WITH UNCLE SAM'S NATURALISTS RELEASE Friday, June I9, I93I. 



NOT FOR PUBLICATION 



ANNOUNCStvENT : Our Wilds Man has been for another visit with Uncle Saa's 

 Naturalists. Specialists of the United States Biological Survey have helped him 

 hunt down a few facts about bobcats. Now he is going to bring home to us what 

 he has found out about these dangerous subjects Listen I 



— oOo — 



I used to know a man who bragged he could "whit) his wei^t in wild cats." 

 That was the height of boasting, we thought. 



Those who claim to have first h^md information say a bobcat is just con- 

 centrated dynamite T.N.T. on four legs and some experienced hunters think mayb 



it has itore than four when you get one at close quarters. 



Wild stories about fierce encounters with ferocious bobcats have been cir- 

 culating since early pioneer days. 



But I'm hot hero to tell you a string of those stories to-day, but just 

 to call your attention to a few practical hints on bobcat trar>ping from Mr. 

 Stanley P. Young, in charge of the ^oredatory animal and rodent control division, 

 of the United States Biological Survey. 



According to Mr, Young, the advance of settlement and the occur)ation of 

 the bobcat's former ranges for stock raising have not so much crowded back the 

 bobcat, as they have given it a now and satisfying provender. The yo-ung of the 

 flocks and herds of our stockmen and the poultry of our farmers are now part of 

 its meat. On the wild ranges, the bobcat feeds to a large extent upon rabbits 

 and other injurious rodents. But it also preys upon such valuable forms of wild 

 life as antelope, deer, and other game animals, especially the fawns, and on 

 wild tiorkeys, nnd quail, and other ground- nesting birds. 



B-- Idenf^y, however, the bobcat finds the young of domestic livestock very 

 satisfactory substitutes for its ordinary fare in the wild. When it can get its 

 living easier among the flocks and herds than in the wild, it can do a lot of 

 damage in a very short time; esr>ecially to sheep during the lambing season; and 

 to pigs, and goats, and calves, and poultry. 



In fict, in some localities bobcats have made hog raising on an extensive 

 scale impracticable. And when lanbing is conducted on the open range, a practice 

 common in the West, the wild cat often causes heavy losses. 



