Duck hunting… au naturel.
For all those duck hunters out there, imagine if you could only take down a bird by pouncing on it in just the right moment. I’d imagine we’d have a lot less duck hunters in the world if quacker stacking were that challenging. And guess what? For animals out in the wild, it is.
This bobcat that calls Yellowstone National Park home was evidently in the mood for some duck. It’s a delectable meat for humans and wild animals alike, so I can’t blame the wild cat for seeking out the bird as a meal. Though the act of catching a duck off guard and then successfully bringing it down is easier said than done.
You might think that with as much snow that’s featured in this clip from Epic Yellowstone that the wild cat would be trying to lay low for the winter. However, bobcats are active year round and do not hibernate like some other animals that call Yellowstone home. Thanks to their high metabolism and ability to hunt (they have great vision and hearing), the smaller cats continue on with their lives.
That being said, because of their size, they are generally limited to traveling on packed snow if wintry precipitation has fallen. Bobcats typically weigh between 18 and 35 pounds and are two to three feet long. Unlike bison who are much larger and can just trudge through the snow, a bobcat would sink to the bottom of snow that’s not packed.
You’ll even see a couple of instances in this video below where the wild cat almost disappears in the white, powdery snow. In this case though, the frozen precipitation helped conceal its presence a bit as a duck went floating by in the river. The bobcat was on the prowl and waiting for the right moment to strike, and when the bird let its guard down, the cat went flying out of the snow, through the air, and came crashing down right on the duck.
Despite its best efforts, the duck couldn’t get away from the strong grip of the cat’s jaws and claws. Slowly but surely, the bobcat dragged the flailing duck out of the water and up onto the bank of the river. The wild cat wasn’t putting the duck out of its misery just yet – so the duck continued to fight, though it was a hopeless endeavor.
Once the cat found a nice place to set up shop for dinner, the duck was finally and officially “cooked,” so to speak. Cats of all sizes and species are always fascinated with the hunting of birds, and this fierce little bobcat is one of the few that was actually successful in making a meal out of one.
Check it out:
That is some incredible footage.
Many social media users pointed that out in the comment section below, while also applauding the bobcat for its stealth and hunting instincts:
“Jumped in an ice bath too… he’s built different.”
“Poor duck, but the big cat’s gotta eat.”
“That’s a beast right there.”
“Incredible capture by both the filmmaker and the cat.”
“How many of you would dive into nearly frozen freezing cold water for a meal?”
