Local man shares lynx experience
By Kathy McCarty
Staff Writer
PRESQUE ISLE — An outing earlier this year for Troy Nichols, of Presque Isle, and a friend turned into a once-in-a-lifetime event, when the men had an opportunity to observe lynx in their natural habitat.
“On Feb. 25, a friend of mine — Ron from Connecticut — and I were leaving the Sporting Club in St. Agatha around mid-afternoon (on ITS-83). Ron was ahead of me on his snowmobile and we were traveling at a slow pace. Ron banked his sled to the left side of the trail and jumped off his machine, excited to pull me over to stop,” said Nichols.
Photo courtesy of Troy Nichols
THESE LYNX were spotted by Troy Nichols, of Presque Isle, and a friend earlier this year as the men traveled south on the snowmobile trail, after spending time in St. Agatha earlier in the day.
Nichols said his friend motioned for him to look to the woods but he wasn’t sure what Nichols said he wasn’t sure what he was supposed to be looking for as he did so.
“Ron kept pointing in the woods and I didn’t know what he wanted. After flipping up my helmet, he motioned for me to be quiet. He then walked up to me and said a big cat ran across the trail,” Nichols said, noting his friend also indicated he thought it was a lynx.
Nichols was amazed at what he saw next.
“While sitting on my sled wondering, two lynx cats walked out of the woods in front of us and sat their butts down to watch us. I sat on my sled, hiding behind my windshield taking pictures. Ron stated that there was one cat behind us and two cats in front of us. It was a weird feeling, sitting in the middle of these nasty-looking animals,” he said.
As the friends sat in awe, the cats showed no sign of fear, edging closer to the men.
“As we waited in disbelief, the two cats in front of us walked towards us about 15 feet and sat again, watching, then moved about 20 feet closer, and just stood there. The cats got closer and closer until we heard some snowmobiles in the distance, coming in our direction,” said Nichols.
It was at that point the lynx decided it was time to move along.
“The two cats ran into the woods, the snowmobiles went by and we could see the cats walking around us in the woods. Ron and I kept an eye on them,” said Nichols, adding all three cats eventually ended up behind him and his friend, about 40 feet away.
“We sat and watched as they carried on about their business, keeping an eye on them until they were out of sight,” said Nichols.
The men have kept in touch since the incident and continue to ponder their furry close encounter.
“Ron and I still wonder to this day how close they would have gotten to us,” said Nichols. “We’d never seen lynx like that and probably won’t ever see one again. It was awesome!”
