New Hampshire sportsmen and women could gain an opportunity already enjoyed by hunters and trappers in all neighboring states, if the New Hampshire Fish and Game Commission approves a new hunting and trapping season for bobcats. The state Fish and Game Department will hold two public hearings on the bobcat proposal.
The first meeting will be on Monday, Feb. 1, at 6:00 p.m. in Representatives Hall at the Statehouse in Concord. The second meeting will take place on Tuesday, Feb. 2, at 6:00 p.m. in the Fish and Game Building located at 629B on Main Street in Lancaster.
New Hampshire hunters and trappers are encouraged to attend to voice support for the limited season, which would allow the issuance of 50 bobcat permits through a lottery process. The commission’s proposal would be the most conservative management of bobcats in the region, and demonstrates the department’s cautious approach to the new season. Maine, Vermont, Quebec and even Massachusetts allow bobcat hunting, and none of them use a permit system.
The proposed season comes as the result of a collaborative study between the state and the University of New Hampshire, which concluded that a season could be held without any adverse impact to bobcat numbers. New Hampshire’s plan still promotes growth of the bobcat population while allowing a recreational opportunity for hunters and trappers who will play a role in managing the species.
Comments should be sent to [email protected]. Be sure to type “Limited Bobcat Season” in the subject line of your email.
Comments can also be submitted through the postal service at: Executive Director, N.H. Fish and Game Department, 11 Hazen Drive, Concord, NH 03301; or by fax to 271-5829.
More information about the state’s proposal can be found at www.wildnh.com/wildlife/bobcat-season-proposal.html#faqs.
About the Sportsmen’s Alliance:The Sportsmen’s Alliance is a 501 (c) 4 organization that protects and defends America’s wildlife conservation programs and the pursuits – hunting, fishing and trapping – that generate the money to pay for them. Sportsmen’s Alliance Foundation is a 501 (c) 3 organization that supports the same mission through public education, legal defense and research. Its mission is accomplished through several distinct programs coordinated to provide the most complete defense capability possible. Stay connected to Sportsmen’s Alliance: Online, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.