The first bobcat captured in Indiana's bobcat survey (in December 1998) gazes unflinchingly. This male has been recaptured twice since then and is now on his third radio collar.

The February morning was crisp and clear as I labored up a steep hill after Scott Johnson, DNR non-game biologist.

We were heading toward a box trap set to capture Indiana's only wildcat, the elusive bobcat, listed by the DNR as endangered.

I was hoping a cat was in the trap, because I had yet to see one in the wild. As we crested the hill and came within view of the box, I held my breath.

The box was empty. Disappointed, I was not surprised.

The bobcat is a nocturnal animal, making its encounters with humans rare. They are also avoidance animals, preferring to stay away from humans and developed areas.

Bobcat tracks are typically round in shape with no claw marks visible.