Postcards From The Road! (Post Yours Please!)

I wish I had been able to get a picture of this but it was not possible to stop. I’m sure I will never see this again even if I live to 100. Actually two things happened this morning that were unusual. One thing funny, one thing tragic.

I was leaving Wisconsin on hwy 12 east. When I got to the Illannoy border there is a small weigh station. The scale building has a big picture window so any driver can see the person operating the scale. I pulled up there and the guy inside was sitting there sound asleep, with his head propped up on his hand. I waited about a minute and finally had to beep my city horn to wake him up. I startled him because his head almost hit them me desk and he was obviously disoriented. He looked at me and I was laughing, so he also started laughing. He waved me through. That was the funny thing.

Shortly after that, still on hwy 12 east, I came around a corner to see traffic at a complete stop from the opposite direction. At first I couldn’t identify the problem. Slowing to a crawl, I finally saw that a Bobcat had been hit on the road. It was definitely still alive, but its hind legs were not working. So it was sitting there propped up on its forelegs, unable to move, looking terrified. And it was not a small animal, I estimate that it weighed between 100 pounds and maybe 125 pounds. Maybe it was a Lynx, I wouldn’t know the difference. The alert car driver had stopped to block traffic so the poor animal wouldn’t get hit again. I’m sure the police were on their way and animal rescue was able to tranquilize this magnificent animal . I hope it lives. This should probably be on the news, at least locally, so I’m going to look for it. Anybody ever seen a big cat on the road?

Awful about that bobcat! Largest one I ever trapped was 23 lbs. Hilarious about the enforcement guy at the chicken coop!

Sunset yesterday near Evanston, WY heading west on I-80 at the chain up area.

Awful about that bobcat! Largest one I ever trapped was 23 lbs. Hilarious about the enforcement guy at the chicken coop!

My estimate of the cat’s size is based on the weight of my late, great dog, Moocho Poocho, who was about 105 lbs. This cat looked slightly bigger. But I only got a quick glimpse as there was a line of traffic behind me. Interestingly, I looked up Google on this but haven’t found anything yet. However, somewhere nearby, a very sick person hung up a dead Bobcat from a bridge and it shattered a windshield of a car driven by a father with his son. No one was injured, thankfully. My experience was near Vovo ,IL.

Awful about that bobcat! Largest one I ever trapped was 23 lbs. Hilarious about the enforcement guy at the chicken coop!

My estimate of the cat’s size is based on the weight of my late, great dog, Moocho Poocho, who was about 105 lbs. This cat looked slightly bigger. But I only got a quick glimpse as there was a line of traffic behind me. Interestingly, I looked up Google on this but haven’t found anything yet. However, somewhere nearby, a very sick person hung up a dead Bobcat from a bridge and it shattered a windshield of a car driven by a father with his son. No one was injured, thankfully. My experience was near Vovo ,IL.

At over 100 lbs, that is mountain lion, aka cougar, aka puma size.

Lynx can weigh anywhere from 18 to 60 lbs. Over 100 would be the largest lynx ever. Bobcats range from 12 to 33 lbs. Definitely couldn't have been a 100-lb bobcat. A female mountain lion will range from 60-140 lbs. Males are nearly twice the size, on average.

Ryan, are there mountain lions in northeast Illinois? Maybe I overestimated the size of that cat. Hmmmmmmmm

Ryan, are there mountain lions in northeast Illinois? Maybe I overestimated the size of that cat. Hmmmmmmmm

In the eastern 2/3 of the US, mountain lions are extinct or severely reduced in numbers. At one time, they existed in every corner of North and South Americas. Based on that, it's theoretically possible that it was a mountain lion. An easy way to determine, if you can remember: Lynx and bobcats have quite distinctive pointed ears. Mountain lions have ears more like the pink panther cartoon. Lynx and bobcats also have full tufts of fur around their faces. Ok, Google search reveals that bobcats are currently the only wild cats that can be found in Illinois. That's an image of a bobcat (actually a type of lynx, taxonomy being Lynx rufus). Below that is a Canada lynx. Below that is a mountain lion. Ok, the site doesn't like me uploading an image of a lynx for some reason. I will just leave it at including the bobcat.

What place is this?

Laura

What place is this?

Laura

San Francisco/Oakland Bay Bridge

Ryan, are there mountain lions in northeast Illinois? Maybe I overestimated the size of that cat. Hmmmmmmmm

In the eastern 2/3 of the US, mountain lions are extinct or severely reduced in numbers. At one time, they existed in every corner of North and South Americas. Based on that, it's theoretically possible that it was a mountain lion. An easy way to determine, if you can remember: Lynx and bobcats have quite distinctive pointed ears. Mountain lions have ears more like the pink panther cartoon. Lynx and bobcats also have full tufts of fur around their faces. Ok, Google search reveals that bobcats are currently the only wild cats that can be found in Illinois. That's an image of a bobcat (actually a type of lynx, taxonomy being Lynx rufus). Below that is a Canada lynx. Below that is a mountain lion. Ok, the site doesn't like me uploading an image of a lynx for some reason. I will just leave it at including the bobcat.

Ryan, thanks for the info. I did some research and it seems that bobcats are quite plentiful in northern Illinois.

So, now I’m thinking what I saw was a Bengal tiger. Lol.