Montana Reduced Quotas

[dhostetler]

What do you all think about the proposed bobcat quota reductions? I have never hunted in these units, so I guess I don't have an opinion.

• Reduce Region 4 bobcat quota from 200 to 100
• Reduce Region 5 bobcat quota from 250 to 200.
• Reduce Region 6 bobcat quota from 90 to 50.

http://fwp.mt.gov/hunting/publicComment ... rRegs.html

[twist]

Doesn't really matter trappers are the ones that fill the quotas? Andy

[Pagosa]

I would guess some are being killed by people using game calls since that is getting more popular.

[BAR BAR 2]

We are trying to get something similar set up here in Wyoming. So far though, ticking off the trappers is about all that has been accomplished. Even when faced with actual numbers backing up our side of the argument, Game & Fish and the some of the trappers just want to ignore the fact there is a problem. Right now, our main goal is to just get some sort of management plan in place. At our last meeting, we had a G & F biologist admit to us that other that a little bit of information being taken when a bobcat is tagged, there really isn't any management plan in place.

I am not a fan of the government having more say over our sport, but Game & Fish are the ones charged with overseeing and managing pur wildlife resources. It would be nice if all hunters, houndsmen and trappers were ethical and put a healthy wildlife population before a full game bag, but that isn't always the case. I have had people try to tell me that the fur prices and harvest rates had nothing to do with reduced bobcat populations. This was from a government trapper on this board.

This is in our thread about the Wy Houndsmen Association
http://biggamehoundsmen.com/forum/wyomi ... ml#p246766

You can see the conversation that was started because of some different ideas being discussed to help perpetuate the declining bobcat population.

There will be people who are against any sort of quota system on the harvest of cats, but sometimes unpopular measures have to be taken to protect the resource. When faced with opposition on something like this, a person tends to question the motives of those who are against it. The big difference between houndsmen and trappers, is that the hound guys will go home with pictures alot more than they do hides, but the trapper is out there specifically for the fur. There is nothing wrong with that as long, as there is a healthy population from which to harvest. High fur prices have made sure the trapping pressure has increased the last few years though.



Tex

[1bludawg]

Unfortunately the almighty dollar is king .If there's money to be made there are always people who will tell you everything is fine why they kill all they possibly can .If you have the support of some good people keep after it until you get something done .Those people that kill for money will just go do something else when the last cat is gone !

[bigskybowhunter]

I do about 60% of my hunting in region 5 and have trapped it in years passed. I have noticed a swing in population but I am not sure it is enough to change the quotas because I think they have the number about perfect to balance opportunity with season length. Just 5 years ago trappers had no problem filling a 300 cat quota in this area. I didn't have a problem finding tracks every time I went out with my pup this year. Just have to know where to find them. I enjoy the quota where it's at because it gives the whole season to run and if you find that one you have the opportunity to take one if you want.

[r_cordell]

I don't know about those regions, but I'd sure like to see the quota lowered in region 7. The last 3 years, it has continually got harder to find a bobcat. I think its a combination of factors causing it, high fur prices has caused the trappers to take anything that steps in a trap. Guys that used to turn females and kittens loose were keeping them when they were worth 2-3 hundred bucks. Another factor that i think has as much to do with the declining population is lack of cottontails, i've heard that bobcats will always have bigger litters when cottontail populations are high. After not having any the last 6-7 years, our rabbits have made a comeback this summer, so hopefully the bobbers will do the same in the next year or two. Anybody else heard or observed the cottontail theory?

[nidaho]

i have heard that bobcat numbers are related to rabbit and grouse numbers. both of which have been down the last couple of years in Idaho. but I will admit that before getting dogs all I did was trap. and you can catch a lot of cats trapping. but I am not sure that a decline in cat numbers is due to trapping. most trappers use roads to drive or snow cat on for ease and speed. roads at least in Idaho only cover about 2 to 3 percent of our national forest. I had thought that I had trapped most of the cats in my area until I started following the dogs around. the farther I got from the road the more cat sign I would see. I have noticed that rabbit and grouse are way up this year I would expect to see more cats in the next couple years.

