Illinois bobcat season concludes

The 2023-2024 Illinois bobcat season concluded Feb. 15, with 370 bobcats harvested by hunters and trappers.

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources reported a  total of 214 (55 percent) of bobcats were taken by hunting, while trapping accounted for 156 (40 percent) of the harvest. 

Nineteen (5 percent) were salvaged by permit holders from circumstances such as road kill.

Hunters and trappers in Jo Daviess County reported 19 bobcats, the most for any county this year. 

IDNR reported there were 7,000 bobcat lottery applicants in 2023 and 1,000 permits issued for the season.

The bobcat harvest from the 2022-2023 season was 367, with 16 salvaged.

IDNR continues to monitor the status of bobcats and will evaluate the program as new data becomes available from ongoing research.