Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

DNR: Bobcat, not bear, likely attacked camper at Itasca
Grand Forks Herald ^ | May 26, 2007 | Herald Staff Report

Posted on 05/26/2007 4:16:18 AM PDT by decimon

Investigators believe a camper injured at Itasca State Park was attacked by a bobcat.

The Clearwater County (Minn.) Sheriff's Office said that "it is possible that snoring or the camper's moving head in the tent may have caused the bobcat to think it was a small prey animal."

That conclusion came out of the Department of Natural Resources, which reviewed photos of the wounds suffered by camper Jon Kenning.

If it were a bobcat, it probably would have been as surprised as the camper, DNR spokesman Mark LaBarbera said, because the animals usually avoid human contact.

Kenning was sleeping in a dome tent at the state park about 2 a.m. Thursday when an animal attacked him. Authorities at first thought it was a small bear that inflicted half-dozen 2-inch-long cuts on his face. He later received stitches at a hospital and is expected to recover fully.

Bobcats are usually twice as large as a house cat. They tend to hunt for rabbits and hares but will go after prey as large as deer.

The sheriff's office said it is continuing its investigation.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; News/Current Events; US: Minnesota
KEYWORDS:
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-23 next last
Well, it stopped the snoring.
1 posted on 05/26/2007 4:16:20 AM PDT by decimon
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: decimon
Maybe "it" smelt milk?


2 posted on 05/26/2007 4:19:25 AM PDT by Leisler
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Leisler

Is that a cat or a rug?


3 posted on 05/26/2007 4:24:11 AM PDT by decimon
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Leisler

Fat Cats at work...


4 posted on 05/26/2007 4:49:17 AM PDT by LachlanMinnesota
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: decimon
Looks like that chair hugger never missed a meal.
5 posted on 05/26/2007 4:50:43 AM PDT by shove_it (old Old Guardsman)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: decimon

Okay, so this bobcat ripped through this guy’s tent and began attacking him? Or just clawed him through the tent?

E-gads! Scary all the same. I camp a lot, but this or a mountain lion are two things that have always worried me a bit in the back of my mind. It doesn’t matter if you are armed: if you get jumped in the middle of the night, it’s bad news....


6 posted on 05/26/2007 4:51:34 AM PDT by CheyennePress
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: CheyennePress

I hear you. We often go with just bivy sacks so I have had those thoughts. Especially when we were in Great Basin Park.


7 posted on 05/26/2007 4:54:44 AM PDT by doodad
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: decimon

He was probably moving his feet under the blanket. That always gets my cats’ interest. :^)


8 posted on 05/26/2007 4:55:01 AM PDT by mkmensinger
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: decimon
Image hosted by Photobucket.com should be able to tell from the start of the lacerations if it was from a Cat or a Bear...

45lb cat can mess you up BIG TIME!!!

9 posted on 05/26/2007 5:09:48 AM PDT by Chode (American Hedonist)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: decimon

Two words - snore strips.

Annoying a bob cat with your snoring has more severe consequences than annoying your wife.


10 posted on 05/26/2007 5:12:49 AM PDT by Graybeard58 (Remember and pray for SSgt. Matt Maupin - MIA/POW- Iraq since 04/09/04)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Graybeard58

“Annoying a bob cat with your snoring has more severe consequences than annoying your wife.”

At least the Bobcat won’t take you to court and steal all your earnings for the next 50 years.


11 posted on 05/26/2007 5:35:20 AM PDT by dljordan
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: CheyennePress
It doesn’t matter if you are armed: if you get jumped in the middle of the night, it’s bad news....

This is where your dog comes in.

12 posted on 05/26/2007 5:41:03 AM PDT by Lion Den Dan
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: Chode

A 45 lb bobcat is pretty big, that starts getting into the lethal range of a small cougar: those are “only” 120 - 150 lbs.


13 posted on 05/26/2007 5:44:23 AM PDT by Robert A Cook PE (I can only donate monthly, but Hillary's ABBCNNBCBS continue to lie every day!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: CheyennePress
Okay, so this bobcat ripped through this guy’s tent and began attacking him? Or just clawed him through the tent?

In a longer account they said it probably worked open the zipper as his dog can.

14 posted on 05/26/2007 5:44:48 AM PDT by decimon
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: mkmensinger
He was probably moving his feet under the blanket. That always gets my cats’ interest.

Kittens, with their hypodermic claws.

15 posted on 05/26/2007 5:46:37 AM PDT by decimon
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: decimon
Is that a cat or a rug?

It was left by Donald Trump.........

16 posted on 05/26/2007 5:50:53 AM PDT by Hot Tabasco
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: decimon
In a longer account they said it probably worked open the zipper as his dog can.

That sounds pretty bogus. Bobcats are stalkers and pouncers. I can't imagine them patiently manipulating a zipper like say, a raccoon might do. That being said, surprised they haven't considered a raccoon.

17 posted on 05/26/2007 5:53:00 AM PDT by randita
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: decimon

I’ve never heard of a Bobcat attacking a Human. I guess anything’s possible though.


18 posted on 05/26/2007 6:02:37 AM PDT by BnBlFlag (Deo Vindice/Semper Fidelis "Ya gotta saddle up your boys; Ya gotta draw a hard line")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: decimon
The PA Game Commission 2006 furbearers scrapbook has pictures of some bobcats that were caught that year. Somehow “about twice the size of a housecat” sounds smaller to me than these pictures show.
http://www.pgc.state.pa.us/pgc/cwp/view.asp?a=519&q=170964
I sure wouldn’t want to be attacked in my sleep by one!
19 posted on 05/26/2007 6:03:13 AM PDT by Kay Ludlow (Free market, but cautious about what I support with my dollars)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Hot Tabasco
It was left by Donald Trump.........

All that was left of him after tangling with Rosie.

20 posted on 05/26/2007 6:04:42 AM PDT by decimon
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-23 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson