The bobcat (Lynx rufus) is the only native wild cat species residing in Indiana. For many years, sightings of this secretive mammal were rare, but the population is currently recovering and expanding. Wildlife management agencies actively monitor the resurgence of this elusive predator across the landscape. Understanding the number of bobcats requires looking at where they live, how researchers track them, and the history of their return.
Current Population Estimates and Geographic Range
The exact number of bobcats in Indiana is challenging to determine, so wildlife biologists rely on population models rather than strict counts. Current estimates suggest the population is around one thousand individuals statewide, an approximation based on density and sighting data. The Indiana Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) uses a habitat-based population model, developed with Purdue University, to inform management decisions.
The highest concentrations of bobcats are found in the southern and west-central parts of Indiana, where the terrain is rugged and forested. These areas, particularly the unglaciated regions, provide the dense cover and mixed woodlots they prefer. The bobcat’s range is expanding, with individuals now being sighted and populations growing in the central and northern parts of the state.
The Bobcat’s Return: A History of Recovery
Bobcats were once widely distributed across Indiana, but their numbers declined dramatically by the mid-20th century. Habitat destruction and unregulated hunting contributed to their near extirpation from the state’s woodlands. This decline led to the bobcat being placed on Indiana’s state endangered species list in 1969.
The resurgence began as they naturally recolonized the state, expanding their range from neighboring southern states in the 1970s. Protection under the endangered species status allowed the population to recover, with sightings increasing in the 1980s and 1990s. By 2005, the bobcat population had stabilized sufficiently to be removed from the state’s endangered list.
Methods Used to Track the Population
Wildlife biologists utilize several methods to monitor the bobcat population and track their expansion across the state. One long-running method is the Archer’s Index, a volunteer-based survey where deer bow hunters report the hours they hunted and the wildlife species they observed. Since 1992, this survey has shown a clear trend of increasing bobcat sightings per thousand hours hunted.
Public involvement is another important source of data, primarily through the IDNR’s Report-A-Mammal online system, which collects public observations. Reports submitted through this system are reviewed by staff and categorized as confirmed if photographic or video evidence is provided. Researchers also use remote-sensing trail cameras and monitor bobcat mortality reports, particularly vehicle collisions, as indicators of population density and distribution. Research in the late 1990s and early 2000s involved collaring bobcats in southern Indiana to gather data on movement, survival, and home range size, providing the foundation for current population models.
Legal Status and Management
Following their removal from the endangered species list in 2005, bobcats remained a protected species and could not be legally hunted or trapped. However, a state law passed in early 2024 mandated that the IDNR establish a regulated trapping season. The Natural Resources Commission approved a limited trapping season in 40 counties, primarily located in the southern part of the state.
This regulated season runs from November through January, or until a statewide quota of 250 bobcats is reached. Each licensed trapper is limited to taking only one bobcat per season to ensure the population remains stable. The management strategy balances the growing population with harvest opportunities, setting sustainable limits based on the conservative population model.