The Iowa Department of Natural Resources will be discussing bobcat management at 7 p.m., Jan. 18, at the EB Lyons Nature Center, in Dubuque. The meeting is open to the public.
The Iowa DNR removed Dubuque County from its proposed bobcat season expansion in 2021 after receiving feedback from county residents who were concerned about including Dubuque County within the harvest zone. The DNR will be discussing bobcat management at the state level and how counties fit within that model, as well as the local field reports and a landowner survey from Dubuque County during the meeting.
“Our bobcat population is growing and expanding into more regions of the state with the right habitat. That expansion has been reflected in our annual surveys, staff field reports, trail camera photos from private landowners, and road kills. Bobcats have been expanding the most in several counties of east central and northeast Iowa over the past five to eight years. This is a wildlife success story and all of us are pleased about this,” said Vince Evelsizer, furbearer and wetland biologist with the Iowa DNR.
Any person attending the public meeting and has special requirements, such as those related to mobility or hearing impairments, should contact the Iowa DNR or ADA Coordinator at 515-725-8200, Relay Iowa TTY Service 800-735-7942, or Webmaster@dnr.iowa.gov, and advise of specific needs.