SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WTWO/WAWV) — The 2024-2025 Illinois bobcat season has concluded, and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources has announced that a total of 649 bobcats were harvested by hunters and trappers. That is a 75% increase from the previous season.
The department said a total of 415 bobcats were taken by hunters, while trapping accounted for 234. The other 25 were salvaged by permit holders from circumstances such as roadkill. This total of 649 bobcats is 279 more bobcats harvested compared to the 2023-2024 season.
The success rate for hunters and trappers in the 2024-2025 season was 32.5%, which is 4.5% lower than the 2023 success rate of 37%.
In the 2024-20205 season, the department said they have handed out 2,000 bobcat permits out of the 9,200 applications. This is 1,000 more permits than the 2023-2024 season and 1,500 more than the first season in 2016.
Since the first season in 2016, the department reports that over 3,000 bobcats have been harvested.
Comments