These photos capture a rare glimpse of a bobcat running through the snow near Sackville

At first, he thought it was just a fox or a groundhog, but closer inspection revealed something much more spectacular.

Paul LeBlanc shot these photographs of a bobcat near Sackville on Sunday while out taking pictures of wildlife.

"When I looked through the lens, it was like, 'Wow,'" he said.

The photos show the animal pouncing on its prey. LeBlanc managed to get photos of the animal in mid-jump. 

In his day job, LeBlanc works as a civil technologist in Moncton but considers himself an avid shooter.

Getting these shots was just a matter of being in the right place, at the right time, he said.

"I wish I could say it was skill," he said. "To see one of those, it's just luck of the draw.

"I was very fortunate to witness it and be able to capture it."

LeBlanc said he'd always wanted to see a bobcat up close in the wild but thought he'd never have the chance.

"This was a dream," he said.

"I've always been kinda excited to see one. I didn't think I ever would."