species confusion

[Boedigheimer]

I have been reading about lynx being shot near Duluth, which is evidently illegal, due to the fact that they are protected. My question is this, how do you tell the differnce between the two when shooting from a distance or in dim light. When I have predator called in the past, which hasn't been very often, it has been at night under a full moon. Theres no way somebody could see the tips of ears at that time. And how can you set a trap for bobcat and not run the risk of getting a lynx?

[Dragonfisherman]

A lynx is a lot bigger than a bobcat a huge bobcat is only about 35 pounds or so and when trapping a lynx print is way bigger than a bobcat print. Other than that your Lynx run the same terrritory as bobcats so it would be hard to make sure u dont catch them. But for the most part they are pretty far up north and there isnt quite the trappers up there and the figures they have dont really show much 15 lynx gettin trapped in four years isnt really high when probably 2-3 where hit by cars and a few died from old age other reasons .

[protrapper]

There are very few cats where there are lynx. For the simple fact they compete for hare. Though in some parts they do overlap. And breed. A friend caught a hybrid last year near Grand Marais. There is no mistaking. Lynx are taller, with longer legs, bigger feet, and the tuffs on the face are much larger, and they have a distinct black tip tail.

Know your target killing a lynx is serious trouble now. A man is in hot water for killing one during deer season. There have been alot caght the last few years. Which tells me and a few others the harea are on the decline. And they are. And that is why lynx will hit bait better and more often. When there are lots of hare cats and lynx shy from bait. Also since the cats prices rose the last couple years there are more trappers out there than years past.