I have never personally killed a bobcat. One freind is he double l on them, though. he shot two in one day out of a deer stand. 50 lbs is very large for a bobcat. We have lynx , fishers and martins in North america, and I think it is possible that their is some interbreeding, or animals found out of their normal range going on a lot lately. That is certainly a beautiful pelt on that cat.
There also getting to be more and more deer and turkey here in Western N.C., and thee are always reports of Cougars, or Pumas. I know several reputable people who have seen them , some just caught glimpses of them, and some observed the cats for as long as a quarter hour. I truely hope to be able to bag one. Officially they do not exist here, but They are here... What does that make them? Non game? I gues in the wildlife department's eyes they might be. Personally, i consider them furbearing varmints, like Coyotes.
I wonder if it is possible for the civit, or Civet cat to come up from Mexico, or S.A? I know of several eyewitness reports of a solid black cat on some Gamelands near where i used to live, but that was twenty years ago. Jaguar? Or do eastern Panthers range to a black color?
There are certainly some interesting critters in the woods these days.
P.S. I am also an admirer of all the "masterpiece" S& W revolvers. Have a model 14, had a 15 and a 17, wish i had them back