Report Nr. 3635 2015 Bobcat Hunter and Trapper Harvest in Michigan

A survey was completed to determine the number of people hunting and trapping bobcats in Michigan, the number of days spent afield (effort), and the number of bobcats registered.

Michigan has experienced a decline in hunting participation since the 1990s. Data suggest that the primary experience for recruiting new hunters has shifted from small game to deer hunting, and that in Michigan overall hunter retention is strongly determined by deer hunting. While the proportion of Michigan youth that hunt deer has remained stable, the proportion of young adults that hunt deer is declining. The Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) contracted DJ Case & Associates (DJ Case) to conduct focus group and survey research to better understand young adult male hunters and female hunters of any age—to see if changes in hunting regulations could increase growth and/or retention among these key groups.