Types of Bobcat in Wyoming
Yes, bobcats are found throughout Wyoming, but they're elusive. There is only one bobcat subspecies in Wyoming, but individuals vary widely in size, coloration, and behavior depending on their habitat and age. Start your search in the breaks and canyons of the eastern foothills or the rocky outcrops of the Red Desert. Look for tracks or scat near brushy edges to confirm their presence. Understanding these variations will help you identify what you're seeing and predict where to find them.
By Tim, founder of Easy Street Markets. I maintain the wildlife database and verify every animal and source myself. Updated July 2, 2026.
Wyoming has one established type of bobcat: the Bobcat. Below are the related species here that people most often mistake for it.
- 1
- species recorded
- January, February, July
- peak months
Real sighting data, source iNaturalist
44 verified observations on iNaturalist of bobcat have been recorded in Wyoming, most often in January, February, July.
When bobcat are recorded in Wyoming
Yes, bobcats are found throughout Wyoming, but they're elusive. There is only one bobcat subspecies in Wyoming, but individuals vary widely in size, coloration, and behavior depending on their habitat and age. Start your search in the breaks and canyons of the eastern foothills or the rocky outcrops of the Red Desert. Look for tracks or scat near brushy edges to confirm their presence. Understanding these variations will help you identify what you're seeing and predict where to find them.
1. What are the key identification marks for bobcats in Wyoming?
Bobcats are medium-sized wildcats with a short "bobbed" tail, tufted ears, and a spotted coat. Adults weigh 15-35 pounds. The tail is 4-7 inches long with a black tip on top only. Their face has prominent ruffs on the cheeks. Footprints are about 2 inches wide, with no claw marks because claws are retractable. For more on bobcat identification, visit ourbobcat species page.
In Wyoming, bobcats sightings usually improve when you slow down and match your first stop to the most useful ID markers and likely lookalikes. Use thestate wildlife huband theroute guideto narrow your first area, then check access, weather, and distance before you settle in. A short walk with one clear viewing plan often beats covering too much ground, especially when habitat changes fast from open edges to brush, wetlands, timber, shoreline, or neighborhood cover.
2. How do you tell a bobcat apart from a Canada lynx or a feral cat?
Lynx are larger, with longer ear tufts, huge snowshoe-like paws, and a completely black-tipped tail. Bobcats have smaller paws and a tail that is black-tipped only on the top. Feral cats are much smaller, with no ear tufts or cheek ruffs. Bobcat tracks are rounder than dog tracks but lack claws. In Wyoming, lynx are mostly restricted to high-elevation boreal forests, while bobcats use lower country.
Most misses happen when people arrive at the wrong hour or expect nonstop activity. Build around where in the state people usually notice them first, keep one backup area in mind, and use theanimal facts pageplustour planning ideasto compare what a realistic outing looks like in Wyoming. If movement slows, stay longer at one promising spot, listen for calls or watch for edge movement, and reset around weather, light, water, or feeding changes instead of jumping to a totally new area too early.
3. How do size and coloration vary between individual Wyoming bobcats?
Wyoming bobcats range from 15 to 35 pounds, with desert and lower-elevation animals typically smaller and leaner than those in higher pine-oak country. Desert bobcats tend toward fawn or tawny tones with less contrast, while forest bobcats often show richer rust or gray-brown coats with bolder spot patterns. Ear tufts, face ruffs, and cheek markings are always present but vary in intensity. These differences reflect local prey availability and winter severity. In the Red Desert, smaller bobcats with lighter pelts blend better with sagebrush. In the Bighorn Basin forests, larger, grayer animals move more effectively through mixed cover.
4. What distinguishes young bobcats from adults in Wyoming?
Kittens are born blind and spotted, with faint ear tufts that grow more prominent by 4-5 months. At 6-8 months, juveniles are nearly full-sized but show less-developed face ruffs and thinner body frames. Their tails are proportionally longer relative to their body size. Ear tufts point more sharply outward in young animals. By 18-24 months, they reach adult proportions and develop the full cheek ruffs and strong build. Scent marking and territory behaviors emerge after 2 years. If you find a smaller individual with less-defined facial markings and proportionally gangly legs, it's likely a juvenile still learning to hunt independently.
5. Where in Wyoming do bobcats show up most often?
I have had the best luck in the eastern plains along the Platte River drainage, and in the badlands near Kaycee. The Bighorn Basin and the foothills of the Absarokas also hold good numbers. They favor rocky ledges, dense brush, and canyon rims. For a full list of Wyoming wildlife hotspots, see theWyoming wildlife page.
