Bobcat populations drive harvest quotas set by FWP. Weighing up to 35 pounds, bobcats are smaller than their close relative the Canada lynx but 2-3 times larger than the average domestic cat. Photo by Ben Bluhm
by Sophie Tsairis
Montana
Fish, Wildlife and Parks in December launched a comprehensive study examining
the male-to-female ratio of the state's bobcat population. The research relies on
hunters and trappers voluntarily submitting genetic samples from harvested
bobcats.
The
study was prompted by data from other states that revealed notably high
misidentifications of bobcat sexes from hunter reports.
“If potentially one in five males are being recorded as female, or vice versa, this influences the accuracy of our population data.”
–Nathan Kluge, furbearer coordinator, FWP
A
2022 study published in research journal Wildlife
Society Bulletin by Tim L. Hiller and colleagues compared hunter and
trapper-reported sex identification of bobcats with genetically assigned sex,
the latter of which was assumed to be 100 percent accurate. Samples were
obtained in Arizona, Kansas, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, and
Wyoming. The research found field identification to be 82 percent accurate.
Nathan
Kluge, state furbearer coordinator for FWP, told Mountain Journal the
agency uses harvested bobcat data to estimate populations in the state. He said
this is the first study in Montana to evaluate the accuracy of hunter-reported identifications.
While
there are no known discrepancies in Montana, the 2022 research from other
states prompted a closer look. “If potentially one in five males are being
recorded as female, or vice versa, this influences the accuracy of our
population data,” Kluge said.
This
is year one of a five-year study that will gather genetics from harvested
bobcats across all hunting and trapping regions in Montana. Following lab
testing of the samples, the data will be analyzed and used to measure the
accuracy of the state’s population estimates, which drive harvest quotas.
In an email bulletin targeting successful hunters and trappers from the last two years, FWP asked for the public’s help with the study. Hunters and trappers can participate by gathering high-quality muscle tissue samples the size of a pencil eraser from each bobcat harvested.
Sample kits can be picked up at regional FWP offices.
Kluge said he doesn’t have major concerns about population estimates for bobcats in Montana at this time, confirming that the population is stable, and the species is sustainably managed.
“Really, the premise [of the study] is to ensure that the information we’re getting is as accurate as possible,” he said.
About Sophie Tsairis
Sophie Tsairis is a freelance writer based in Bozeman, Montana. She earned a master's degree in environmental journalism from the University of Montana in 2017.
