Bobcats are present in Wisconsin. These elusive felines have established breeding populations across the state. Their numbers have increased significantly over the past decades, contributing to the state’s diverse wildlife.
Where Bobcats Live in Wisconsin
Bobcats are found throughout Wisconsin, concentrated in northern forests and central sand plains. While statewide sightings occur, preferred habitats include thick forested areas, especially alder thickets and coniferous swamps with trees like black spruce, white cedar, or balsam fir. In southern Wisconsin, where coniferous swamps are less common, bobcats often inhabit upland areas.
Bobcats are highly adaptable, utilizing a wide variety of habitats. Their expansive home ranges contribute to their widespread, yet often unseen, presence. Male bobcats typically use about 25 square miles, while females navigate approximately 15 square miles. Despite their adaptability, they are reclusive, making direct encounters infrequent. They tend to avoid well-populated areas and prefer secluded environments.
Identifying Wisconsin Bobcats
Wisconsin bobcats possess distinct physical characteristics. They are larger than a typical house cat, weighing 20 to 30 pounds on average, though some reach 40 pounds. Their fur is typically tawny or reddish-brown, often marked with dark spots and stripes, especially on their face and body.
The underside of their belly is white with prominent black spotting, which, along with their overall coloration, provides effective camouflage. A defining feature is their short, “bobbed” tail, usually 4 to 7 inches long with a black tip. They also have noticeable ear tufts and facial ruffs around their cheeks.
Bobcats are primarily crepuscular, most active during twilight hours like dawn and dusk, but may hunt during winter days when food is scarce. Their diet primarily consists of small mammals like snowshoe hares and cottontail rabbits, but they also prey on squirrels, rodents, birds, and occasionally, sick or young white-tailed deer.
Bobcats and Humans
Encounters between bobcats and humans are rare due to their secretive and elusive behavior. Bobcats generally avoid human activity and pose little threat to people. If a bobcat is sighted, observing it from a distance without approaching is advisable.
The bobcat population in Wisconsin is managed as a conservation success story, with numbers more than doubling between 1980 and 2016. They play an important ecosystem role by regulating small animal and prey species populations. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources oversees their population through regulated hunting and trapping seasons, which require specific permits and licenses. This management helps maintain a healthy bobcat population while allowing for limited harvest opportunities.