Prowling bobcat caught on camera in Whiteside Co.

Jim Long figured he would capture images of deer, raccoons, and maybe a coyote when he set out a series of trail cameras on his property west of Morrison.

He did not expect to see a prowling, glowing-eyed creature that appears to be about the size of a medium dog.

Long realized it was a bobcat.

“I've heard stories of them being in the area, but never met anyone who actually saw one,” Long said, adding that it appears the same bobcat caught on camera one night returned a couple of days later.

“I'm hoping it will come back during the day so I can get a color video.”

Getting daytime video may be a challenge as bobcats prefer large forested or wooded areas and are most active at night, dusk and dawn, according to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.

“Daytime movements are rare except during the breeding season and occasionally during winter when food is scarce,” the IDNR reports on its website.

“Was pretty excited to see this [bobcat],” Long said.

Hearing one, however, could be an unsettling experience, as the IDNR says Bobcats are known to “make low growls or high-pitched screams” in the wild.