Where To Find Bobcat Activity
Bobcat hunting along a south facing stream. Note the green grass growing along the bank in the upper left, above the bobcat. This green grass and forbs create a magnet for mice, voles, wood rats and rabbits in the winter months and therefore concentrates where bobcats hunt.
Where To Find Bobcats During Different Times of Year
In northern Colorado, bobcats are remarkably adaptable but follow the seasonal rhythms of their prey and the landscape. During the winter, one of the most reliable places to find bobcat tracks, scat, and even catch a glimpse of one is along low-elevation stream corridors. Look for valleys that face southeast to southwest — these aspects capture the winter sun, keeping snow cover thinner and encouraging green grass and forbs to grow along the creek banks. Deer, rabbits, and small rodents gather here for the fresh forage, and bobcats follow close behind, using the thick brush and overhanging banks for cover while they hunt.
In the summer, as temperatures rise and water becomes scarce, bobcats gravitate north slopes and sometimes higher ground where they can find cooler temperatures and reliable sources of water. Springs, seeps, and natural catchment basins tucked into forested slopes or hidden meadows are prime spots to find signs of bobcat activity. These moist areas attract mice, voles, birds, and young rabbits — easy prey for a stealthy cat. Look for fresh tracks in soft mud, scat laying right in the middle of a trail, or the remains of small kills near the water’s edge.
No matter the season, bobcats are masters of using rugged terrain to their advantage. Rocky ridges, talus slopes, and outcrops of massive boulders offer perfect ambush sites and safe dens for raising kittens. These rocky haunts harbor abundant prey such as wood rats, chipmunks, and rabbits that find shelter among the rocks. If you want to increase your chances of spotting a bobcat, stake out at dawn or dusk near these prey-rich hillsides, stay still, and scan the shadows for a glimpse of a silent, spotted bobcat slipping through the terrain it knows so well.
