985]

I'm absolutely jealous of everyone that takes part in that workshop in fall...^^

[@DamienCulley]

I left Shainblum’s new video when I saw the notification for this pop up.

[@fototripper]

I'll go and watch Shainblum to cover you ;)

[@MichaelShainblum]

geez some of you KZbin folks are brutal

[@fototripper]

@@MichaelShainblum hehehe. You tell him Michael.

[@DamienCulley]

@@MichaelShainblum😬 soz - lured by the promise of awe

[@LeeDillion]

@@MichaelShainblum Not to worry, just watched you both! Great stuff

[@toddwhitmire9057]

HOLY SH** Gavin! That has book cover written all over it, great job on that picture. I think her eye adds so much more character too. What a capture!

[@perfect12386]

So beautiful. I'm a massive lover of cats too.

[@markgubbins1958]

What a wonderful encounter. Glad you got some fantastic photos. Amanda, you are gorgeous !!!!

[@bcrossphotos]

Great shots, brought back some special memories for me with a Bobcat encounter in Yellowstone. They truly are beautiful.

[@paulkirk5760]

Great that you were able to share a precious moment like that. She was so chilled and you nailed the eye shot! I’m sure Simin will tell you, you should have been on auto iso, 5.6 and 1/1600 in case she bolted.

[@allansisson355]

Beautiful Image ! What a rare and wonderful experience , you are so lucky. I was bow hunting on a very cold morning and the leaves were just to loud to move. I sat down beside a large rock, with the wind to my face. I didn't hear her she came from but she was six feet away. She was the size of a carry on. Of course I was in camo, so she might of thought I was a small creature, or just curious. I had. No camera and I was afraid if I scared her I feared an attack. I didn't really wish to be torn up by her paws full of razors. I spent three minutes with my hand on my knife handle I didn't dare move. She decided to walk away to my left. One of the Best Days of my Life. You kept talking so she sensed you were not a hunter. Until you crouched down that is. I did that four feet from a moose, I was taking photos of once. It's temperament toward me changed then. hahah One of the photos I got of the moose , the lens was wet from it's snort. You two are so funny, love the ending

[@fototripper]

I've heard that moose can be the most dangerous. No way I'd get close to a moose unless it was walking in front of the vehicle which has happened a few times.

[@allansisson355]

@@fototripper I was visiting my family i Maine. We drove up on one and I got out of the van. Walking up saying good Mossie Moosie in a calming tone. I had an instamatic camera then. It was fine until I wanted to show the size. So I knelt down and it's eyebrows grew 10 x i didn't get that shot. Terrified the flash would set him off. He came down to meet my camera he snorted and took a step back. I then stood up and took one as he was leaving. I didn't find out he can kick forward until returning to the van.. hahah Another Best day of My Life

[@adragon3210]

All I can say is wow!! She was so pretty. And that last pic you took was fantastic. Thank you for sharing with us all

[@wednesdaythroughthelens830]

Laugh out loud at the segway in to your book 😂😂lovely image of her face

[@denisesavage2382]

Now that was a moment! Great image with the cat looking straight down the barrel of the lens. Nailed it.

[@Hirsutechin]

This video helped me see you in a new light .... as bobcat bait, definitely bobcat.

[@johnmehalick]

That was a good first encounter for your wild life photography. I like the straight on face picture. I thought I watch a KZbinr saying you need to see your reflection in the animals eye! After watching the closeup of the kitty she might have the start of cataracts. Think you might need two cameras. One setup for wild life with the long lens on! Just have to buy lots and lots of chocolate for Amanda. I am upgrade to a IV from a M2. I have to see if it was worth the extra $,$$$?

[@chachacha4]

Great shot! The coolest thing is that you were so close that you can see your reflection in her eyes! The predator eyeing her prey.

[@stefangoldensteinwildlife9929]

Wow. Amazing you came that close to a bobcat. Wonderful footage and pictures. Greets Stefan

[@mikefaulkner3163]

Great stuff as usual Gavin, reminds me of the scene from Walter Mitty when Sean Penn photographs the big cat… clearly a Yorkshireman does the encounter with far more panache and style!!

[@nevillewatkins4997]

Wow! What an experience. Of course you know what you should have done, phoned Simon for some tips. 😄

[@jsimes1]

I know a Simon fella that's gonna be jelly! Beautiful shot! I love the pin sharp face and the out of focus body!! Striking!

