Most people do not want them hunted or trapped. 71% of Hoosiers opposed trapping and hunting bobcats.   
  
Lack of evidence. DNR has shown NO official population survey has been conducted. ZERO research done. This means there is no way to know what the actual bobcat population is. They admitted this in 2019. 

Bobcats are integral to the health of Indiana’s ecosystems. Along with other predators like foxes and coyotes, they control populations of prey species. Without bobcats, other predators are at risk of overpopulating, further disrupting the food chain and ecosystem health.   
  
A bobcat's main diet is rodents, rabbits, and hares. By keeping rodent populations in check, zoonotic diseases they cause like Rocky Mountain spotted fever, anaplasmosis, babesiosis, ehrlichiosis, tularemia, and Alpha-gal Syndrome, and Lyme disease, are reduced. The economic burden of diagnosed Lyme disease is close to $1 billion per year in the US , according to NIH. Less predators, more rodents, more zoonotic diseases. 

Wire neck snare traps and jaw-toothed leg traps are cruel and painful. Other untargeted species including people's pets have been caught in them. Bobcats and other animals can remain in these painful traps for days before hunters check them. 

Bobcats were endangered in Indiana in 2005. Conservation efforts led to their population increase. When the initial LSA Document #24-383 to trap bobcats was proposed, over 3,000 opposing comments were sent in and DNR still passed the killing quota of 250. THEIR OWN POPULATION MODELS show that a quota of 400 and over will lead to bobcat eradication...yet NOW they want to bump that quota up to 400. LOL WHAT.   
  
Hoosiers who want to weigh in on the proposed expansion of bobcat hunting in Indiana can do so until May 19. Please make your voices heard! We cannot give up. The quota needs to be 0.

Emailed comments must be sent to lianderson@dnr.in.gov. Only comments sent to that address will be officially considered.

Comments can also be mailed to the following address:

LSA Document #26-98 Bobcat Hunting

Lisa L. Anderson

Natural Resources Commission

C/O Department of Natural Resources, Legal Division

Indiana Government Center South

402 West Washington Street, Room W255-A

Indianapolis, IN 46204-2273

A public hearing will also be held on May 19 at 12:30 p.m. at the Fort Harrison State Park, Garrison Conference Center, Blue Heron Ballroom, 6002 North Post Road in Indianapolis. 

Bobcat hunting & trapping (using cruel wire snare traps and jaw-toothed leg traps) w/ new quota of 400 individuals can lead to complete eradication of bobcats, please mail your comments if you oppose hunting/trapping our beloved bobcats!