Furbearers
Kentucky Bobcat Seasons and Limits, 2026-27
2026-27 dates, limits, permits and rules for bobcats, built from KDFWR sources and checked November 10, 2026.
Photo: Renee Grayson (CC BY 2.0)
Quick facts on Kentucky bobcats
Bobcat hunters in Kentucky work from 1 KDFWR season row this year. One line in the species table matters most for bobcats: bobcat permit for hunters; telecheck; CITES tag to sell. What may be used on bobcats: furbearer equipment, traps.
Source: Guide p. 25 (Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources); checked November 10, 2026.
The bobcat calendar for 2026-27
Each line is one KDFWR row for bobcats, with the area it covers, its limit and the page it was read from.
| Hunt | Applies in | Windows | Limit | KDFWR note | Status | Cite |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hunting | Statewide | Nov 21–Feb 28, 2027 | 5 (no more than 3 by gun) | Bobcat permit required | Guide p. 25 |
The bobcat bag, word for word
Read the bobcat line that fits your season; public areas can be tighter.
| Who | Limit |
|---|---|
| Bobcat | 5 per season, no more than 3 by gun |
Source: Guide p. 25 (Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources); checked November 10, 2026.
Lawful gear for bobcats
Below are the method rules that bear on bobcats, plus two general ones that catch hunters out.
| Rule set | Yes | No |
|---|---|---|
| Furbearer hunting | Centerfire or rimfire rifle, muzzleloader, shotgun 10 ga or smaller (shoulder-fired, plugged to 3), bow, crossbow, .22+ air gun, calls, falconry, dogs. | Single-projectile shotgun shells at night. |
| Topic | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Dogs | No dogs for deer or elk or spring turkey; dogs may flush turkeys in fall; bear dogs only in legal seasons with approved breeds; leashed tracking dogs may recover deer, elk and bear; rabbits, foxes, coyotes, raccoons and opossums may be run year-round. |
| Electronic calls | Not for deer, turkey or elk; legal for furbearers in season and crows. |
| Felons | Convicted felons may not possess or hunt with any firearm, including muzzleloaders (KRS 527.040). |
For a bobcat hunt the summary reads: furbearer equipment, traps.
Source: Guide p. 26, Guide p. 11 and Guide p. 10 (Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources); checked November 10, 2026.
Bobcat paperwork and prices
From the KDFWR fee table: the base license first, then each permit that the bobcat rows call for.
| License | Resident price | Nonresident price | Fine print |
|---|---|---|---|
| $28.54 | $169.12 | Shooting range permit included (must register). | |
| $21.14 | $137.41 | – | |
| $10.57 | Not sold | – | |
| $5.29 | Not sold | ages 12-15 | |
| $10.57 | $10.57 | Required for bobcat hunters. |
Carry proof of license on a bobcat hunt: the vendor copy, a printout, your customer ID with photo ID, or a phone screenshot.
Source: Guide p. 7 and Guide p. 4 (Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources); checked November 10, 2026.
Bobcat: orange, checking and bait
Read these before a bobcat outing; each line links back to the guide.
| Area | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Hunter orange | During gun and muzzleloader deer seasons (and firearm elk or bear seasons where they run), bobcat hunters must wear unbroken orange visible from every side. |
| Telecheck | Telecheck: record the harvest on a harvest log (species, sex, date, county) before moving the carcass, then report by phone 1-800-245-4263 or online (My Profile); write the confirmation number on the log. |
| Deadline | By midnight on the day recovered and before processing; bear by 8 p.m. Eastern the day taken plus a call to 1-800-858-1549 within 24 hours for physical check and tag; bobcat and otter before leaving Kentucky. |
| CITES tag | CITES tag for bobcat and otter pelts sold or exported. |
| Hunter education | Bobcats count like any other game here: a hunter born on or after January 1, 1975 needs hunter education or the one-time exemption permit. |
Source: Guide p. 10, Guide p. 8 and Guide p. 9 (Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources); checked November 10, 2026.
