Is this a wild cat ?

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Niels

Full Member
Mar 28, 2011
2,582
3
26
Netherlands
When a wild cat meets a buzzard....
a26fbc59-6436-4cfe-b132-01ae3c329902.jpg

That's a very cool picture! Nice defensive position
 

mrcharly

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Jan 25, 2011
3,257
44
North Yorkshire, UK
dachsunds are bred to bark incessantly - they wouldn't survive a badger fight well, they are just meant to bail up the badger.

Cats wouldn't survive fighting in an enclosed space.
 

santaman2000

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Jan 15, 2011
16,909
1,114
67
Florida
dachsunds are bred to bark incessantly - they wouldn't survive a badger fight well, they are just meant to bail up the badger.......

So the breed history of them digging out the badgers is false? I'm truly asking here, not trying to be flippant. The following was lifted directly from the AKC's official breed description:

"A Look Back
Dachshunds were first bred in the early 1600s in Germany. The goal was to create a fearless, elongated dog that could dig the earth from a badger burrow and fight to the death with the vicious badgers."


We don't have badgers here in Florida but the two Dachsunds I've known have always actively dug to attack whatever prey they scented.
 
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mrcharly

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Jan 25, 2011
3,257
44
North Yorkshire, UK
Well I only have general experience of animals to go on, but I'd say the 'fight to the death' bit is someone's imagination running away with them. You don't normally breed dogs then risk them being maimed every time you go hunting with them. People breed dogs to hunt mountain lions in the USA - but only to tree them, not to kill them. Fox terriers are bred for going down fox holes, but again only to bail up the fox.
 

santaman2000

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Jan 15, 2011
16,909
1,114
67
Florida
Well I only have general experience of animals to go on, but I'd say the 'fight to the death' bit is someone's imagination running away with them. You don't normally breed dogs then risk them being maimed every time you go hunting with them. People breed dogs to hunt mountain lions in the USA - but only to tree them, not to kill them. Fox terriers are bred for going down fox holes, but again only to bail up the fox.

That's the only way we ever hunted coons; turn the dogs loose to tree them. Then send somebody up the tree to shake them out for the dogs. Brought home loads of dead coons but never had a dog hurt yet Never really thought of it as a "risk." This I know from loads of personal experience.

Is that what really originally happened with dachsunds and badgers? I really don't know and I've often had my doubts because of the size difference. But I do know it IS what's on the official breed description and that's the best info I have to go on.
 
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Feb 15, 2011
3,860
2
Elsewhere
Great news.................Members of the aformentioned organisation who deals with the regional wildlife & enviroment ( Indre Nature) have deliberated & concluded that this is indeed a wild cat (something to do with the muzzle shape ) & have now included it in their dossiers. There is still some doubt though as to whether it is a pure wild cat as it appears to have stripes on the sides which are not usually present in adult animals but that could be a 'trick of the light ' so to speak, so at worse it is a high percentage wild cat hybrid.
The cat has been filmed again since ( same place ) as has a fox who comes & goes into the badger set.....The badgers are there so they must be sharing. :D
 

Bushwhacker

Banned
Jun 26, 2008
3,882
8
Dorset
Great news.................Members of the aformentioned organisation who deals with the regional wildlife & enviroment ( Indre Nature) have deliberated & concluded that this is indeed a wild cat (something to do with the muzzle shape ) & have now included it in their dossiers. There is still some doubt though as to whether it is a pure wild cat as it appears to have stripes on the sides which are not usually present in adult animals but that could be a 'trick of the light ' so to speak, so at worse it is a high percentage wild cat hybrid.
The cat has been filmed again since ( same place ) as has a fox who comes & goes into the badger set.....The badgers are there so they must be sharing. :D

That's good news, let's hope there are some more sightings in the future.
 

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