Bobcat hunting season open in Kentucky

New bobcat hunting changes are now in effect in Kentucky as the season opened this weekend.

According to the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources, the bag limit is three bobcats while hunting, and five total for trapping and hunting. A bobcat hunting permit is required.

Bobcat season continues in Kentucky during daylight hours until Feb. 28.

In spite of being rarely seen by most people, bobcats are found in most of the lower 48 states, Canada and Mexico. Scarce in Kentucky in the 1970s, bobcats have made an impressive comeback and now occur in every Kentucky county, with the highest populations in the western third of the state.

Telecheck reports of bobcats taken in Kentucky last season was 2,237, with 1122 taken by hunters and 1215 taken by trappers. 

Leading counties in the 2020-21 harvest were: Hopkins 61, Muhlenberg 58, Ohio 53, Pulaski 53, Christian 51, Graves 49, Pike 46, Butler 45, Grayson 44, Hart 44, Logan 42, Livingston 39, Todd 36, Trigg 34, Crittenden 34, Union 34 and Caldwell 31.

Other western Kentucky county harvests included Ballard 9, Calloway 22, Carlisle 11, Fulton 3, Hickman 11, Lyon 5, Marshall 18, and McCracken 15.