We had one to come through our yard about 3 years ago. Saw it late in the afternoon. A week or 2 later, on different occasions, we also saw young bobcats near our house. My guess is that the adult cat was a mama cat, trying to catch some of the rabbits that live in our yard. I have seen many...
I did use a scope - 3x9, because my eyesight is not what it used to be, and the scope adds a few minutes of hunting light in the thick woods. Deer was a 6-point, about 150-160lbs.
The only deer that I killed this year was killed with a Marlin 1894c in .357. I shot him in the neck at about 80 yards with a 125 grain Sierra JSP over a case full of H110. He didn't take another step.