[@roberthennessey5702]

She’s a beautiful Bobcat for sure, I can’t believe how close she let you get. Yup your going to get hooked now animals and birds. Great vid.

[@filton12]

Probably was her self-preservation kicking in when you got down to her level. Yorkshire man squatting in a field, probably had a Vindaloo the previous night, the bobcat didn't want any part of that.

[@davidakoubian3025]

What a great experience! Definitely a Bobcat. I had a similar experience in my front yard a couple years ago. The Bobcat was almost curious about what I was...and probably was thinking of ways to take me down!

[@paulbradbury7166]

Awesome, thank you for sharing that encounter. You did very well getting that front on shot. Whenever the misses starts talking about fat, it's time to walk away, change subject or turn the music up loudly.

[@davebryer6133]

She is a beautiful cat. Good video.

[@PeterLavender]

I wonder if it's a cataract in that right eye. Maybe she's quite old? Nice image Gavin. :)

[@rickbanks6254]

I think you now have the cover image for your next book

[@denisturcott5131]

When we were in Cape Breton we used to see a bob cat on Kelly's Mountain. It was the start of my love for wild life photography. It also means you will learn more about animals and birds that you ever thought possible. I now shoot landscapes in between seasons when the mating season is done. It is an awesome sight to see and it don't matter who good the videos or stills, it is the encounter that matters. I am a Canon shooter and carry one camera for video and the other for stills. I can't afford a Canon Prime so I bought a 150 - 600 Sigma sport lens. best move I ever made. Hope you end up shooting wild life.

[@jean-claudecajolet7618]

Beautiful pictures and video. If you go 16:03 on the video, you will that the bottom of tail tip is grey and the top black, it's one way to say that it's a bobcat. The lynx has a full black tail tip. To approach it so close, it's probably because is not in very good shape, but it gave you the opportunity to make some beautiful pictures.

[@fototripper]

Yes, I think she's in her last years.

[@tilikumtim5562]

Next video you'll be kitted out in full camoflague following paw prints in the snow. Beautiful bobcat. Looked like it might have had a cataract in its right eye though.

[@pictureworldphotography]

Awesome shot of the bobcat, really is.

[@Suhailkhan53]

Great video with this cute Bob cat. It surely is not a Lynx although they both belong to same genus of lynx. The Lynx are larger with a tuft of hair on their ear tips and black tipped tail. They also have longer legs.😊

[@carstenblanck7934]

What a magical moment, thank you for sharing this with us! and btw, your book is magical too!

[@fototripper]

Thanks Carsten.

[@bobkent007]

Great video, made a nice change and was great to see you enjoying it. Good luck with the lens though ;-)

[@pipari21]

2nd hand pro tip. Save wildlife settings to one of the memory recall slots and assign the recall to the focus hold button on the lens so that whenever you hold the button down, you get wildlife settings instantly.

[@BlackCrag]

Loved this mate! That shot was well worth the wait 👌

[@stangmang96]

I ran into a Florida Bobcat about 2-3 weeks ago. Got two nice shots of him. I have a sony a7r4 with a 200-600 on it didn't need to get that close to him.

[@galensinkey]

14:47 incredible shot! Looks like her contact lens in the right eye is a little cloudy. I’m guessing an older cat but very beautiful

[@Jester68uk]

Wow great encounter, beautiful image. The cat that is!!!

[@itaylorm]

What an awesome shot to remember this by

[@timcam8713]

So beautiful Gavin, you are so lucky to see such a fierce feline, but you make your own luck with the time you put in. 😮

[@leifvaughn1172]

Beautiful lucky moment. Awesome shot

[@shawnbenest5756]

Dude. I was in my tent and cougar popped its head in. Could have gave it a right hook it was so close. 2 seconds seemed like a minute. My spray on deodorant was my only weapon. It smell pretty. I'm safe. Got a picture as I called it back.

[@alistairboyd5770]

A stunning capture.

[@anthonymara4533]

Well be it bobcat or Lynx, they both belong to the Lynx genus, I THINK that's a bobcat, they have more difficulty moving around in the snow, the Canadian lynx on the other hand has much larger paws, but honestly, I've never been good at identifying specifics. I just did a shoot for a local nature park and captured their bobcats last photos, she was the oldest mammal in the park, and the first time she had ever come out to see me. Your Belinda there seems fairly young in comparison, but that eye gives me pause, questioning whether its reflection, or maybe a cataract. Though unusually calm around humans.... Where I used to live we had a bobcat, and a puma/cougar/mountain lion, never managed to get close enough to get a photo of either of them.