See ourstate animal guidefor the next step.
6. What time of year and day gives you the best chance to see a bobcat?
Dawn and dusk are prime. Winter is actually better because snow reveals tracks and they hunt more during daylight when prey is scarce. I have seen more bobcats in January and February than any other months. Focus on mornings after fresh snow for tracking.
7. What habitats do Wyoming bobcats prefer?
They are habitat generalists but avoid deep snow. They use mixed woodlands, sagebrush steppe with rocky cover, and rimrock country. In the west, they stick to lower elevations in winter. Look for them near cottonwood draws and juniper slopes. Interspersed areas with both cover and open hunting ground are ideal.
8. How do coat patterns and markings help identify individual bobcats?
Every bobcat has a unique spotting pattern, much like fingerprints. Wyoming bobcats display three common pattern types: heavy rosetting with dense dark spots throughout the body, moderate spotting concentrated on the flanks and legs, or light speckling barely visible from a distance. The spots often form horizontal stripes on the legs and bars on the tail. Darker face masks and chin patches are always present. The belly is always lighter, usually white or cream with darker spots. Observing these pattern details helps distinguish between individuals in the same territory and provides valuable information for wildlife researchers tracking local populations.
9. How do male and female bobcats differ in Wyoming?
Males are consistently larger, typically weighing 20-35 pounds compared to females at 15-28 pounds. Males have broader heads, heavier jaws, and more pronounced cheek ruffs. Female tracks are noticeably smaller and daintier. During breeding season, males range more widely in search of females and are more vocal, producing loud meows and growls. Females establish smaller territories and spend more energy on kitten rearing from April through fall. If tracking, the larger, deeper prints likely indicate a male. The rounder, more delicate prints often belong to a female.
10. What do bobcats eat and how do they behave?
Their diet is mostly rabbits and hares, but also voles, birds, and sometimes deer fawns. They are solitary and territorial. Bobcats are ambush predators; they stalk then pounce. You might find cached kills under brush or in rock crevices. They are most active around dawn and dusk.
11. Are there behavioral types of bobcats based on habitat in Wyoming?
Yes. Forest-dwelling bobcats tend to be more vocal and establish smaller territories due to abundant cover and predictable prey. Desert bobcats are often silent, roam larger areas, and rely heavily on detecting movement across open ground. Riparian bobcats, found near streams and cottonwood draws, show more flexible social tolerance and are less strictly territorial. Mountain bobcats in higher elevations hunt larger prey and adjust activity to seasonal snow depth. These behavioral variations mean the same bobcat species acts and lives quite differently depending on whether it hunts the Red Desert, forested uplands, river drainages, or rocky slopes.
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Conservation status, source NatureServe
Conservation rank for bobcat (Bobcat, Lynx rufus), as assessed by NatureServe Explorer.
| Scope | NatureServe rank | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| In Wyoming | S5 | Secure |
| Global (rangewide) | G5 | Secure |
NatureServe ranks run from 1 (critically imperiled) to 5 (secure). See our data methodology for how this is sourced.
Frequently asked questions
1. What are the key identification marks for bobcats in Wyoming?+
Bobcats are medium-sized wildcats with a short "bobbed" tail, tufted ears, and a spotted coat. Adults weigh 15-35 pounds. The tail is 4-7 inches long with a black tip on top only. Their face has prominent ruffs on the cheeks. Footprints are about 2 inches wide, with no claw marks because claws are retractable. For more on bobcat identification, visit ourbobcat species page. In Wyoming, bobcats sightings usually improve when you slow down and match your first stop to the most useful ID markers and likely lookalikes. Use thestate wildlife huband theroute guideto narrow your first area, then check access, weather, and distance before you settle in. A short walk with one clear viewing plan often beats covering too much ground, especially when habitat changes fast from open edges to brush, wetlands, timber, shoreline, or neighborhood cover.
2. How do you tell a bobcat apart from a Canada lynx or a feral cat?+
Lynx are larger, with longer ear tufts, huge snowshoe-like paws, and a completely black-tipped tail. Bobcats have smaller paws and a tail that is black-tipped only on the top. Feral cats are much smaller, with no ear tufts or cheek ruffs. Bobcat tracks are rounder than dog tracks but lack claws. In Wyoming, lynx are mostly restricted to high-elevation boreal forests, while bobcats use lower country. Most misses happen when people arrive at the wrong hour or expect nonstop activity. Build around where in the state people usually notice them first, keep one backup area in mind, and use theanimal facts pageplustour planning ideasto compare what a realistic outing looks like in Wyoming. If movement slows, stay longer at one promising spot, listen for calls or watch for edge movement, and reset around weather, light, water, or feeding changes instead of jumping to a totally new area too early.
