Furbearer
Bobcat trapping season in Idaho (2026-27)
The Idaho bobcat season at a glance: trapping and hunting on December 14, 2026, limits, paperwork and the brochure source.
Photo: Tony Webster (CC BY 2.0)
Bobcat season snapshot, 2026-27
Across every row, bobcats may be hunted somewhere in Idaho between December 14, 2026 and February 16, 2027. The basic bobcat bag reads: no bag limit stated.
From Upland Game, Turkey and Furbearer 2026 & 2027 brochure (Idaho Department of Fish and Game); data read November 11, 2026, checked November 12, 2026.
Where Idaho bobcat trapping runs
| Row | Regions | Dates | Limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Trapping and hunting | Statewide (all 7 regions) |
| No bag limit stated |
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Trapping license, resident | $29.75 ($26.75 Price Lock); Expires June 30 |
| Notes | Region exceptions close some drainages and WMAs (brochure pages 31-33). Bobcat, otter and beaver need mandatory check/pelt tags. |
| Regions | Panhandle, Clearwater, Southwest, Magic Valley, Southeast, Upper Snake and Salmon |
From furbearer seasons and trapping license fee (Idaho Department of Fish and Game); data read November 11, 2026, checked November 12, 2026.
All dated bobcat windows in Idaho
Read across: season, area, tag, dates, the bobcat bag and whether it is open now.
| Row | Open area | Paperwork | Dates | Bag limit | Today |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trapping and hunting | Statewide | Trapping |
| No bag limit stated |
From Upland Game, Turkey and Furbearer 2026 & 2027 brochure (Idaho Department of Fish and Game); data read November 11, 2026, checked November 12, 2026.
The bobcat bag in Idaho
Limits are recorded from the IDFG brochures; check the counting rule for bobcats before a second trip.
| Rule | Bag |
|---|---|
| Row bag | No bag limit stated |
From species row source (Idaho Department of Fish and Game); data read November 11, 2026, checked November 12, 2026.
Buying a bobcat license in Idaho
What it costs to hunt bobcats in Idaho: license, tags and permits, with who can buy each.
| Item | Resident or not | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Hunting license | Resident | $15.75 ($12.75 Price Lock) |
| Hunting license | Nonresident | $185.00 (as of Dec. 1, 2024) |
| Junior hunting license | Resident | $8.25 ($7.25 Price Lock) |
| Combination hunting & fishing | Resident | $38.75 ($33.50 Price Lock) |
| Combination hunting & fishing | Nonresident | $264.00 (as of Dec. 1, 2024) |
| Sportsman's Package | Resident | $144.60 ($124.25 Price Lock) |
| Trapping license | Resident | $29.75 ($26.75 Price Lock) |
For bobcats: A hunting license is required to hunt (including predatory and unprotected wildlife); a trapping license to trap gray wolf; a tag for every big game species.
From license and tag fees, nonresident fees and license requirements (Idaho Department of Fish and Game); data read November 11, 2026, checked November 12, 2026.
Bobcat: reporting, methods and conduct
Rules picked for bobcats from the IDFG brochures and Idaho Code Title 36; the laws page covers the rest.
| Topic | Wording |
|---|---|
| License | Bobcat hunters: a hunting license is required to hunt (including predatory and unprotected wildlife); a trapping license to trap gray wolf; a tag for every big game species. |
| Canada lynx | Bobcat hunters: threatened species; be sure of target when hunting bobcat. |
| Hunter orange | Bobcat hunters: hunter orange is recommended, required only while hunting pheasants where the Upland Game Bird Permit is required (including IDFG properties and leases) and on sponsored hunts such as organized youth hunts; minimum 36 square inches above the waist. |
| Disabled veterans | Bobcat hunters: Disabled American Veteran licenses, tags and permits at reduced prices (fee tables). |
From Big Game 2026 Seasons and Rules p. 7, Upland Game, Turkey and Furbearer brochure p. 39, IDFG page and Big Game 2026 Seasons and Rules p. 122 (Idaho Department of Fish and Game); data read November 11, 2026, checked November 12, 2026.
Open land for bobcat hunters
Each card is a place open under Idaho rules; when it quotes a source, that source mentions bobcats or their group.
Flagged for furbearers: PotlatchDeltic (Large Tracts) (IDFG brochure).
Furbearers listed at North Idaho Timber Group (Large Tracts) (IDFG brochure).
Hugas Creek & St. Joe River Basin (Access Yes!) carries the trapping flag in the Access Yes! flags.
Flagged for trapping: East Idaho Grazing Association (Access Yes!) (Access Yes! flags).
Trapping listed at Mica Creek Drainage on St. Joe River (Access Yes!) (Access Yes! flags).
Faulkner Land & Livestock (Access Yes!) carries the trapping flag in the Access Yes! flags.
From PotlatchDeltic (Large Tracts) and Hugas Creek & St. Joe River Basin (Access Yes!) (Idaho Department of Fish and Game); data read November 11, 2026, checked November 12, 2026.
Idaho bobcat gear picks
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A bobcat resting by a logPhoto: Brooke Gilley (posted by Land Between The Lakes) (Public Domain Mark 1.0)
Golden and orange aspens on rolling hills along Mink Creek RoadPhoto: Tony Webster (CC BY 2.0)
Open ponderosa pine forest with grassy floor in Custer CountyPhoto: Katja Schulz (CC BY 2.0)
Bobcat, answered
Do WMAs have their own bobcat trapping rules?
30 IDFG wildlife management areas post trapping text on their pages. For example, Camas Prairie – Centennial Marsh Wildlife Management Area: "Furbearer trapping is allowed on the WMA." Read the WMA page before setting bobcat traps there.
Can I trap bobcats on Access Yes! land?
38 Access Yes! properties carry the trapping flag in the IDFG Access Yes! layer, such as A L Cattle – Dodson Pass (Access Yes!), A L Cattle – Shirts Creek (Access Yes!) and Arbon – Southwest Bench (Access Yes!); each keeps its own dates and restrictions.
What are the orange rules for Idaho bobcats?
For bobcats, orange is a recommendation only: hunter orange is recommended, required only while hunting pheasants where the Upland Game Bird Permit is required (including IDFG properties and leases) and on sponsored hunts such as organized youth hunts; minimum 36 square inches above the waist.
Where are bobcat exceptions listed?
Bobcats: statewide (all 7 regions); region exceptions close some drainages and WMAs (brochure pages 31-33); Bobcat, otter and beaver need mandatory check/pelt tags. IDFG lists the bobcat exceptions by region.
How long is the Idaho bobcat season?
The bobcat calendar spans December 14, 2026 through February 16, 2027. Trapping and hunting: December 14, 2026. Wait for December 14, 2026, the next bobcat opening day.
What is the daily limit on bobcats in Idaho?
For bobcats, the brochure line reads: No bag limit stated.
What paperwork do Idaho bobcat hunters carry?
Trapping bobcats takes the Idaho trapping license ($29.75 resident, $26.75 with Price Lock; it expires June 30).
Which parts of Idaho allow bobcat hunting?
The bobcat rows name Statewide (all 7 regions). Reservation land is not open to state bobcat seasons.
Do I need permission to trap bobcats on private land?
For bobcat trappers: entering private land to hunt, retrieve wildlife, fish or trap requires permission (Idaho Code 36-1603 and 18-7008); written or other lawful permission required to enter private land (Ask First).