Bobcats in Kentucky: where to look and what signs to watch for

Bobcats are found statewide, but your best odds are in western Kentucky's Land Between the Lakes area, the Mississippi River floodplain, and the Cumberland Plateau region. They favor large tracts of mixed hardwood forests with dense understory. The Daniel Boone National Forest and Mammoth Cave area are reliable spots.

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Bobcats are crepuscular, meaning they're most active around dawn and dusk. In Kentucky, late fall through early spring offers better visibility because the leaf cover is thinner. Your chances improve during a cold snap when they may hunt longer into the day.

See our Bobcats guide for the next step.

Look for tracks about two inches wide with four toes and no claw marks (they retract claws). Scat is often segmented and may contain fur or bones. Bobcats also scratch scent piles on logs or dirt, and they scrape the ground with their hind feet, leaving a small mound. Check rocky ledges or under fallen trees for these signs.

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Bobcat tracks are significantly larger than a house cat's and rounder than a coyote's. Coyote tracks show claw marks, bobcat tracks do not. Scat size is also bigger than a feral cat's and often buried under a light scratch pile. Look for the signature bobcat scrape: a shallow depression with a small pile of dirt and leaves.

Start with the Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area, Daniel Boone National Forest, and Mammoth Cave National Park. Other good bets are Ballard Wildlife Management Area, Blue Licks Battlefield State Park, and the Red River Gorge area. These spots combine big woods with rocky terrain that bobcats prefer.