3. How do size and coloration vary between individual Wyoming bobcats?+
Wyoming bobcats range from 15 to 35 pounds, with desert and lower-elevation animals typically smaller and leaner than those in higher pine-oak country. Desert bobcats tend toward fawn or tawny tones with less contrast, while forest bobcats often show richer rust or gray-brown coats with bolder spot patterns. Ear tufts, face ruffs, and cheek markings are always present but vary in intensity. These differences reflect local prey availability and winter severity. In the Red Desert, smaller bobcats with lighter pelts blend better with sagebrush. In the Bighorn Basin forests, larger, grayer animals move more effectively through mixed cover.
4. What distinguishes young bobcats from adults in Wyoming?+
Kittens are born blind and spotted, with faint ear tufts that grow more prominent by 4-5 months. At 6-8 months, juveniles are nearly full-sized but show less-developed face ruffs and thinner body frames. Their tails are proportionally longer relative to their body size. Ear tufts point more sharply outward in young animals. By 18-24 months, they reach adult proportions and develop the full cheek ruffs and strong build. Scent marking and territory behaviors emerge after 2 years. If you find a smaller individual with less-defined facial markings and proportionally gangly legs, it's likely a juvenile still learning to hunt independently.
5. Where in Wyoming do bobcats show up most often?+
I have had the best luck in the eastern plains along the Platte River drainage, and in the badlands near Kaycee. The Bighorn Basin and the foothills of the Absarokas also hold good numbers. They favor rocky ledges, dense brush, and canyon rims. For a full list of Wyoming wildlife hotspots, see theWyoming wildlife page. See ourstate animal guidefor the next step.
6. What time of year and day gives you the best chance to see a bobcat?+
Dawn and dusk are prime. Winter is actually better because snow reveals tracks and they hunt more during daylight when prey is scarce. I have seen more bobcats in January and February than any other months. Focus on mornings after fresh snow for tracking.
7. What habitats do Wyoming bobcats prefer?+
They are habitat generalists but avoid deep snow. They use mixed woodlands, sagebrush steppe with rocky cover, and rimrock country. In the west, they stick to lower elevations in winter. Look for them near cottonwood draws and juniper slopes. Interspersed areas with both cover and open hunting ground are ideal.
8. How do coat patterns and markings help identify individual bobcats?+
Every bobcat has a unique spotting pattern, much like fingerprints. Wyoming bobcats display three common pattern types: heavy rosetting with dense dark spots throughout the body, moderate spotting concentrated on the flanks and legs, or light speckling barely visible from a distance. The spots often form horizontal stripes on the legs and bars on the tail. Darker face masks and chin patches are always present. The belly is always lighter, usually white or cream with darker spots. Observing these pattern details helps distinguish between individuals in the same territory and provides valuable information for wildlife researchers tracking local populations.
9. How do male and female bobcats differ in Wyoming?+
Males are consistently larger, typically weighing 20-35 pounds compared to females at 15-28 pounds. Males have broader heads, heavier jaws, and more pronounced cheek ruffs. Female tracks are noticeably smaller and daintier. During breeding season, males range more widely in search of females and are more vocal, producing loud meows and growls. Females establish smaller territories and spend more energy on kitten rearing from April through fall. If tracking, the larger, deeper prints likely indicate a male. The rounder, more delicate prints often belong to a female.
10. What do bobcats eat and how do they behave?+
Their diet is mostly rabbits and hares, but also voles, birds, and sometimes deer fawns. They are solitary and territorial. Bobcats are ambush predators; they stalk then pounce. You might find cached kills under brush or in rock crevices. They are most active around dawn and dusk.
11. Are there behavioral types of bobcats based on habitat in Wyoming?+
Yes. Forest-dwelling bobcats tend to be more vocal and establish smaller territories due to abundant cover and predictable prey. Desert bobcats are often silent, roam larger areas, and rely heavily on detecting movement across open ground. Riparian bobcats, found near streams and cottonwood draws, show more flexible social tolerance and are less strictly territorial. Mountain bobcats in higher elevations hunt larger prey and adjust activity to seasonal snow depth. These behavioral variations mean the same bobcat species acts and lives quite differently depending on whether it hunts the Red Desert, forested uplands, river drainages, or rocky slopes.
Keep exploring
More places to see bobcat
More wildlife in Wyoming