Report Nr. 2916 Bobcat Survey - 1981-1982

Pressure by concerned organizations and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) has caused the Fish and Wildlife Service to compile comprehensive data on some furbearers. This documentation is necessary to verify the stability of populations and to justify continued harvesting and exportation of pelts. During the winter of 1981-82, the Wildlife Division undertook collection of hunter and trapper harvested bobcats (Felis rufus) in order to increase knowledge of this species and to evaluate possible field techniques for sex and age determination. The sex ratio of the bobcats examined from Region I was 41:28, males to females. The young-of-the-year percentage was down slightly from last year, but the age groups 0 to 3 years again made up over 80% of the total animals harvested and submitted. The yearling age class was greatest in occurrence. The sex ratio of the bobcats examined from Region II was skewed heavily towards males (20:7). This is a much higher figure than has been reported before. Over forty percent of the animals were young-of-the-year, and nearly 75 percent were in the age classes 0-3 years.