A Dog and a Bobcat

This morning, the freezing air felt like winter but the light told me that it's springtime.

It's the season of early sunrises, and Shyla's deep chocolate color resonating with the pine tree canopy above her.

We enjoyed south-facing trails that are almost clear of snow, with Shyla running along side my summer bike! Then, we traipsed through deep snow on a shady north-facing slope to check on a trail camera where there was lots of bobcat activity last month.

A couple of months ago, I showed you some photos of a bobcat enjoying an elk femur that a local dog had dropped in front of my camera.

I didn't show you a photo of the dog because my rule (for myself) is that I never publish photos of people or their dogs on the rare occasion that I capture them. However, I forwarded the photo of that dog, who I'll call "B", to his owner, and I recounted the bobcat's antics.

B's owner, a friendly neighbor of mine, replied that I was welcome to publish the photo of B, and that he would cherish the photo. It turned out that B, unknown to me, was suffering from cancer, and he'd placed the bone in front of the trail camera on his last outing in the forest. Rest in peace, B, and know that I appreciated you as one of the true mountain dogs, with an easy-going personality and an absolute love of our forest.

His owner said that B had brought the elk femur to the spot in front of my camera over the course of several snowy outings. During each outing, B had systematically carried the heavy bone about a half mile or so toward my trail camera. On his last day in the forest, B dropped the big bone in front of my camera, like a gift.

At least one bobcat has loved this gift. Here was a bobcat who was interested in the bone, just after B left it there. The bobcat was rolling directly on top of the femur, looking ecstatic.

And, then, more recently, a bobcat spent a long time with the elk bone in front of my trail camera. After checking it out, he proceeded to spend several minutes in front of the trail camera grooming. It's the longest series of photos of a bobcat that I've ever captured. I made the series of rapidfire still photos into a video, which you can watch here or at Youtube.

Thank you, B. Your spirit has changed this place, with your dogged determination to place that femur, like an offering, in the spot where it still lies. We all miss you, and I hope that you are running free, without pain.

Our bobcat thanks you most of all.