Bobcat Season
The season bag limit is one per license holder. The season quota is 400 bobcats. If the quota is reached before Jan. 31, the season will close early. You can monitor progress toward the quota during the season on the Division of Fish, Wildlife & Nature Preserves Activity Hub.
To target bobcats, harvesters must possess a resident or nonresident Indiana bobcat license, as well as a relevant license that allows the harvest activity of interest, such as an annual trapping license for trapping or an annual small game license for hunting. See license requirements in the hunting guide for more details. A lifetime trapping license, resident youth hunting and trapping combo license, lifetime comprehensive hunting license, or lifetime comprehensive hunting and fishing license includes the bobcat license, so additional licenses are not needed.
Both hunting and trapping are allowed, with restrictions. Visit the hunting guide for more details. If you are trapping and not in an open county or have already met your bag limit, visit the trapping page for guidance on releasing a bobcat from a trap.
Mandatory Bobcat Registration
Register
Successful harvesters must register their bobcat within 24 hours using CheckIN Game.
Skin & Separate
Successful harvesters must skin the bobcat and separate the pelt from the carcass before registering the pelt with a designated Indiana DNR employee or official Indiana DNR furbearer check station. Bobcat carcasses are not required to be submitted at the time of registration.
Present Pelt
The pelt must be presented for physical registration and CITES tagging within 15 days after the month of harvest at a furbearer registration station.
CITES is the Convention on the International Trade of Endangered Species. Bobcats are a look-alike for endangered lynx, so are required to be CITES tagged by federal law and international treaties. A CITES tag is also required by state rule, as well as being necessary to transport legally harvested bobcats across state lines to tan or sell them.
Harvesters should call furbearer registration stations in advance to ensure staff availability. For help finding the options nearest to you, check the list here or call the furbearer tagging hotline at 812-353-8282.
Additional Information
This dashboard does not update in real time. For real time data on the bobcat harvest, view quotas on the Division of Fish. Wildlife & Nature Preserves Activity Hub.
