It is fascinating to me how various State Wildlife Divisions decide to institute hunting seasons on various animals without having any idea of how large and in what condition the population of that animal is.............South Dakota has conducted a Bobcat hunting season for a good decade west of the Missouri River and now is opening a season east of the river.............The Dept. of Game admits that they really do not know how many cats inhabit their state while allowing hunters and trappers to kill 600 every year(latest statistic I could find was 623 in 2003-04 season).......I quote the Dept. of Game commentary on Bobcat populations in their state: "Little information exists on the distribution and population size of bobcats"..........."There is a need to determine distribution of habitats and their use and to evaluate indices to population abundance of bobcats in South Dakota"-----Outrageous to kill 600+ Bobcats without having any data!!!!!!!!!!

BOBCAT SEASON BEGINS IN SOUTH DAKOTA, EAST OF THE MISSOURI RIVER

SOURCE-YANKTON  PRESS & DAKOTAN

YANKTON, South Dakota — South Dakota's first bobcat season  east of the Missouri River opens Saturday. The East River bobcat population has reached a point in which it can sustain a limited harvest, and more of the animals are being spotted in the southeast part of the state, said Sam Schelhaas, a Yankton-based state Game, Fish and Parks conservation officer.

"A lot of archery hunters are using trail cameras that they put in a tree, and anytime anything walks by there, it snaps a picture. A lot of the hunters are reporting bobcats," Schelhaas told the Yankton Press and Dakotan. "We also have several bobcats that were hit on the roads, mainly Highways 50 and 81."

The East River season runs in Yankton, Bon Homme, Charles Mix, Brule and Buffalo counties from Dec. 8-30. The season for all counties west of the Missouri River runs Dec. 8-Feb. 15.
Keith Fisk, GF&P's wildlife damage program administrator, said the agency is researching bobcats in several areas of South Dakota and will be evaluating reproduction, body condition and stomach content of all harvested bobcats. The evaluation project is expected to last the entire season, he said.

Southeast South Dakota hunters began showing interest as soon as the season was announced, Schelhaas said. "Local guys look at (the cat) as a trophy because there has never been a bobcat season in Yankton, he said. "And you can get a lot of money, from $150 to $350, for a bobcat pelt."

Hunters and trappers who take bobcats are required to remove the pelts from the carcasses and surrender the entire carcasses within five days to GF&;P for registration and tagging, Hunters must have a fur-bearer license, and only one bobcat is allowed per hunter or trapper.

Once the season is closed, an individual has 24 hours to notify GF&;P personnel of any untagged bobcats harvested during the season.

Schelhaas he doesn't want to see the East River bobcat season treated as a one-time experiment.
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Study Title:

Evaluating Habitat Suitability, Population Size and Prey Use of

Bobcats in South Dakota

South Dakota Dept. of Game, Fish & Parks

Objectives:

1.---- Determine current distribution and movement patterns of bobcats in the

Black Hills, western South Dakota, and eastern South Dakota by 30 June

2010.
 

 

2. Determine habitat selection of bobcats at landscape, meso, and plotscales in the Black Hills, western South Dakota, and eastern South Dakota by 30 June 2010.

 

3. Determine food habits of bobcats inhabiting forest and prairie habitats of

South Dakota by 30 June 2010.

 

4. Estimate population size of bobcats in the Black Hills, western South

Dakota, and eastern South Dakota by 30 June 2010.

 

 

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Little information exists on the distribution and population size of bobcats in South Dakota
 

 

Bobcats occupy habitats within the three regions (Black Hills, western prairies, eastern prairies) that characterize the state.

However, it is unknown how bobcats utilize the landscape or their effects on

other wildlife populations (i.e., prey species) within the state. There is a need to

determine distribution of habitats and their use and to evaluate indices to

population abundance of bobcats in South Dakota.

 Currently, bobcats are

harvested in western South Dakota. However, effects of harvest on population

size and potential for harvest in eastern South Dakota are unknown. Information

obtained from this study will enhance understanding of bobcat distribution,

habitat selection, prey use, and population size in South Dakota.