Beautiful cats! I too wouldnt shoot one if it came across my path, for the same reasons. Wont eat, wont pay 🙂
They are cool to watch. I saw a family of cats in Citrus a couple of years back. One chased a rabbit around my treestand in the am. In the evening momma brought her cubs out. One did not do as it was told and got a swat across the forehead. oops I guess it will start paying attention.
I had one walk under my stand last Friday up in Live Oak. Pretty cool to watch. It crouched next to my stand like it was going to pounce on something in the brush but then just straightened up and continued walking down the road till I lost sight of him. I wouldn't have shot him even if it was during legal season. Just don't see the point taking something that's either not going to be on the menu or is not a nuisance animal like coyotes.
I also had a large fox squirrel pop out of a hole in a tree less than 2ft behind the stand I was in. I climbed up the ladder and stood on the platform to take off my jacket as it was warming up and this critter looked out of his hole, then scooted up the tree about my eye level, then turned around and looked at me and shot down to the ground. Never saw him again after that.
I've only ever seen one before and I missed it at 70 yards with my rifle... sad I know... that's what I get for dropping it a couple two tree eight times!
