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California's bobcats have been protected from recreational hunting since 2020, but hunting advocates are now pushing to bring it back! The state is accepting public comments on a new bobcat management plan that could influence whether these beautiful wild cats become targets again. Speak up by November 1 to help keep bobcat hunting banned!
 

Bobcats are among California's most elusive native predators. With their distinctive tufted ears, spotted coats, and short tails, these remarkable wild cats quietly roam forests, grasslands, mountains, and even the edges of developed communities. They hunt rodents and other small animals, helping maintain healthy ecosystems while asking nothing more than the freedom to live in their natural homes.

In 2019, California passed the Bobcat Protection Act, ending recreational bobcat hunting beginning in 2020. The law also required the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) to develop a conservation and management plan before hunting could be reconsidered.

Now, after five years of research, CDFW has released its draft California Bobcat Conservation and Management Plan. The department estimates that more than 62,000 bobcats live throughout the state and describes their statewide population as relatively stable. However, a healthy population is not a justification for killing animals for recreation.

Bobcats already face serious dangers. Vehicles strike them on roads, diseases such as mange threaten their health, and expanding development fragments the habitats they need to survive. Even where statewide numbers appear stable, individual bobcats and local populations can face significant pressures.

Meanwhile, hunting advocacy organization Howl for Wildlife is actively encouraging supporters to push for the return of regulated bobcat hunting. The draft management plan does not reopen hunting, but it could help shape future decisions by the California Fish and Game Commission, which has the authority to reinstate a hunting season.

California has already recognized that bobcats deserve protection from recreational killing. There is no compelling reason to reverse that progress simply because research suggests their statewide population is stable.

Instead of reopening hunting, the state should strengthen habitat protections, address preventable deaths, improve monitoring, and promote peaceful coexistence with these important native predators.

The public comment period closes November 1, 2026. We must make sure California hears from people who want bobcats protected, not hunted.

Please join In Defense of Animals in urging CDFW to prioritize bobcat conservation and ensure that its final management plan supports maintaining California's recreational hunting ban.

Letter to Decision Maker(s) for reference:

Decision maker: Rachel Roberts - Statewide Bobcat Coordinator, CDFW Wildlife Branch

Subject: California Bobcat Conservation and Management Plan — Keep Bobcat Hunting Banned

I am writing to urge the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to maintain California's prohibition on recreational bobcat hunting and ensure that the final Bobcat Conservation and Management Plan prioritizes protecting these remarkable native animals.

California made important progress when the Bobcat Protection Act ended recreational hunting in 2020. I am deeply concerned that the newly released management plan could eventually be used to justify reversing those protections.

Bobcats are an essential part of California's natural ecosystems. These elusive predators help control rodent populations and support ecological balance. They deserve to live freely without becoming targets for recreational killing.

The department's recent population study estimates that more than 62,000 bobcats inhabit California, with a relatively stable statewide population. However, population stability should not be treated as a justification for allowing recreational hunting to resume.

Bobcats already face considerable threats, including habitat fragmentation, vehicle collisions, disease, and habitat degradation. The department's research also found lower bobcat densities in areas affected by severe wildfires.

I am particularly concerned that hunting advocates are actively campaigning to restore recreational bobcat hunting. California should not allow pressure to expand hunting opportunities to overshadow the importance of protecting these animals and the habitats they depend on.

I respectfully ask the department to:

+ Make maintaining California's prohibition on recreational bobcat hunting a clear conservation priority.
+ Avoid recommending recreational hunting as a population management objective.
+ Prioritize habitat protection, population monitoring, and reducing preventable deaths.
+ Promote nonlethal approaches to preventing conflicts between bobcats and people.
+ Ensure that the final management plan supports long-term conservation rather than creating a pathway for unnecessary recreational killing.

A stable bobcat population is something to protect, not an opportunity to kill more animals.

Please ensure that California continues to lead by protecting bobcats from recreational hunting and promoting peaceful coexistence.

Thank you for considering my comments and for your work to protect California's native animals.

Sincerely,

Signed

This alert is no longer active, but here for reference. Animals still need your help.