Bobcat Comeback in New Hampshire

Bobcats are making a comeback in New Hampshire.  After their pronounced decline into the 1980′s, the state placed protections on the once-common species that had then become rare.  Two decades of protection apparently helped the cat population, which seems to have made a great comeback.

In recent years, reports of bobcat sightings from all over the state seem to indicate that populations are on the rise.  The University of New Hampshire, in cooperation with the New Hampshire Fish & Game Department, is working on a research study to quantify the bobcat population in the state.

Many trappers, landowners and wildlife management supporters would like to see a controlled trapping season in the state that would regulate bobcat numbers while allowing the species to thrive.  This is done in most other states that have healthy bobcat populations.  Some environmentalists, already fearing a bobcat hunting or trapping season, have pulled people together to sign a petition to oppose such a season, which, as of now, has not been proposed.  I only have one question…….where is the petition to support NH researchers and wildlife managers to make decisions based on data?  I’d gladly sign.

Here are a couple of recent stories on the bobcat study:

Bobcats are Returning to the State

NH Officials Seek Public’s Help on Bobcat Study

Research Underway in New Mexico Trapping Ban Area

A while back, I reported on a trapping ban instituted by New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson in the state’s gray wolf recovery area.  The ban was placed and extended with the a stipulation that a study would be performed to evaluate trapping’s potential impacts to wolves.

That study is now underway, with research being conducted by the University of New Mexico.

Most trappers and wildlife researchers should already be aware that impacts due to trapping are minimal, especially given the fact that professional biologists use the foothold trap to capture and release wolves for research purposes and introduction into new areas.

If the study is done in an unbiased manner and results are interpreted correctly, I suspect it will show that most current trapping methods would have no impacts to the wolf population.

New Hampshire Study Documents Higher Bobcat Numbers

A four year trapping and tagging study by the University of New Hampshire and NH Fish and Game is beginning to document a significant comeback in bobcat numbers in the state.

As of late last month, UNH faculty and students, trappers and Fish & Game personnel involved in the effort had tagged 12 bobcats, collared them and taken small bits of tissue for DNA testing.

Litvaitis said trappers involved with the project are local to the Keene area and willing to help. Much of the trapping took place once snow was on the ground, Litvaitis said, noting many bobcats find food more scarce in the winter, lose substantial weight and are more willing to take bait. Only full-grown males, who can take down deer by themselves, make it through winter without struggles, and bobcats are showing up in back yards looking for bird feeders and the like much more frequently than 20 years ago. Litvaitis said he’s had close to 170 observation reports sent to him the last two years, more or less statewide.

The New Hampshire Fish and Game Department is interested in learning more about the bobcat population, presumably to help guide their wildlife management decisions.

As the project is a cooperative effort with Fish & Game, Litvaitis said the agency has an interest in how many bobcats the state has compared to surrounding states. The agency hopes that will give it a better sense of how 20 years with protected status affected the animals’ distribution and abundance.

The return of a healthy bobcat population in New Hampshire is great news.  With this new knowledge of bobcat population status and today’s sound wildlife management practices and regulation, perhaps bobcats could again be legally harvested by sportsmen in the Granite State.

See the story here.

Click here for more info on the bobcat study and some great pictures.