[mike martell]

Guys

Something to think about, once you lose those quota reduction proposals you will never get it back....Oregon tried reducing our Eastern Oregon quotas from five to three annual bobcats based on incomplete data and was defeated...

Even though I live in Oregon, I hunt North Central- Eastern Montana with all my family being from Culbertson / Homestead Montana.... Oregon has so much ground off limits to hounds and trappers and so does Montana.

Bobcats like Coyotes like all species run in cycles. Montana has so much ground off limits to both hounds and trapping and will always contain a population of bobcats.

This debate is like the gun debate, give an inch and Government will take a mile. FWP is no different than ODFW or CDFG........Government starts with the minority user groups and continues from there. They all want our hunting, all of it!

Good luck!

Mike

[r_cordell]

Good point, Mike. It's with a grain of salt that I say that I wouldn't mind seeing the quotas lowered, after thinking about it, maybe a personal quota would be a better proposition. A female quota would be even better, it would be hard for hounds men to identify sex, but for a trapper it would be easy.

In this area, where it's easy to get to most everywhere cats are, I think the high fur prices and good trappers were the biggest factor in declining numbers. I know one trapper who caught 120, 90, and 70 cats in three continuous years, respectively. Most of those cats were in a relatively small area.

I think with lower fur prices and a bobcat population on the uptick due to natural cycles, the overall population will be pretty decent in a couple years.

[mike martell]

r_cordell

We houndsmen are no different than trappers.

When fur prices are sky high, everyone wants to buy a good bobcat hound and those who have little experience will get into trapping & hounds...

Those are some pretty impressive bobcat numbers the guy trapped...Look at how much it cost to maintain that trapline and once prices decline like they have will force those bent on making a buck to reduce their lines or quit, the same as houndsmen...If bobcats got be worth nothing, you would see the real trappers and houndsmen continue for the same reasons....

If we could go to a year round training season for bobcats, I would give up on the harvest side for the opportunity to keep my hounds in the woods...I just know all too well how the game is played in wildlife management....Please think about holding your ground and fighting to keep your quotas. About a year and 1/2 ago we took a vote with our OUSDA and the majority of the houndsmen in Oregon voted to keep quotas where they stand and looking back, it was the best decision moving forward!

Good Luck!

Mike

[dhostetler]

These reduced quotas are total Region wide harvest quotas not per person harvest limits. Unlike Oregon I don't believe there is any political influence on the bobcat harvest limits in Montana. I personally know the biologist that is responsible for setting the quota and closing the season in Region 1. When I checked in my last 2 bobcats he told me he was concerned about the amount of females being checked in versus males compared to other years. So he was concerned about the status of the population.

Mike, Unlike eastern Montana, virtually all the bobcat habitat in Region 1 is on public land. In Region 1 the key for good populations is sled hunting or get at least 20 miles away from the closest houses.

[dhostetler]

As a resident of Montana, I can't hunt bobcats in Idaho because Montana doesn't allow non residents to hunt bobcats. When I bear hunt in Idaho I always thought according to bobcat sign the population seems to be pretty good. The attached picture is one that my dogs treed in Unit 4 in May. On Monday hunting in Unit 6 after driving around for hours trying to get a bear strike, I got a good rig dumped the box turned out to be a hard running bobcat. Put 12 miles on my collars all in about a 2 square mile area. I think 2 of my young dogs put it up but couldn't locate it. I wasn't paying enough attention to my GPS at the time to know where to go look for it.

If I am correct Idaho has no quotas on bobcats but may have a bag limit?

[nidaho]

dhostetler you are correct there is no quota and there is no bag limit. I have heard that unit 4 has a good population of bobcats.