If you want to see an Indiana bobcat trapping season, your help is needed!
Submit your comment In support of a Trapping Season here: https://www.in.gov/nrc/rules/rulemaking-docket/
For more information read below
Submit your comment In support of a Trapping Season here: https://www.in.gov/nrc/rules/rulemaking-docket/
For more information read below
1. Scroll down to Rule Name: Bobcat Amendments, find "Comment Period" and select "Submit Comments Here."
2. When asked to include the "Rule Name," copy and paste the following: Rule Name: Bobcat Amendments (312 IAC 9-2-3, 312 IAC 9-3-9, 312 IAC 9-3-18.1, 312 IAC 9-3-18.4, 312 IAC 9-10-4, 312 IAC 9-10-12)
3. Leave a comment.
Sample Comment:
"I am supportive of these rule changes that will allow for the management of bobcat populations through trapping in 40 counties in southern Indiana. In the near future, I would also like to see hunting added as a legal means of harvest of bobcats.
Human activity has permanently altered Indiana's natural habitat and wildlife population dynamics. As such, science-based wildlife management is required to maintain the health of the State’s wildlife habitats and populations. These actions should include the use of hunting and trapping to manage population sizes and densities when data shows that it is advisable.
Backcountry Hunters & Anglers supports science-based wildlife management, a central tenet of the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation. As a member of the Indiana Chapter of BHA, I support science-based management of the bobcat population.
All recent scientific studies show a recovered and sustainable population of bobcats in much of Indiana. Whenever possible, the State must rely on hunters and trappers as a primary means of population management as set forth in the North American Model for Wildlife Conservation."
The Proposed Rule Changes
In 2024, the General Assembly directed the Indiana DNR to have rules in place for a bobcat season by July 1st of 2025 (SEA 241-2024). At their September 17th meeting, the Natural Resources Commission gave preliminary adoption to the proposed rule changes (312 IAC 9-2-3, 312 IAC 9-3-9, 312 IAC 9-3-18.1, and 312 IAC 9-3-18.4) which have now opened for the first public comment period.
The new rule changes include the following:
- Establishing a bobcat trapping season in 40 counties in southern Indiana that includes a bag limit of one bobcat per trapper and a season quota of 250 bobcats.
- Allowing bobcats and their parts that are legally acquired to be sold.
- Allowing bobcats that are found dead to be kept by people with a permit.
- Adding bobcats to the list of species for which a game breeder’s license is required.
The rule changes are yet to be finalized, and the Natural Resources Commission is currently seeking public input until November 14, 2024. On that same day there will be a public hearing from 5-7pm ET at the Southeast Purdue Agricultural Center at 4425 East 350 North, Butlerville, IN 47223. This will also be live-streamed online here: https://www.in.gov/nrc/rules/rulemaking-docket/
This could mean Indiana is on the way to its first bobcat trapping season since the species was added to the endangered species list in 1969.
Background on Indiana's Bobcat Conservation Success
The decline of bobcats in Indiana and throughout North America was due in large part to habitat loss and unregulated hunting due to their “nuisance” status. But the extirpation of wolves by 1908 also played a key role, as once wolves were removed from the landscape coyotes took over (see Dan Flores’s Coyote America if you want to learn more.) Coyotes and bobcats compete for prey and, coupled with rapid habitat loss throughout the middle of the twentieth century, bobcat numbers declined rapidly.
But that has changed over the last couple decades. Bobcats were removed from the endangered species list in 2005, and their population has steadily grown over the years. There were previous attempts to establish a bobcat trapping season in Indiana via legislation in 2018 and 2019, but they failed due to public resistance led by anti-hunting organizations.
Although the current rule changes were dictated by the state legislature, scientific data support opening a limited bobcat trapping season.
In the “Regulatory Analysis” section of the proposed changes, the NRC writes that the bobcat population “has expanded during the last two decades, incidental takings have increased…and the population continues to expand.” A 2022 habitat analysis done by Purdue University shows that in the 40 southern Indiana counties which would be open to a bobcat season there is “good coverage of quality habitats that can support a healthy, self-sustaining bobcat population.”
In addition to the habitat research supporting these rule changes, the number of landowners who have requested a permit to take bobcats that have depredated livestock have doubled between 2018 and 2023, another sign of a healthy, growing population. The DNR also notes that Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan, and Wisconsin have bobcat seasons, so their populations have stabilized across the region.
If you support these rule changes, the period for public comment is open until November 14th. But don’t wait. Take the time to share your support for the rule changes with the Natural Resources Commission now. Indiana’s wildlife belongs to all Hoosiers, and the DNR serves as the trustee for our public trust. This is why the public comment period is an essential part of wildlife management.
Anti-hunting activists are already busy spreading misinformation and propaganda in an attempt to stop this rule from being approved. Say what you will about such groups (and their dismissal of science in favor of emotion and opinion), but they show up. As mentioned above, in 2018 and 2019 their campaigns were successful and they shut down plans for a bobcat trapping season. Be sure to let the DNR know that you support this rule and the work that they do. If we are successful, the first season in over 50 years will open in fall 2025.
Speaking of science and data, if you have captured bobcats on your trail cams, share those images with the DNR. “Snapshot Indiana” is a citizen science initiative that asks for your participation in managing our natural resources. If you have been seeing large numbers of bobcats on your property or on your public land hunting spots, there is no way for the DNR to know unless you share that information with them. You can learn more about “Snapshot Indiana” here: https://www.in.gov/dnr/fish-and-wildlife/wildlife-resources/snapshot-indiana/
Finally, if you are interested in learning how to trap bobcats, or even if you’re an experienced trapper, check out Indiana BHA’s state-level sponsor, Hoosier Trapper Supply. They have a bobcat trapping kit, and they have everything you need and are happy to help you get started. The Indiana State Trapper’s Association (ISTA) is also a great resource. ISTA offers free trapper’s ed courses in the summer, and they also have a mentor program for those looking to get started in trapping. You can find the contact info for Hoosier Trapper Supply and ISTA in the links below.
You can read the proposed rule changes here:
Hoosier Trapper Supply:
Indiana State Trapper’s Association:
To learn more about the Purdue study of habitat selection and suitability for bobcats, follow this link:
To learn more about bobcats and their habitat, check out Purdue University Extension’s page: