Do you want to go hunting bobcats in Idaho this year? This article some of the fundamental laws you will need to know to get started. It also provides information such as seasons, harvest limits, and required permits for bobcat hunting in Idaho. It is not a legal document and is not intended to cover all hunting laws and regulations.
In Idaho, bobcats are listed as a furbearer species and have regulated harvest seasons for hunting that runs from December 14 to February 16. A license is required. There are no bag limits.
Purchase a Idaho hunting license here.
Check out the Idaho hunting seasons.
If this is your first time hunting bobcats, here are the three tips to help you successfully hunt bobcats.
Related: You can also read this: How to legally hunt coyotes in Idaho.
Related: Laws for hunting fox in Idaho.
General laws for hunting bobcats in Idaho.
Suppressors. It is legal to hunt in Idaho with a suppressor.
Electronic callers and decoys. Legal for hunting furbearers.
While electronic callers are expensive, mouth and hand callers are less pricey but take time to learn how to use.
Read this article and watch the video to learn how to use a closed reed rabbit squealer.
You can read about some highly effective but inexpensive ($20) decoys here.
You can check Amazon’s price list for callers and decoys here.
Night hunting. Night hunting bobcats in Idaho is not permitted.
Pelt tagging required when hunting bobcats in Idaho.
Bobcat Mandatory Check and Report.
Any person taking bobcat, whether by hunting or trapping, must comply with the mandatory check and report and pelt tag requirements by:
• Presenting the pelts of all bobcats taken to a regional office, the McCall office, or official checkpoint to obtain the appropriate pelt tag and complete a harvest report.
To have a pelt tagged, the pelt must be legally taken in Idaho and presented during normal working hours – 8 am to 5 pm. Pelts must be thawed before they can be checked.
A fee of $2 will be charged for each pelt tag. An additional $1.75 vendor fee will be charged to each license holder when pelts are brought in for tagging.
No person, who does not possess a furbearer or taxidermist license and/or appropriate import documentation, shall have in possession, except during the open season and for 10 days after the close of the season, any raw bobcat pelt which does not have an official state export tag attached (either Idaho’s or another state’s).
No person, who does not possess a furbearer or taxidermist license and/or appropriate import documentation, shall sell, offer for sale, purchase, or purchase any raw bobcat that does not have an official state export tag attached.
How much does it cost to go on a guided bobcat hunt in Idaho?
With prices varying depending on amenities and number of days hunted, a list of guides offering online pricing is provided below. These outfitters do not have any affiliation with ThePredatorHunter.com.
Additional furbearer hunting rules for Idaho.
Hunting furbearers.
No person hunting permissible furbearing animals (badger, bobcat, and red fox) or predatory or unprotected wildlife shall:
• Hunt with any weapon the possession of which is prohibited by state or federal law.
No person hunting raccoon at night shall:
• Hunt from a motorized vehicle.
• Use any light attached to any motor vehicle.
• Hunt on private land without obtaining written permission from the landowner or lessee.
Prohibited methods for hunting bobcats in Idaho.
It Is Unlawful:
• To hunt on cultivated or posted private lands without permission. See Trespass Law.
• To hunt or take any wildlife without a valid hunting license on your person.
• To take any game without the proper tag and/or permit.
• To shoot from or across the traveled portion, shoulders, or embankments of any road maintained by any government entity.
• To hunt game from any motorized vehicle, except holders of a valid handicapped person’s Motor Vehicle Hunting Permit may hunt from a motorized vehicle when the vehicle is not on a public road and not in motion.
• To operate any vehicle in an area designated as closed for that specific vehicle type.
• To operate a motor vehicle in violation of area, trail, or road restriction.
• To use any motorized vehicle, including any unmanned aircraft system (drone), to molest, stir up, rally, or drive any game animal or bird.
• For all hunters, anglers, and trappers, with or without game or fish, to not stop and report at any check station established to inspect licenses and fish and game – even if hunting, fishing, or trapping was done outside the state of Idaho.
• To fail to produce wildlife in possession for inspection upon request of a conservation officer or other person authorized to enforce Idaho Department of Fish and Game laws.
• To hunt any animal or bird by the aid of a spotlight, flashlight, or artificial light of any kind, except unprotected or predatory animals on private land after obtaining written permission and on public lands after obtaining the required permit from a Fish and Game regional office.