Want to know the laws for hunting bobcats in Wyoming? This article covers many 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 Wyoming. It is not a legal document and is not intended to cover all hunting laws and regulations.
In Wyoming, the bobcat hunting season runs from November 15 through March 1. No night hunting is permitted, and no seasonal bag limit is imposed. A furbearer license is required.
Purchase a Wyoming hunting license here.
Check out all the Wyoming hunting seasons.
If this is your first time hunting bobcats, please give these two articles a read.
How to read and age bobcat sign.
Three vital tips for a successful bobcat hunt.
Related: You can also hunt coyotes in this state. Learn the rules for hunting coyotes in Wyoming.
Related: Learn the rules for hunting fox in Wyoming.
General laws for hunting bobcats in Wyoming.
Electronic callers and decoys.
While electronic callers are expensive, mouth and hand callers are cheaper but harder to use.
Read this article and watch the video to learn how to use a closed reed rabbit squealer.
You can check the price for an electronic caller on Amazon.
Related: You can read about some highly effective but inexpensive ($20) decoys here.
Pelts must be registered when hunting bobcats in Wyoming.
All bobcats harvested in Wyoming shall be registered with the Department by the person taking the bobcat, regardless of the final disposition of the raw fur.
Bobcat raw furs may be registered throughout the bobcat season, but registration shall end at 5:00 p.m. on March 11 of each year. If the registration deadline date occurs on a weekend when the Department Regional Offices are closed, bobcat raw furs may be registered on the next business day until 5:00 p.m. Mountain Standard Time.
The properly licensed trapper shall present a bobcat raw fur in an unfrozen condition to a game warden or a Department Regional Office. It shall be unlawful to possess an untagged bobcat raw fur after the registration period expires.
(a) Before a Wyoming bobcat tag shall be issued, the person taking a bobcat shall provide to the Department at the time of registration, the age and sex of the bobcat, the number of the Department’s bobcat management area in which the bobcat was taken, the method of take, the date the bobcat was taken, the number of traps that were set, and the number of days traps were set or days hunted with a firearm.
(b) A Wyoming bobcat tag shall be attached to a bobcat raw fur by an employee of the Department. Wyoming bobcat tags shall be issued free of charge.
(c) Any person who makes a false statement on the registration form shall be in violation of this regulation and such violation shall be punishable as provided by Title 23, Wyoming Statutes for violation of Commission regulations.
Prohibited devices while hunting bobcats in Wyoming.
Devices Prohibited For Hunting
Spotlights/hand lights.
Laser sights emitting visible light.
Night vision devices.
Infrared and thermal scopes.
Can I kill a bobcat on my property in Wyoming?
Under Wyoming Statutes Title 23. Game and Fish § 23-3-115. Taking black bear, mountain lion, gray wolf, bobcat, weasel, badger, squirrels, or muskrat for damaging property.
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(a) Any black bear, mountain lion, bobcat, weasel, badger, gray, red and fox squirrels or muskrat doing damage to private property may be immediately taken and killed by the owner of the property, employee of the owner or lessee of the property.
(b) The owner, employee or lessee shall immediately notify the nearest game warden of the killing of black bear, bobcat or mountain lion. The owner, employee or lessee shall save and care for the skin and procure a Wyoming game tag for the skin of black bear, mountain lion or bobcat.
(c) The provisions of subsection (a) of this section relating to the taking of animals doing damage to private property shall apply to gray wolves from and after the date gray wolves are removed from the list of experimental nonessential population, endangered species or threatened species in Wyoming as provided by W.S. 23-1-108 .
For purposes of this section as it applies to gray wolves, “doing damage to private property” means actual biting, wounding, grasping or killing of livestock or a dog, or chasing, molesting or harassing of livestock or a dog by a wolf that would indicate to a reasonable person that actual biting, wounding, grasping or killing of the livestock or dog is likely to occur at any moment.
The owner, employee or lessee acting under authority of this section shall notify the department of the killing of a gray wolf within an area of the state in which the gray wolf is designated as a trophy game animal. The notification shall be made within seventy-two (72) hours of the kill.”
As always, please consult with your local game warden or animal control officer before proceeding.
Illegal acts when bobcat hunting in Wyoming.
PROHIBITED ACTS. It is illegal to:
• Use any dog to hunt, run or harass any big or trophy game animal, a protected animal, or furbearing animal except as otherwise provided by statute. The Commission shall regulate the use of dogs to take mountain lions and bobcats during hunting or trapping seasons.
• Use any aircraft with the intent to spot, locate and aid in the taking of any game animal from August 1 through January 31 of the following calendar year. Nothing in this Section shall apply to the operation of an aircraft in a usual manner where there is no attempt or intent to locate any game animal, such as aircraft used for the sole purpose of passenger transport.
• Take and leave, abandon or allow the edible portion of any game bird, game fish, or game animal (except trophy game animal) to intentionally or needlessly go to waste.
• Transport illegally taken wildlife across state lines; such transportation is a violation of the Federal Lacey Act.
• Abandon meat from a big game animal or game bird at a meat processing plant. Unless there is an express agreement between the processing plant and the person providing otherwise, any meat from a big game animal or game bird left at a meat processing plant for more than forty-five (45) days is prima facie evidence of a violation if written notice of the expiration of time has been attempted by the processing plant in accordance with rules and regulations promulgated by the Commission.
• Harass, pursue, hunt, shoot or kill any Wyoming wildlife except predatory animals with, from, or by use of any flying machine, automotive vehicle, trailer, motor-propelled wheeled vehicle, or vehicle designed for travel over snow. The Commission may exempt handicapped hunters from any of these provisions. It is also illegal to shoot waterfowl from a boat under power or sail.
