Bobcat hunting and trapping could come to Indiana

Bobcats may be removed from Indiana's list of protected species to allow for hunting and trapping seasons in some parts of the state.

The Department of Natural Resources is considering the change because of a recent surge in the bobcat population. With the addition of a regulated hunting season, officials say, the growth would be managed appropriately. Right now, the numbers decrease only when bobcats die in accidental kills, like car crashes, or from old age, said Sgt. Paul Axton with DNR's District 7 in southwest Indiana.

"The bobcat population is on the increase, and they're on the top of the food chain," Axton said.

Bobcats were added to the state's list of endangered species in 1969. Since 2005, they've been considered a protected species, which means they can't be hunted or trapped but face no danger of becoming extinct.

In the proposal, hunting and trapping would be allowed in the southwestern parts of the state, though specific counties haven't been selected. Limits for individual hunters and a statewide quota also would be enforced.

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DNR officials reiterated that the proposal is at an informal stage, and they'll be collecting feedback until Sunday, May 15.

But the idea is already drawing some criticism.

Because it's difficult to track the exact number of bobcats, setting a sustainable quota for a hunting season would be challenging, said Erin Huang, Indiana director for Humane Society of the United States.

“This is a species that has been protected since 1969 since they were nearly (destroyed) from the state due to overhunting,” Huang said. “They’re elusive, shy creatures. I don’t know if there’s really any reason for it.”

She also brushes off concerns about bobcats potentially hunting family pets. At about twice the size of a house cat, Huang said, bobcats tend to eat rabbits and  small rodents.

Another activist called hunting and trapping "cruel," pointing to a specific example in Florida, where bobcat hunting is legal. Staff from Big Cat Rescue, a national nonprofit, were called to help a bobcat stuck in a trap, said Susan Bass, public relations director. But when they arrived, the bobcat ran away from them.

Once they finally caught the bobcat, they discovered the animal had chewed off its front paws to escape from the trap. The bobcat then had to be euthanized.

"As hurt and in pain as he was, he was still trying to get away from us," Bass said. "That's how afraid of people they are."

Don’t allow bobcat hunting in Indiana

About 40 states allow some form of bobcat hunting, but some still oppose it. In New Hampshire, a recent proposal to award 50 bobcat hunting permits via a lottery drew so much criticism that it was withdrawn last month, according to the Burlington Free Press.

Still, Indiana officials think the bobcat population is something that needs to be addressed. They point to another potential benefit: curbing poaching. Illegal hunting and trapping is a Class C misdemeanor that can carry a maximum penalty of 60 days in jail and a $500 fine in Indiana.

But bobcat pelts fetch high dollars in other states where hunting is allowed, like Michigan and Kentucky, driving some Indiana hunters to cross borders to make a sell.

Jimmy Durako, who frequently hunts in Southern Indiana and owns Predator Tactics, a hunting lights store in Lafayette, is concerned about what could happen if the bobcat population grows quickly.

“Once they start to really increase in numbers, then there is less food for them," Durako said. "It gets them to venture off into somebody’s yard and snag up a little dog or cat." He's also worried about chickens and other livestock being hunted.

Officials in sheriffs' offices from Southern Indiana told IndyStar that they hear about bobcat sightings all the time, but haven't experienced any issues — beyond car crashes, that is.

Even then, no one in Vanderburgh County has reported a bobcat sighting in more than a month, said Braden Buss, a supervisor for the sheriff's office.

Many details need to be worked out in the DNR proposal because it's still early in the process, said Scott Johnson, wildlife science program manager. DNR will consider public comments over the summer before making a decision.

Public input may be provided by May 15 on Indiana Department of Natural Resources' website. 

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Call IndyStar reporter Kara Berg at (317) 444-6179 . Follow her on Twitter: @karaberg95.