Bobcat Hunting Update

Wisconsin will offer a southern zone bobcat hunting and trapping season beginning in fall 2014. State wildlife officials say the creation of a southern management zone will make new opportunities available for people to hunt and trap bobcats.

The southern management zone, which includes all of Wisconsin south of Highway 64, is the result of recent research regarding bobcat population density and habitat use in central Wisconsin conducted by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point.

The effort was supported by hunters and trappers who asked for a surcharge on the fee for bobcat permit applications; these charges were used to fund the research.

The northern harvest zone will remain unchanged.

Bobcat hunting and trapping period dates will remain the same, and are as follows: Period 1 – Oct. 18 to Dec. 25 and Period 2 – Dec. 26 to Jan. 31, 2015.

Those interested in hunting and/or trapping bobcats will need to apply to a specific zone (north or south) and time period (period 1 or 2) for the upcoming season. The application deadline for bobcat permits is always Aug. 1. It is important to note that applicant preference points will continue as in the past.

Final permit numbers for each zone will not be known until early August and will be published on the DNR website once finalized. For more information visit dnr.wi.gov and search “trap.”