Public places that list bobcats
The Kentucky land records name bobcats on 65 areas; acreage is the record figure, or a GIS measure where marked.
| Place | Kind | Counties | Size (ac) | Match |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| National forest | 710,298 | Chart: open | ||
| WMA | 40,744 | Chart: open | ||
| WMA | 38,788 | Chart: open | ||
| River and rec area | 30,300 | Chart: open | ||
| WMA | 24,033 | Chart: open | ||
| WMA | 21,351 | Chart: open | ||
| WMA | 21,019 | Chart: open | ||
| WMA | 17,753 | Chart: open | ||
| WMA | 15,088 | Chart: open | ||
| Access area | 15,036 | Chart: open | ||
| State forest | 14,379 | Chart: open | ||
| WMA | 13,191 | Chart: open |
Source: KDFWR land records and Guide p. 30 (Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources); checked November 10, 2026.
What rides along in Kentucky bobcats
Kentucky bobcats picks were made with creek bottoms, crop edges and steep hardwood ridges in mind.
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Red hunting light
Predator hunters on pasture and hay ground find a red hunting light useful.
Bobcat shooting light by date
Sun times for three county seats help plan a bobcat outing under the rule above.
Bobcat, otter, mink, muskrat, beaver, foxes, weasel, striped skunk: daylight hours only.
| Date | Madisonville (Hopkins) | Elizabethtown (Hardin) | Barbourville (Knox) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 21, 2026 | Sun 6:35 a.m. to 4:37 p.m. CST | Sun 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. EST | Sun 7:20 a.m. to 5:24 p.m. EST |
| Dec 21, 2026 | Sun 7:00 a.m. to 4:36 p.m. CST | Sun 7:55 a.m. to 5:28 p.m. EST | Sun 7:44 a.m. to 5:22 p.m. EST |
Hours rule from the 2026-27 Kentucky Hunting & Trapping Guide; sunrise and sunset from the NOAA solar formula for each county seat on its own clock (KDFWR prints no sunrise table, so sunrise and sunset are worked out with the NOAA solar formula for the exact point, on Central Time in the 41 western counties and Eastern Time elsewhere, with daylight time ending November 1, 2026 and starting March 14, 2027.); checked November 10, 2026. Legal hours for every county.
Bobcat perched on a snowy rockPhoto: John D. (CC BY 2.0)
White-tailed buck in velvet bounding across a grassy hillsidePhoto: Jacob W. Frank (National Park Service) (Public Domain Mark 1.0)
Black oil sunflowers planted on a dove fieldPhoto: greenebriar (Public domain)
Bobcat, answered
Which methods may be used on bobcats?
Furbearer equipment, traps. Centerfire or rimfire rifle, muzzleloader, shotgun 10 ga or smaller (shoulder-fired, plugged to 3), bow, crossbow, .22+ air gun, calls, falconry, dogs.
How much does it cost to hunt bobcats?
Annual Hunting $28.54 resident, $169.12 nonresident; Annual Trapping $21.14 resident, $137.41 nonresident; Annual Landowner/Tenant Trapping $10.57 resident, Not sold nonresident; Youth Annual Trapping $5.29 resident, Not sold nonresident. See the license band for the complete bobcat list.
Hunter orange and bobcats: what applies?
During gun and muzzleloader deer seasons (and firearm elk or bear seasons where they run), bobcat hunters must wear unbroken orange visible from every side.
When can I start hunting bobcats each day?
Bobcat, otter, mink, muskrat, beaver, foxes, weasel, striped skunk: daylight hours only. Read every bobcat time on the local clock: Kentucky straddles Central and Eastern Time.
Do bobcats need a CITES tag?
5 per season, no more than 3 by gun. CITES tag for bobcat and otter pelts sold or exported.
When is a bobcat check due?
By midnight on the day recovered and before processing; bear by 8 p.m. Eastern the day taken plus a call to 1-800-858-1549 within 24 hours for physical check and tag; bobcat and otter before leaving Kentucky. Telecheck: record the harvest on a harvest log (species, sex, date, county) before moving the carcass, then report by phone 1-800-245-4263 or online (My Profile); write the confirmation number on the log.
Can a beginner hunt bobcats without a safety course?
Bobcats count like any other game here: a hunter born on or after January 1, 1975 needs hunter education or the one-time exemption permit.
Can I hunt bobcats on a WMA?
Bobcats appear on 65 public areas in the Kentucky land records; each area page lists its own restrictions.
How is the bobcat limit counted?
For bobcats the guide reads: 5 per season, no more than 3 by gun.
How long does the Kentucky bobcat season run?
Hunting (Statewide): Nov 21, 2026 to Feb 28, 2027.