Will Ohio ever allow Bobcat hunting?
Ohio
I have several bobcats on cam, on my coyote baits and have even had one under my stand, twice. Seems there’s plenty to justify a season, at least in some parts of the state. I sure wouldn’t mind being able to hunt them, even if the limit was just one.
Has anyone talked with ODNR or know their position on this?
Talked to the DNR a few months ago about my nuisance wild animal control license but didn't think to bring up bobcats, although I probably should have.... My guess likely be a while yet for bobcats, the DNR is still trying to protect them from what I gather, they even have a place on there website to report sightings, legal hunting/trapping probably a ways off, but ya never know it didn't take them long with river otters after they reintroduced them in waterways to open a trapping season... Ya oughta enter a bunch of sighting of them Pat, up the odds of there being a huntible population... New hunting/trapping proposals should be out shortly either this month or in March... If they do, yeah likely only 1 permit a year would be my guess too...
Let's see some pix Pat...
ODNR's position in January at the Northeast Ohio Sportsman Show was that there is a huntable population of bobcats in much of Ohio and has been for years now. They are waiting for public opinion to be more favorable. They feel that the public does not realize that there is now a large number of bobcats in Ohio. Bobcats are very secretive. .
Unfortunately looks like it is not going to be next season, the new proposed seasons are out and no mention of a bobcat season:
"OHIO’S 2024-25 HUNTING SEASONS PROPOSED TO WILDLIFE COUNCIL"
https://ohiodnr.gov/discover-and-learn/safety-conservation/about-ODNR/news/ohios-2024-25-hunting-seasons-proposed-to-wildlife-council
Although this study is 3-years old it kinda shows how the population has steadily increased:
'Bobcat Report 2021"
https://ohiodnr.gov/static/documents/wildlife/wildlife-management/BobcatReport2021.pdf
My son traps for canines and routinely catches bobcats. 38 accidental catches in the last 9 years. All age groups. Used to be cool to get a trail cam pic of one, but just a normal occurrence now. I'm not sure how big an impact they are having on our deer and turkey numbers since they are mainly squirrel hunters (?), but it can't be helping. We had a flock of turkeys in the backyard last week. The group came to full alert while we were watching them. It only took a few seconds for us to see the two young bobcats at the edge of the woods that had caused the flocks alarm. Makes you wonder how often that scene plays out.
I get a lot of pictures of bobcats. Are we still supposed to send them to the ODNR?
Yeah Cliff, here is link:
https://survey123.arcgis.com/share/987f2ade0037405ea9ff1819aab040a8?portalUrl=https://gis.ohiodnr.gov/portal
I submitted one early this morning on the roadkill bobcat from last year... Also submitted an active Bald Eagle nest in Hudson after watching a pair mating near a nest on Saturday, Feb 10th...
Submissions requests date and location with a map that can be scrolled and moved around and any information you are willing to give and the ability to download both photos and/or videos if you have them...
Maybe the more submissions with pix/video we send the faster we might get a season is my thinking...
Oh yeah Septdreamin, am sure they are hard on small game, they'll even kill deer... What a house/farm/feral cat will do to critters, can only imagine a cat two or three times it's size will do... I bet trying to release one from a leghold trap is a real blast...8^) Reminds me of a t-shirt back in the day with what looked like blood and scratched in tatters with "Grizzly Bear Insemination Team" on front...8^)))
Thanks Gary. I will start sending them reports with pictures.
I'm pretty sure this did happen, the carcass had to be given to the dnr for research purposes.
Did not happen, matter of fact it is illegal to possess a bobcat pelt in Ohio, even if taken legally out of state until new proposals this year to allow...
Quoted within the link: "PROTECTED SPECIES include yellowlegs, plovers, snowshoe hares, bears, badgers, bobcats, fishers, porcupines, flying squirrels, and nongame birds. Protected species may not be hunted or taken at any time"
Here is this year's proposal to allow possession of legally taken out of state bobcat hides...
"It is proposed to amend this rule by transferring the language for bobcat hides legally acquired from outside Ohio to OAC 1501:31-15-02 since bobcats are not endangered"
https://ohiodnr.gov/rules-and-regulations/rule-changes/proposed-rule-changes/wildlife-proposed-rules
hen i bought my land in Morgan Co, in 97 I had grouse, turkey and rabbits galore. Within 5-7 years all were gone. Bobcats and coyotes put an end to all of them. I get sooo many pictures of bobcats its crazy, see them quite often while on stand as too. Oh well, at least the deer hunting is still fantastic, for now..
