Game animals · Side by side
Bobcat vs Canada Lynx
How to tell them apart
Quick answer
Check the tail tip: a lynx's is black all the way around, while a bobcat's is black only on top with white underneath. Then look at the feet and ears: lynx have huge furred paws and long black tufts, bobcats smaller feet and short tufts.
Bobcats and Canada lynx are close cousins in the same genus, weigh about the same and share the short tail, the ear tufts and the facial ruff. Where their ranges meet, from Maine to Minnesota to the northern Rockies, the difference matters a great deal: bobcats are legal game or furbearers in most of those states, while lynx are federally threatened in the lower 48. Here is how to tell them apart at a glance.
Key differences
| Trait | Bobcat | Canada Lynx |
|---|---|---|
| Tail tip | Black on top only, white underneath, with dark bars | Black all the way around, like it was dipped in ink |
| Feet | Modest, cat-sized paws | Huge, heavily furred paws that work as snowshoes |
| Ear tufts | Short; backs of the ears black with a pale spot | Long, black and conspicuous |
| Coat | Tan to reddish or gray, clearly spotted or streaked | Grizzled silver-gray with faint spots or none |
| Legs and build | Rangy, with long hind legs | Even longer legs; back slopes toward the shoulders |
| Weight | Most 15–35 lb; big males top 40 | Mostly 18–30 lb; rare males near 40 |
| Main prey | Generalist: rabbits, rodents, birds, fawns | Specialist: snowshoe hares |
| Legal status in the lower 48 | Hunted and trapped in most states | Federally threatened since 2000; no hunting or trapping |
Where you will find each
Bobcats cover most of the lower 48 states, southern Canada and much of Mexico and thrive in brushy, broken country with little snow. Lynx belong to the boreal forest of Canada and Alaska, dipping into the lower 48 only in northern Maine and New Hampshire, northeastern Minnesota, northwestern Montana and northern Idaho, north-central Washington and the high country of western Colorado. Deep, soft snow is the dividing line: lynx float on it, while bobcats flounder and stick to areas with lighter snow.
Hybrids at the edge of the range
The two cats occasionally interbreed where they overlap, and lynx-bobcat hybrids have been confirmed by genetic testing in Maine, Minnesota and New Brunswick. Hybrids can show a mix of traits, such as long lynx-like tufts on a spotted, bobcat-colored coat. Because a lynx or a lynx hybrid is a protected animal in the lower 48, trappers in lynx country are often required to use sets designed to avoid catching lynx, and any cat that looks in-between should be reported, not kept.
Which can you hunt?
Bobcats are hunted with hounds and calls and trapped in most states, usually in late fall and winter, with exceptions such as California, which banned it in 2019, and New Jersey, where bobcats are protected. Lynx cannot be hunted or trapped anywhere in the lower 48. In Alaska and Canada lynx are managed furbearers, taken mostly by trapping, with seasons tied to population data. Always confirm the current rules where you plan to hunt.
By the numbers
The traits the daily hunt game compares for each.
| Clue | Bobcat | Canada Lynx |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Predator | Predator |
| Habitat | Forest | Forest |
| Headgear | None | None |
| Region | Nationwide | Northern forests |
| Typical weight | 22 lb | 24 lb |
| Diet | Carnivore | Carnivore |
FAQ
Is a lynx bigger than a bobcat?
Not by weight: both usually weigh 15 to 30 pounds, and a big bobcat can outweigh a lynx. The lynx looks larger because of its long legs, big feet and thick winter fur.
Can bobcats and lynx interbreed?
Yes, occasionally. Hybrids have been confirmed by genetic testing in Maine, Minnesota and New Brunswick, along the southern edge of lynx range where the two species overlap.
Can you hunt lynx like bobcats?
Not in the lower 48 states, where lynx are federally threatened. Legal take happens only in Alaska and Canada, mostly by trapping during regulated winter seasons.
Could you tell them apart from a few clues? Test yourself in today's puzzle.
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