The Ohio Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Division is considering a limited season for trapping bobcats.
ODNR is working with researchers to study the bobcat population and estimate how much more it will grow. Wildlife Communications Manager John Windau says sightings of the elusive cats have grown over the past decade. He also says the animals are typically harmless around people.
“Bobcats are very secretive and a lot of the times they’re around, people don’t even know it. They’re active in the dawn and dusk hours and again, they’re kind of secretive. ... For the most part, the cat will be more afraid of the people.”
The proposed season, Windau says, would have a quota of around 60 cats statewide. Once that quota is met, the season would end. Trappers could sell the bobcat pelts, but would need to hand over the carcasses to state researchers for analysis.
Bobcats were removed from the endangered species list in 2014. ODNR received around 500 reports of bobcat sightings last year.