[@badger67]

Ohh beautiful, just beautiful. Thanks for sharing that moment mate. 👍

[@stevew4691]

Loved the pic you posted on Instagram a few days back 👌👌

[@traceyannrose6244]

You were just at that port spot to witness such a stunning cat

[@hilarie4]

Wow!! So great Gavin.

[@DavidMeggers]

Plenty of lynx in the description

[@robertwhitemoto]

Such a good shot !!! Congrats Gavin!

[@RobertHennessey-so6gp]

Found this on line … Are bobcats and lynx the same cat? From a taxonomical perspective, the lynx is a genus of wild cats that includes four species: the Canadian lynx, the Iberian lynx, the Eurasian lynx, and the bobcat. That's right: the bobcat is really just a type of lynx (it even goes by the alternative name of red lynx

[@RobertJohnKerrUK]

Ey up Gavin… 👍…. Its Rob from HUDDERSFIELD… I know you like your Udders feeled 😂😂… Fabulous video…. I have been doing some wildlife photography and video up on Meltham Moor … Still lovin your channel pal 👍👍👍

[@andymcgarty3099]

Great shot, but you missed out "Its 2pm, I've had plenty of sleep and I have a face like a frozen bob cat". Moments like that make life worth living.

[@jean-marclariviere7618]

Sir....mmm let me see, what could i say that resume that whole video...WOW...you got a new sub right here..what a entertaining video, tech, humour, beautiful photo..thank you so much Sir, thank you..this is what photography is all about...Jean-Marc

[@SomeonewithaSony]

Technically both belong to the genus Lynx… but this beauty looks like a bobcat - due to the longer tail. There’s a lynx…in the description below….

[@TheSpaniel1]

Lynx or Bobcat it matters not, that is a stunning image of her face on 👍🏻

[@james7275able]

Should've named her Barbi the bobcat. What a cool encounter.

[@frankwhittemore9149]

Thank you! That was amazing!!

[@roadshoulderphotography683]

Both lynx and bobcats belong to the same Lynx genus. Bobcats are the smallest cats in the species with stubby tails and distinct dark strips on the forelegs and tail. Lynx are larger and have a tuft of dark hair on the tips of their ears. Lynx have longer legs and bigger paws.

[@Rene-cm6go]

Beautiful.. she or he just beautiful.. Good decision to show book at the end 😂..

[@JS-wz3km]

You can't believe how close you've gotten, the cat can't believe prey would just walk right up to be eaten... good thing she prefers duck

[@nancymikyska2832]

Fantastic shot. Though it might be a reflection, but looks like the bobcat/lynx might have cataracts in the one eye. 🤷‍♀

[@amptique]

I thought so too. Perhaps due to an injury.

[@judyann4793]

@@amptique Exactly what I thought.

[@nancymikyska2832]

@@amptique maybe.

[@MattSchulze]

Bobcats seem to let people come close. We had one at our house a couple of years ago, sitting right by the wall of the house which was warmed by the sun. I was maybe 12 feet away from it, took pictures and it was really cool and it was not disturbed or bothered in the least.

[@jeffolson4731]

While I may one day read "Chasing Awe", I think that while face to face with a predator I should pay attention to them, not a great book. Really nice bobcat but I do wonder about her health. I have been close to bobcats but not that close.

[@DaveK385]

A friend of mine had bobcat cubs in his backyard. Tried to move them, got bit and had to get rabies shots.

[@j16m02]

Wow!! What a wonderful experience!

[@StephenBridgett]

Beautiful Lynx

[@rolandrickphotography]

Wildlife photography is following the hunting instinct with photo- instead of terminal-shot 😅. But the thrill is the same. I shoot an R3 instead of an R5 because of that noise thing and the stacked sensor, 24 megapixel, I always must get closer. Well if you can get closer and have more megapixel it’s of course perfect 😉. Incredible, you could get so close for the picture 😍.

[@lights_and_shadow6793]

Absolutely the video footage are beautiful of the Bob cat. Why don't you set up one if the custom button for wildlife

[@fototripper]

I have it setup on the other camera but for this one I didn't. Just grabbed the camera with the longest lens.

