Utah Guys

Recommendations from the DWR are

1 tag reduction (which will take us down to 3)
loss of another week of season
and a cap of 4600 on tags sold



This is the time to pack the RAC's and voice your opinion




Since the Bobcat management plan was passed and if these things go through, we will have seen a loss of 3 tags, 1 month of season, and now a cap on tags. Seems like the time to fight back.

Im with ya. what can the guys down here in southeastern utah do to help?
This is begining to get a little bit out of hand.
Some say it is the houndsmen that are behind it, but I dont know.
What do you think?

What should have happened is we should have really voiced our opinions several years ago when the bobcat management plan was being worked on.



Heres a link if you are not familar with it

http://wildlife.utah.gov/furbearer/pdf/bobcat_plan.pdf

Unfortunately, The plan is what it is here are the 4 criteria



1. Proportion of kittens in the harvest
2. Set Days per bobcat
3. % Females in the Harvest
4. Adult Survival


Then the strategy

Strategies
i. Maintain or return to baseline management strategy of < 2
variables (net) are outside the historical range
1. Baseline strategy :
a. 6 tags / individual
b. Season from third Wednesday in November to
the second Sunday in February
c. No cap on the number of tags sold
ii. Adjust the number of bobcat tags available to individuals (+
or – 1-2 tags) if any 2 (net) of the above performance targets
are outside the historical range (outside the 95% CI) in the
same direction.
iii. Adjust the length of the bobcat harvest season (+ or – 1-2
weeks) if any 3 (net) of the above performance targets are
outside the historical range (outside the 95% CI) in the same
direction. Implemented in addition to Strategy i.
iv. Cap the total number of bobcat tags available at 80% of the
number of tags sold the previous year if all 4 of the above
performance targets are outside the historical range (outside
the 95% CI) in the direction indicating that harvest needs to
be reduced. These tags would be sold on a first-come, firstserved
basis. Implemented in addition to Strategies i and ii.


So what can you do?

#1 make sure you are a member of the state organization
#2 Make sure you have a low 3 of set days per bobcat
#3 Dont set for kittens
#4 Dont harvest females



We are stuck with it for now but we can be better prepared next time it comes around for review

As far as who is behind it, there was a group that set up the management plan. There were people from several different thougt processes. It just affects trappers more. Dont blame the houndsmen they only had one guy on the committee. I blame the DWR.

I believe the DWR can be blamed for more than just the decreased bobcat tags. They should be in charge of mosquitos, I bet within a year we would't have any of them eighter!
That was some good info and I will be sure to pass it on.

You ever noticed how we have a management plan for everything? They may have degrees in biology etc. But I spend enough time outdoors to have a clue as to what is happening/should be done also. Many times it seems like they just view us as the lowly trapper/outdoorsman

I do believe that there were a lot of people that don't even live here that voiced there opinions. thats what I believe.