Bobcats in Utah: How Bobcats Live With Other Wild Cats

Bobcat has become the undeniable reality of the North American continent especially the United States of America. All the states of the USA have a very active population of Bobcats except a few states like Delaware. Utah is also among the states of the USA where you can find a very stable population of bobcats as well as some other wild cats like mountain lions or cougars and Canadian lynxes.

Bobcats in Utah are in such high quantity that is legally allowed to hunt and trap these cats in the state. In this article, we are going to explain in detail bobcats in Utah as well as the presence of some other wild cats in the state. Stay tuned, it would be highly helpful for you.

Ecology of Utah

Utah exists at a very special location among the states of the USA. Generally, Utah has the three most prominent geographical regions. The Rocky Mountains, the Colorado plateau near the border of Colorado, and the great basin along the river of Arizona and Nevada. Other than this, Utah is also very well-known for its five national parks.

There are also many wildlife refuges and state-level parks where you can find a lot of endangered and many other species of wildlife. These parks have an existence throughout every nook and corner of the state. It means habitat of the Utah is highly suitable for wild cats like bobcats as these cats could go anywhere in the state and get settled.

Are there bobcats in Utah?

Yes, Utah has a very good population of bobcats in the state. You can easily find the existence of bobcats in all the counties of the state. The population of the bobcat is also thriving very rapidly in the state. That’s why it is legally allowed to hunt and trap these cats in the state.

Other wild cats in Utah

Utah is also known for its wild cats other than just bobcats. You can find mountain lions in the foothills of the mountains in the state as well as in Salt Lake City of the state. These cats mostly remain very active in hunting in the early hours of dawn and dusk. You need to be extra careful about pets and defenseless children during this time. You can hunt these wild cats but only in the season after getting a permit. It has been classified as a game animal by the state.

Another wild cat that you can find in Utah is the Canadian Lynx. The presence of the Canadian lynx in the state could not be verified with proof in recent years but according to the Utah division of wildlife resources Canadian lynx are available in the state. In 2006, two radio-collared lynxes were captured by wildlife officers but these lynxes were returned to the Colorado wildlife officials.

However, it is very well-known that Utah comes under the Lynx range which started from Canada and ends in the Rocky Mountains. These cats mostly like to live in coniferous forests which are declining very rapidly in the state due to logging land clearing for agricultural purposes and road constructions.

Also, read our article for bobcats in Illinois.

Where do bobcats live in Utah?

Bobcats could be found anywhere in Utah as Utah is full of grasslands, swamps, marshes, and deserts. All of these things could provide ideal habitat for the bobcats. That’s why bobcats are available in almost 29 counties of the state. But it is very rare for the local residents to see these cats as these cats behave nocturnally and are also very solitary and shy in nature. These cats only associate with their counterparts only in the mating season.

Nowadays, bobcats in Utah are also being seen in riparian areas, Rimrock canyons, mountain woods, and chaparral country. These cats are also approaching sub-urban areas in human settlement areas. Being highly adaptable by nature, these cats could easily adjust themselves in any kind of environment unless these cats are getting a good amount of food in the form of prey. That’s why these cats have also been named the wild animals of patchy countries. These cats have the ability to make dens even in very hard rocky areas let alone swamps, forests, and deserts.

See our article for bobcats in Michigan.

Hunting and trapping of the bobcats in Utah

Hunting and trapping of the bobcat are legally allowed in the state. There are certain rules and regulations which you need to follow for this purpose. There is also designated time and dates for the hunting of bobcats in the state. The season of hunting starts on 18^th November and ends on 1^st march. You need to come out 30 minutes before the sun rises and 30 minutes after dusk. It is the time when bobcats normally come out for hunting their prey.

There is a bag limit as only one bag is allowed per permit. If you want to do hunting or trap the bobcat for the sake of fur then you must also take a furbearer license or marten permit for this purpose. In this regard, you must also have passed the fur harvester education course for getting the fur legally.

Rules and regulations for the hunting of bobcats in Utah

These are the rules and regulations for the hunting of bobcats. Have a cursory look at these rules.

• You can legally deploy Suppressors for hunting purposes.
• Nighttime hunting is not allowed.
• Decoys are legal to deploy for hunting.
• Electronic callers could also be deployed but mouth and hand callers are preferred.

Are bobcats problematic in Utah?

Bobcats don’t like to engage with human beings and usually stay in densely populated areas. People must also not approach these wild cats as these cats could be harmful to you. These cats might come closer to your houses if there is a source of food near your house or if these cats are facing a scarcity of food in their local habitat. These cats might target your goats, chicken, or defenseless children. Thus, you must be extra careful about this.

Can you kill a bobcat on your property?

It is allowed under certain conditions to kill a bobcat on your property. First of all, if you spot a bobcat on your property you must contact the wildlife service agent for the removal or killing of a bobcat. The agent is necessary as it follows all the rules and regulations set by the USDA wildlife service program.

The property owner may take the decision of killing the bobcat on its own in case of emergency or if the bobcat is a direct threat to its livestock. You cannot do this just for the sake of getting the fur of the bobcat. You must return the bobcat you have killed or captured to the wildlife division within 72 hours. Otherwise, the authorities might take action against you.

Are there big cats in Utah?

Yes, it has been said that there might be three wild cats in Utah. Bobcats are the most prevalent in the state. Other two wild cats include mountain lions or cougars and Canadian Lynxes. Other than bobcats, other wild cats are almost non-existent in the state nowadays.

Conclusion

Bobcats have a very active presence in the state of Utah. The presence of the bobcat is mainly due to the highest feasible habitat of the state. The population of the bobcat is thriving very rapidly. It is legally allowed to hunt and trap bobcats in Utah but only after following certain rules and regulations issued by the relevant authorities of the state. There is also a bag limit for hunting purposes. We have tried our best to cover everything about the bobcats in the state. If you are interested in the bobcats of Utah, you must read it carefully.