Washington small game hunters and trappers are now required to submit the lower jaw of any bobcat they harvest as part of the mandatory pelt sealing process following a rule update finalized through the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife’s (WDFW) most recent season setting process.
“WDFW will now collect the lower jaw from bobcats harvested in Washington so we can use the canine teeth to determine the age structure of harvested bobcats and track changes over time,” said Stephanie Landry, WDFW carnivore, furbearer and small game section manager. “Bobcat canine teeth cannot be removed as easily as the teeth of other species, which is why the bobcat’s entire lower jaw must be submitted.”
Data collected during pelt sealing, including age of harvested bobcats, will allow WDFW to better manage the state’s bobcat populations into the future and provides an opportunity for hunters and trappers to play an important role in conserving bobcats by helping monitor bobcat populations, the WDFW stated in a news release.