Mountain lion sightings in the wild are very rare. They roam huge territories, they blend perfectly with their surroundings and they don't really like to be around people. So a sighting that results in a quality photo opportunity is something beyond rare. The Mountain Lion images in this gallery were taken in Big Bend National Park. Despite this National Park being known for mountain lion sightings, the odds are very poor that a park visitor will see one. I spoke to park employees in Big Bend, some of whom had worked there over 30 years, and most of them had never even gotten a glimpse one of these magnificent animals. My friends and family will tell you that I always considered a mountain lion photo as the holy grail of my photograpy vocation. Though I wanted to capture an image of a mountain lion above all else, I knew it wasn't really very likely that it would ever happen. But after many years of looking for one of these beautiful and elusive big cats, I finally got the sighting AND the shot
As for bobcats, I've been fortunate enough to spot them in the wild several times over the years. On four occasions I've been able to photograph them. They aren't as rare as mountain lions, but they're pretty hard to spot, and it's still a thrill to see them.