Colorado Bobcat Mismanagement

Successful bobcat management ensures that the biological and ecological factors they are dependent upon for a healthy population are supported and are the primary focus of a bobcat management plan. Colorado Parks and Wildlife has never had a bobcat management plan and allows hunters and trappers to kill as many as they want each year with one $35.00 license.

Colorado Bobcat (Lynx rufus), also known as the wildcat, bay lynx, or red lynx, is one of the four extant species within the medium-sized wild cat genus Lynx.

The welfare of wildlife should be the primary goal of every wildlife management plan, and unfortunately, Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) has not demonstrated a commitment to this principle when it comes to bobcats. A true management plan is not just a set of rules or quotas to regulate hunting and trapping; it is a comprehensive strategy rooted in biological and ecological principles, designed to ensure the long-term health and sustainability of a species. For bobcats, however, there has never been a legitimate wildlife management plan—just an open-ended, recreational and economically driven policy that permits hunters and trappers to harvest unlimited numbers of these animals for a minimal fee. The failure to establish a science-backed plan that prioritizes the species' well-being speaks volumes about the state's priorities.

Bobcat under stress from the trapper seconds before it was killed for its pelt. There is absolutely no science or research that proves hunting and trapping are required to control bobcat numbers. It is purely a recreational and economic opportunity for those who enjoy killing bobcats.

Bobcats are a vital part of Colorado’s ecosystems and are considered a public trust resource, meaning they are owned collectively by all citizens and should be managed for the benefit of present and future generations. In Colorado, more than 94% of residents do not hunt, trap, or fish, yet they overwhelmingly support the conservation of native wildlife, including bobcats. As a keystone predator, bobcats play an important role in maintaining ecological balance by controlling populations of rodents and other prey species. It is the legal and ethical responsibility of Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) to ensure that wildlife like the bobcat is managed in a way that prioritizes long-term population health and reflects the values of all Coloradans, not just the narrow interests of trophy hunters and commercial trappers.

Unfortunately, CPW has failed to uphold this public trust. Bobcats in Colorado are hunted and trapped without any established population estimates or a science-based management plan. This lack of oversight, combined with the fact that there are no limits on how many bobcats can be killed each year, creates a dangerous and unsustainable situation. Commercial trapping is incentivized by the global fur market, not by ecological need or public interest. The result is a system that prioritizes exploitation over stewardship. Without reform, this mismanagement threatens the stability and health of bobcat populations and undermines public trust in the agency charged with protecting Colorado’s wild heritage.

Biological and ecological factors bobcats are dependent upon for a healthy population. Hunting and trapping do not support these factors and are purely a recreational and economic (selling the pelt to China or Russia) opportunity for hunters and trappers. Bobcats deserve better.

Bobcats, like all wildlife species, have a set of distinct ecological and biological factors they are dependent upon for a healthy population. Successful, science based wildlife management supports these factors for every species. If an organization, like CPW, is responsible for "managing" a wildlife species, the species better benefit from that management. If it doesn't the mismanagement should be called into question and resolved. The hunting and trapping of bobcats has no positive impact on the these critical factors.

For decades, the conversation surrounding bobcats at Colorado Wildlife Commission meetings has been disturbingly consistent. Rather than focusing on the long-term health of the population, the prevailing question has been, “Do we have enough bobcats for hunters and trappers to kill this year?” This mindset is the antithesis of responsible wildlife management. It treats wildlife as a commodity to be exploited, rather than a complex and essential part of the ecosystem. The continued discussion about quotas and licenses for bobcats—based solely on the perceived needs of hunters and trappers—reveals an underlying attitude that views animals not as creatures deserving of protection, but as mere resources for human recreation and profit.

What is truly alarming is that CPW staff continually claim that bobcats are “managed” through hunting and trapping. This is a troubling misrepresentation of what wildlife management actually entails. A management plan that truly supports a species would be based on an understanding of the animal's ecological role, its population dynamics, its food sources, and its habitat needs. None of these fundamental aspects of bobcat biology are being properly considered in Colorado’s approach. Without a legitimate, research-based plan, any claim that bobcats are being “managed” is, frankly, misleading. Effective management should prioritize the overall health and sustainability of the species—not the economic or recreational desires of those seeking to profit from killing them.

The justification for hunting and trapping bobcats in Colorado has long been presented as a necessity for controlling their numbers. However, this reasoning is not supported by science. Research has consistently shown that bobcat populations are not a threat to ecological balance, nor are they growing uncontrollably. Their role as a predator keeps smaller mammal populations in check, and they play a vital role in maintaining the health of the ecosystem. There is no evidence to support the idea that hunting and trapping are necessary to control bobcat numbers. Instead, these activities appear to be motivated by commercial interests—specifically the sale of bobcat pelts to foreign markets like China and Russia—rather than any legitimate conservation or management concern.

Ultimately, the practice of trapping and hunting bobcats in Colorado is an outdated and unsustainable approach to wildlife management. It’s time for Colorado Parks and Wildlife to acknowledge the ethical and ecological value of bobcats and implement a true management plan that prioritizes the health of the species and its role in the ecosystem. Wildlife management should never be about catering to recreational or economic interests at the expense of animal welfare. The management of bobcats, like all wildlife, should be rooted in scientific research, conservation principles, and a commitment to ensuring the survival and thriving of healthy, sustainable populations for generations to come. Only when this kind of plan is adopted will the wildlife of Colorado truly be managed with the respect they deserve.