[@minisla]

One for the wall in the new gaff . Lovely

[@scottgarriott3884]

Most definitely a bobcat. The difference can be very subtle, but there is no doubt here. Lynx have larger ear tufts, longer legs and much bigger paws. Their coats (Canadian lynx at least) can also be a bit whiter - not quite so much brown as the bobcat, but this varies by season, region etc. Both are absolutely gorgeous. BTW, I've never heard of one so confident near a human before. Did I see a cataract or other defect in one eye?

[@JohnMayfield-NS]

"they caught wind of her.." Yeah.. it was her they caught wind of.. ;) What a great experience though. How much time did you spend browsing long lenses after this?

[@mickeystine3100]

got it to work this time. Thumbs up for you. 😁😁😁😁

[@solyftwyn]

surely a bobcat, and by the looks of it an old lady. so cute! Lynxes have long, almost comically long legs and huge fluffy feet.

[@soniabertin1530]

Omg!!!!! What a nice encounter for sure. You and Amanda were pretty lucky ☺️ I'm kind of jealous😉 PS: Amanda you're not fat. Like I would say I have a little bit more of me to love ☺️

[@jwroche44]

Pretty positive that's a bobcat, the reddish coat is the tell tale sign here, a lynx would be more of a gray color

[@JohnHPettigrewFujishooter67]

Awesome stuff Gavin, I was leaning towards Lynx, but I am no expert, but does it matter, you got an amazing experience and some great images as a bonus, really enjoyed this one mate, thanks for sharing. Ps are you sick of the bloody snow yet! Don't you just love Spring in the Maritimes?

[@fototripper]

I am 100% done with snow.

[@JohnHPettigrewFujishooter67]

@@fototripper I once had a boss called Belinda, but she was more of a mad cow than a wild cat!

[@Revup1]

Honestly Gavin, 18 minutes of constant chatter....and you say you're not much of a stalker! Actually I think it was your soparific tones that sent the cat to sleep, it worked on me.......just kidding. Thanks for involving us in such a moment.

[@fototripper]

baboom

[@kurts_aviation]

Beautiful head on shot Gavin

[@jennifercrouse]

So I definitely agree that this was an amazing encounter, and thank you for sharing it with us!! The real mystery in this video isn't what kind of cat, though. The mystery is why you didn't eat the chocolate Amanda gave you! Are you okay, Gavin? What is wrong? I'm very concerned.

[@mgman6000]

One time I was driving my MGB down a canyon road and a cougar cross the road ahead of me I stopped where it had crossed and saw looking up at me from maybe 30 feet away seeing as I had the top down I decided to get out of there Only time I ever saw one

[@rogerharvey925]

Both lynx and bobcats belong to the same Lynx genus. Bobcats are the smallest cats in the species with stubby tails and distinct dark strips on the forelegs and tail. Lynx are larger and have a tuft of dark hair on the tips of their ears. Lynx have longer legs and bigger paws. I think you have a BobCat

[@timjones4594]

Wow ! amazing. FYI, bears are like that, especially when there`s cubs about. Try the same thing next time you see one.

[@fototripper]

Only grizzlies though.

[@kathyjurgens7153]

That's what I am thinking, too. She may have a den with kittens nearby. And I'm not so sure as some people think that that's a cataract in her eye. It just looked like a reflection to me. It could be that when she seemed to be looking past your shoulder in a concerned way she was hearing her kittens calling.

[@junerobinson8169]

Brilliant photos yet again..I have googled it and it is a Bobcat 😊..how lucky are you to get so close. Well done. Think you should do a bit of wild life photography it would be good, but don’t keep sharing your book or you won’t get them to stay still😂😂😂..only joking.😊

[@fototripper]

Well, that's assuming you can trust the Google results...

[@pablogonzalez8304]

Saw it on flickr

[@lennartphotography]

Wow what a experience, beautiful cat. 🤩😍

[@jpprovost64]

wow lucky Man ... best wife and a Bobcat loll

[@TimberGeek]

Definitely a Bobcat, awesome encounter.

[@rolybaker7770]

I am sure I heard someone in the distance calling "tiddles, tiddles din din time" 🤭 But I think the cat thought Bu**ar off I just heard someone mention chocolate.

[@goyogannon1970]

Amazing Photo!!! W o W !

[@jamesshoe9856]

Bobcat.

[@hilleviupmanis8687]

Thank you!

[@billgroah6344]

Fantastic ! Just be careful. Nature can be cruel.

[@ChrisFacciol_LIFELINEPHOTO]

Fantastic !!!!