Indiana DNR Withdraws Proposal To Open Bobcat Hunting Season

The decision comes after sizable opposition to hunting the state's only native wildcat for a trophy.

Photo by Don DeBold, Wikipedia.

(Indianapolis, Ind.) - A bobcat hunting season has been “shot down” in Indiana.

The Indiana Natural Resources Commission announced Tuesday the removal of a proposed rule to open a bobcat hunting and trapping season, sparing 250-300 bobcats from being killed for trophies.

The decision comes after sizable opposition to a proposal that would have allowed for bobcat hunting and trapping in southern Indiana counties in 2019.

The rule was initially proposed by the Indiana DNR in their September 2017 biennial rule package, without an accurate population count for bobcats.

However, more than 1,300 concerned citizens and wildlife field experts voiced their opposition for the species that had been lifted from Indiana’s endangered species list in 2005 after nearly 50 years of protection. 

“Today is a huge victory for bobcats and wildlife advocates alike. Hoosiers spoke out loudly and clearly in opposition to the idea of killing their only native wildcat for a trophy, and we thank the Natural Resource Commission for listening to Indiana’s citizens,” said Erin Huang, Indiana senior state director for the Humane Society of the United States. “It was the right decision to keep this still-recovering species protected, and we are heartened that Indiana’s bobcats will not be commercialized.”

The commission also removed a proposed rule requiring nuisance wildlife control officers to kill all coyotes, opossums and raccoons they catch.

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