Town bobcat raids chicken coops, contributing to egg shortage in Grand Marais

Amid a national egg shortage, a bobcat is raiding backyard chicken coops in Grand Marais.

As winter progresses and snow depths increase, bobcats and other northeast Minnesota animals can have difficulty acquiring food, leading them to wander into areas with easier food sources.

“When we have any significant amount of snow on the ground, bobcats seem to have a little harder time making a living,” said Nancy Hansen, the Two Harbors area wildlife manager for the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.

Throughout the past three weeks, there have been numerous sightings of one or more bobcats roaming the streets of Grand Marais, both during the daylight and evening hours.

In mid-February, Grand Marais resident Beth Kennedy had a bobcat visit her deck two days in a row. The bobcat stayed there for approximately 10 minutes, she said. “I’ve never seen a bobcat so close before.”

Bobcat on Beth Kennedy’s deck | Photo by Beth Kennedy

Among the town bobcat sightings are, unfortunately, reports of backyard chickens that did not appreciate the wildlife encounter.

Grand Marais resident Marjorie Quello said she lost one chicken to a bobcat after it tore off the heavy steel screening around the inner chicken run. Her other two chickens survived the incident, but she said they are still terrified.

Slightly outside of the city limits, a handful of other Grand Marais residents and backyard chickens have had a similar experience.

Grand Marais resident Paulina Backstrom said she had a recent bobcat incident, losing eight of her chickens.

Another Grand Marais resident who lives near the Croftville area east of town, told WTIP that since Christmas, they have lost two ducks and eight chickens to a bobcat.

“We had 30 birds, so now 20, a full third of our flock,” the individual said.

Following the incidents, the individual has tightened up the coop’s security, but noted that “most recently it’s started trying to work a hole through our coop door.”

DNR’s Wildlife Manager Hansen said bobcats will look for easy opportunities, and sometimes that happens to be backyard chickens.

“Something the size of a chicken is very obvious on the landscape and very appealing to a bobcat,” Hansen said. She said it’s more common for younger bobcats to venture into more urban areas to seek alternative food sources.

Although adult bobcats can kill a small deer, usually a fawn, Hansen said they typically would not attack a dog or cat. However, residents should still keep an eye on pets, particularly the smaller ones.

Hansen said a busy bird feeder may be another attractive feature for a young bobcat. “Anything where there’s a steady food supply.”

Late winter is also the breeding season for bobcats, and males will venture away from typical home ranges in search of a mate. Hansen said females will generally set up a den between March and May and try to find a safe and less busy place. Then, they may roam and hunt at night in nearby areas. “More likely, they’re out hunting in the cover of darkness. They tend to be an ambush predator.”

Hansen said similar to other wildlife or predators, if an individual encounters a bobcat, try to “scare it off.” Do not approach the animal or try to feed it.

“We live in a place where there are wild animals and lots of predators,” Hansen said. “And winter is especially a time period where animals may come a little closer to people than we’re used to.”

Earlier this week, farther up the Gunflint Trail, Trail Center Lodge owner Sarah Hamilton had a recent wildlife visitor visit her deck. The video from Sarah Hamilton of a Canada Lynx is below.

As various wildlife venture closer to residents’ homes in search of an easy meal, Hansen said there are a handful of preventative measures homeowners and chicken owners can take.

She said preventative measures include solar-powered flashers, motion detector lights, or a radio in the chicken coop to cover up the chicken sounds. Most importantly, Hansen noted, individuals should take measures to “change or prevent the same problem from occurring again.”

And with an ongoing national egg shortage, Hansen said, “Every egg counts.”

Kalli Hawkins March 3, 2025