The thriving bobcat and a Duo smile

Yesterday, I checked a wildlife camera and discovered positive proof that our bobcat is alive and well after he has stayed hidden for weeks. He finally visited one of his main scent posts where I've captured his photo many times over the past months. In fact, he even left behind a message.

He started by kicking back with each hind paw in succession, sort of like he was running with his hind legs.

Then, he made a "large deposit" at the scent post. That tells us that he had a big meal lately. He's doing well, I think.

Remember, just the other day, I noted that a deer sniffed this scent post that has been marked by many different species. The bobcat marks it most frequently, at least once per month and usually more often. Since September, mountain lions have marked it twice, a bear has marked it once, and coyotes have marked it twice. For some reason that I cannot perceive, it's a very important spot for the wildlife.

Later in the day, I took the Duo for a hike. In the non-snowy parts of the hike, I let R run off-leash because his elbow seems to be fine after the scare the other day. For safety's sake, I leashed him in the really deep snow to prevent the wild porpoising that hurt him the other day.

Near the start of the hike, the Duo waited for a recall. I cannot believe how tall R has become. He has had a serious growth spurt over the past couple of months ago at age 3! For him, the awesome part has been that the vet ordered us to *double* his food rations when he grew too tall and skinny. He loves that part!

As they sat stationary, I called them, using my customary "Dogs come!". For some reason, both of them stuck out their tongues as they accelerated out of their stay. Tongue flicking is a "calming signal". I probably sounded more emphatic than usual because they both blew off our first attempt at a recall by running directly away from me and into the meadow. Perhaps they were trying to calm me down with their tongue flicks. Whatever the reason, I liked the image.

Then, the tongues disappeared, and they sprinted. They actually came to me this time!

Later in the hike, just before it was time to leash him, R gave me this devilish look!

Yesterday, I was having a very lousy day in terms of my spine, with my lumbar bad disc causing electrical pain in my leg and a numb foot. That fall into the powder when I heard the moose during snow biking might have been the culprit.

My hike with Duo painted a smile back on my face, at least for a while. I love my furry buddies, even if their tongues don't compare to the bear sow's tongue who I captured with a wildlife camera last March!